2018 Provost’s Unit University Awards for Excellence Presented

The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost recognized 17 outstanding staff members at the 2018 Provost’s Unit Awards for Excellence on March 21.

The University Awards for Excellence represent the NC State’s highest honor for non-faculty members. Each nominee demonstrated excellence in one of the following areas: customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations, outstanding state government service, public service, heroism, and the spirit of North Carolina.

This year’s recipients of the Provost’s Unit Awards for Excellence are:

• Emanuel Brunson Jr., lead technology support technician, academic technology innovation, DELTA
• Customer Service

  

Bruson displays exceptional customer service to NC State faculty, helping them navigate both the perils and best practices of adding technology to their courses. Since 2012, he has been the voice of calm and reassurance when faculty call the LearnTech line with an instructional technology challenge. He takes a complex problem, breaks it down into achievable steps and guides faculty to a successful implementation of technology into their course. Bruson also provides daily oversight of the LearnTech helpdesk and serves on the DELTA Activities Committee.

• Irina Glabuchek, immigration specialist, Office of Global Engagement, International Services
• Efficiency and Innovation

  

Glabuchek plays a key role in Student and Exchange Visitor Information System compliance. In the wake of an increase of federal regulations that added significant additional reporting requirements for international students on a 24-month extension of post-completion optional practical training in STEM fields, she quickly evaluated the STEM OPT rule and NC State’s STEM OPT process. Designing her new process around the office’s existing electronic archiving project, she implemented changes that improved the experience and support for international students who needed assistance navigating the STEM OPT process.

• Peggy Olive, liaison for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Textiles, Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School
• Customer Service

  

Olive has served The Graduate School for 50 years and is responsible for almost a quarter of the graduate students at NC State, from processing their admissions applications through completing their graduation clearance. Over the past five decades, she has proven adaptable to change, as her job has altered significantly with new technology. Olive’s colleagues praise her for the pride she exhibits in her work, for her infectious positive attitude and her ability to be a team player everyone loves to be around.

• Tracey Ray, assistant vice provost for student diversity, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity
• Human Relations

  

Ray has functioned as the primary diversity and inclusion consultant on campus for nearly two decades. As assistant vice provost, she championed campus-wide initiatives such as administering climate surveys to all students, faculty and staff. She represents OIED on university-wide diversity councils and committees and is responsible for aspects of faculty and staff recruitment, training, advocacy and professional development. Ray has led programming efforts including Diversity Education Week and campus Diversity Dialogues, and has helped establish dedicated prayer and meditation spaces on campus. She has worked to achieve NC State’s military-friendly designation and her continuous scholarship contributes to a high level of service to the university.

• Jeff Webster, senior associate director, applications development, academic technology innovation, DELTA

• Customer Service

  

Webster is focused on creating positive customer experiences and is committed to customer-focused design and collaboration with others. He arrived at NC State in 1996 and helped develop WolfWare in the early 2000s. He helped pilot an early version of Moodle and led the move to Moodle 2, now used by almost every NC State student. Webster recently helped implement Blackboard Collaborate and Sonic Foundry Mediasite — useful technologies for teaching and learning. He is an active participant in campus IT governance, including membership in the WolfWare Governance Technical Committee. He expertly balances the needs of NC State customers with issues of IT security and sustainability.

Each winner received eight hours of paid leave, an engraved plaque and a check for $250. They will go on to represent Provost’s Office units at NC State’s University Awards for Excellence on June 11.

Warwick Arden, executive vice chancellor and provost, along with Katharine Stewart, vice provost for faculty affairs, presented certificates to each of the following nominees:

• Sheila Brown, education research and evaluation consultant, Urban Affairs and Community Development
• Emanuel Brunson Jr., lead technology support technician, academic technology innovation, DELTA
• Sarah Craig, university library specialist, the NCSU Libraries
• Cathi Dunnagan, lead instructional designer, academic technology innovation, DELTA
• Mary Elmer, passport coordinator, Office of Global Engagement, Passport Services
• Irina Glabuchek, university program specialist, Office of Global Engagement, International Services
• Anna Hayes, assistant director, Office of Global Engagement, Study Abroad
• Peggy Olive, liaison for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Textiles, Veterinary Medicine, Graduate School
• Sherry O’Neal, communications coordinator, academic technology innovation, DELTA
• Seth Parrish, assistant director for assessment and compliance, Office of Global Engagement, Study Abroad
• Jason Perry, associate director, Enrollment Management and Services, Goodnight Scholars Program
• Tracey Ray, assistant vice provost for student diversity, Office for Institutional Equity and Diversity
• Sylvia Sheffield, university library technician, the NCSU Libraries
• Sandra Slezak, office assistant, Office of Professional Development
• Hillary Stone, student services coordinator, Office of Global Engagement, Intensive English Program
• Jeff Webster, senior associate director, applications development, academic technology innovation, DELTA
• Alex Wesner, international advisor, Office of Global Engagement, International Services