Staff in the College of Arts & Letters serve key roles in the functions of the College. In service to this, the College of Arts & Letters has established a number of awards to recognize the work done by our staff members. This resource is available for easy access to award details and nomination forms and requirements.
The 2023 CAL Staff Award nominations are due July 14, 2023 and are submitted electronically through the links below.
Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion Award
Established in 2018, this award recognizes a member of the support staff who demonstrates adept skills in engaging across differences among the communities in which they work. It honors efforts to actively work to make Michigan State University a more accessible and welcoming place by understanding the complex, intersectional nature of identity, and employing such knowledge to improve the student, faculty, academic staff, and support staff experience.
The recipient of this award should be someone who makes it a practice to seek an understanding of differing perspectives and is sensitive to the value diversity brings. While actively employing inclusive practices, they are passionate about making the College of Arts & Letters accessible to people of all abilities, and they demonstrate a genuine commitment to welcoming all students, faculty, and staff and offering a sense of belonging to minoritized/marginalized individuals and groups.
Exceptional Service Award
Established in 2016, this award celebrates a support staff member who exemplifies a culture of service. The award recipient should be someone who consistently demonstrates a commitment to delivering exceptional service and promotes productive relationships across the College and the University while demonstrating diplomacy and responsiveness. They regularly anticipate the needs of the unit(s) and are proactive and forward-thinking in addressing those needs. The recipient is someone who is dependable and models for others what exemplary customer service looks like.
Outstanding Leadership Award
Established in 2018, this award recognizes a member of the support staff who embodies exceptional leadership by building community, nurturing a culture of care and support, exhibiting strong stewardship of institutional resources (time, talent, financial, etc.), and developing a shared vision of institutional excellence that allows everyone to feel they have a purpose in the organization. Their strength as a leader can be demonstrated through participation on committees, as part of project teams, or through peer training and mentorship. The outstanding leader should be someone who consistently seeks to improve operations while focusing on the experience of students, staff, faculty, and College friends. Demonstrating emotional intelligence, integrity, resilience, and flexibility, the award winner actively works to provide an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion by fostering a sense of belonging for all members of the CAL and MSU communities. Nominees do not need to be in a supervisory position.
Rising Star Award
Established in 2016, this award recognizes support staff members who have worked for MSU’s College of Arts & Letters for one to three years and have shown promise early in their CAL careers with a potential for growth and advancement. It honors those staff members who have exhibited exemplary dedication to the mission of the College and Michigan State University while consistently demonstrating outstanding performance in fulfillment of their job responsibilities. The award recipient should be someone who anticipates problems and is solution oriented. Further, this resourceful team player takes initiative and is willing to reach outside of their personal network to achieve their objective.
Jo-Ann Vanden Bergh Award
The award is named in honor of Jo-Ann Vanden Bergh, who served the College of Arts & Letters for more than 25 years in various staff positions. You now have the opportunity to nominate a staff member within the College of Arts & Letters who exemplifies the qualities displayed by Jo-Ann Vanden Bergh, and whose attainment of excellence deserves this special recognition.
While serving as a support staff member for the College of Arts & Letters, Jo-Ann modeled the culture of care, treating all students, staff, and faculty with dignity, respect, and integrity. She valued collaboration and was known for her dedication to the College community and her exemplary work performance.