The support staff of the College of Arts & Letters actively live out a culture of care by creating meaningful connections with each other and the MSU community while embodying the mission of the College.
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.
Staff Appreciation Annual Award Nominations
Golden Staff Award
Established in 2015, the College of Arts & Letters Golden Staff Award is a special way to recognize a department, program, or group in the College for demonstrating exemplary service, hanging in there when the going gets tough, or just being a good model for the rest of us!
Rising Star
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.
Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion
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.
Exceptional Service
Established in 2016, this award is based on the Spartan Experience and the sixth imperative of the Bolder by Design strategic framework that calls upon the MSU community to embrace and build upon an invigorated culture of service. The award recognizes support staff members who have worked for MSU’s College of Arts & Letters for at least three years and have consistently demonstrated outstanding performance and a commitment to delivering exceptional service. Award recipients anticipate the needs of the Unit and are proactive and forward thinking in addressing those needs. They also promote productive relationships across the College and University while demonstrating diplomacy and responsiveness.
Outstanding Leadership
Established in 2018, this award recognizes a member of the support staff (CT, APA, APSA) 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.
Jo-Ann Vanden Berg
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.
Past Support Staff Awardees
Event Highlights
Staff Advisory Council Painting Activity
February 21, 2020
Painting class with a Department of Theatre design student. The cost of supplies contributed to the students’ chapter of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology.
CAL Connect Staff Resources Open House
May 23, 2019
Celebration of the first year of the CAL Connect Staff Resources site. The committee shared their experiences, processes for their content categories, and takeaways following the launch.