VU salutes employees for exemplary service and performance - External Relations
VU salutes employees for exemplary service and performance
October 9, 2018 / VU salutes employees for exemplary service and
performance
LINK to award recipient photo, click
HERE
PHOTO - Recipients of Vincennes University Peer Recognition
awards are, from left, Jane Brocksmith Tiek, Arthur Fields, Justin
"Levi" Lumm, Angie Crabtree, Matthew J. Norman, Melissa J.
Belcher, and Terry J. Andry. The awards were presented by VU President
Chuck Johnson at a reception on Oct. 9 at the Beckes Student Union. VU
peers nominate recipients based on exemplary service and performance.
The President’s Advisory Committee then selects the recipients. ###
VINCENNES, Ind. - Vincennes University presented Peer
Recognition Awards to seven employees at a reception on Oct. 9 at the
Beckes Student Union. VU President Chuck Johnson made the
presentations, thanking recipients for their dedicated service.
VU peers nominate recipients based on exemplary service and
performance. The President’s Advisory Committee then selects the
recipients, which this year include Terry J. Andry, Food Service
Manager, Jasper Campus; Melissa J. Belcher, Associate Professor,
Nursing, Jasper Campus; Angie Crabtree, Assistant Professor/Director
of STEP Program; Arthur Fields, Assistant Professor of Art/Photography
and Shircliff Art Gallery Director; Justin "Levi" Lumm,
Instructor, John Deere and Diesel Program; Matthew J. Norman,
Associate Professor, English; and Jane Brocksmith Tiek, Professor, Nursing.
“It is truly a special opportunity for us to take time and
recognize individuals who go the ‘extra mile’ for Vincennes University
and our students,” said VU President Chuck Johnson. “It is wonderful
that they are recognized by their peers for what they do. It is a very
special type of recognition when those you work with take time to
single you out. We really do have a very special mission and we really
do have a very special place in the lives of our students and the
families that we impact and in the communities that we impact as a result.”
ABOUT THE RECIPIENTS - These excerpts were taken from each
award recipient's nomination submission.
Terry J. Andry, Food Service Manager, Jasper Campus
One
example of Terry’s dedication is that just over a year ago there were
major changes that went on in the Bistro. It was a lengthy process and
she had to learn to improvise her food prep and cooking through the
renovations and embrace the changes. Terry went with the flow and
worked with the Dean and pertinent personnel to help make all the
transitions go smoothly for all that were involved. On a daily basis
she goes out of her way to make the food in the Bistro extra special.
Terry makes everyone feel welcome and helps them relax during their
class breaks or lunch hours. She lends a listening ear when someone is
having a bad day. During certain holidays she goes all out to make
special meals and decorate the Bistro. Terry grows her own herbs and
vegetables to use in her recipes and salads. Terry provides what the
campus community needs to be strong and thriving.
Melissa J. Belcher, Associate Professor, Nursing, Jasper
Campus
Melissa has strong communication skills and has a passion
for serving students that goes beyond the role of a basic educator.
She works to ensure the nursing students at VU-J have opportunities to
not only develop the skills to be successful nurses, but to integrate
value-based qualities that embody and encourage an approach to nursing
as a vocation rather than simply a professional role. Melissa has
served as the faculty leader for our Student Nurse Organization for
several years, through which she has coordinated efforts for students
to provide much-needed aid to community groups. Melissa also planned a
student/faculty mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains in rural
Kentucky where students provided medical screenings and health
education to underserved populations. Melissa’s approach to teaching
provides our students with opportunities that will impact the way they
approach serving others in life.
Angie Crabtree, Assistant Professor/Director of STEP Program,
Humanities
Angie works hard as the director of the STEP program,
traveling throughout the state to attend transition and career fairs
to connect with families and build personal relationships. She served
on the State Commission for ISTEP re-evaluation and brought insight to
the committee regarding students with learning differences and how the
changes would impact their diplomas and certificates. This past
spring, Angie planned and implemented a Disability Awareness event at
the Skelton Center for the VU community and surrounding community, and
secured Brett Eastburn as the keynote speaker. It was a highly
successful event. She is compassionate toward students and will go out
of her way, at her own expense, to provide for their needs. Angie
ensures that teaching is relevant and purposeful; she truly has a
heart for Vincennes University and its students.
Arthur Fields, Assistant Professor of Art/Photography &
Shircliff Art Gallery Director
Arthur goes above and beyond his
assigned duties by working tirelessly to bring a wide range of
regional artists and their works to the VU campus. He gathers artists’
applications, oversees the selection process, and sets up the
schedule. He also handles receiving the art works and setting up the
shows. Most often, this work takes place over the weekend. Arthur does
all this extra work with an infectious smile and a good-natured
attitude because he knows that the gallery shows are an invaluable
resource for the entire student body and the Vincennes community. He
has also been instrumental in securing grants for funding and has been
an excellent steward of these resources. Arthur is an inspiration to
all of us for his dedication to educating our students, and as an
ambassador to our community and other institutions of higher learning.
Justin "Levi" Lumm, Instructor, John Deere &
Diesel Program
Levi shows his devotion not only to his craft,
but also to the students and other faculty. For the past couple of
years Levi has not only carried his normal teaching load but he has
also been a full-time student to complete his baccalaureate degree. He
schedules class trips and every two years will accompany the John
Deere students on a tour of the John Deere factories in Moline,
Waterloo, and Des Moines, Iowa. Levi also reaches out to industry and
builds team relationships within that industry. He has also taken on
the role as the leader of the Vincennes University Awards for
Excellence Program, and has also been the recipient of the Awards for
Excellence for the John Deere Program. Levi shows the highest
integrity for Vincennes University, the students he respects and cares
about, as well as in his personal life as a husband, father, and pastor.
Matthew J. Norman, Associate Professor, English
Matt’s
door is always open to students and he spends many hours in both
scheduled and un-scheduled conferences, helping students with their
assignments or applications to the Honors Program, and even with
personal matters. If there is a special project to be completed, a
committee to be chaired, a meeting to attend, a new faculty member to
be mentored, a colleague’s class to be covered, or a computer question
to be answered, Matt’s answer is always, “I’ll be glad to help.”
Matt’s work was instrumental in the re-design of the English
Department’s developmental curriculum, which resulted in a greater
opportunity for learning and success in developmental students’
English courses. Matt serves as the director of the Honors Program,
having recently re-designed the curriculum, including developing
several new courses. He has also served on numerous committees and
various roles throughout the University.
Jane Brocksmith Tiek, Professor, Nursing
Jane is the
leader and one of the original founders of a volunteer medical mission
team called Nurses on a Mission. The group is comprised of faculty,
nursing students, nursing graduates, and volunteers from the
community. Each year in March the team travels to the Dominican
Republic to provide medical care to residents living in severely
impoverished conditions. Nursing students benefit from this
opportunity through cultural emersion, practicing and tuning
assessment skills, familiarizing themselves with many medications and
the patient education needed for each, and communicating all aspects
of care through an interpreter in a Spanish-speaking country. All who
participate in the trip are touched by Jane’s devotion and compassion
in serving those in need. It is a life-changing experience for all who
participate, and it would not happen if it were not for Jane’s dedication.
###
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Manager
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