Eligibility criteria for all three awards:
- All full-time Huck administrative staff and research staff and/or faculty are eligible.
- Past recipients are not eligible for a period of four years after receiving the award.
Outside the Box
“Only those who see the invisible can do the impossible.”
This award is given to a member who initiate change and use creativity to develop new or improved processes, methods, systems, products, or services and inspires others to adapt to change. They help solve problems by thinking creatively, unconventionally or from a new perspective, and pushes the boundaries of conventional constraints. The nominee may have demonstrated a combination of the following attributes:
- Risk taker – not afraid to look at new ways of doing things
- Pioneering innovation in process and productivity
- Creating new concepts and identifying creative solutions that improve upon or extend beyond current best practices
GEM (Go the Extra Mile)
This award recognizes employees who have gone above and beyond their regular assignment in specific and recognizable ways. While many employees go the extra mile all the time, this award acknowledges the service and dedication of those who take on one or more special initiatives to help others and the organization through service they were not called upon to do. The nominee may have demonstrated a combination of the following:
- Volunteers to take on responsibilities not specifically required by their supervisor and take those on with a positive and willing spirit
- Demonstrated leadership or an ability to motivate others in pursuit of excellence
- Considered situations and problems from novel and diverse perspectives; addressed challenges in an innovative manner
- Questioned existing assumptions and beliefs; encouraged people to think of alternative ways of doing things
- Considered constraints that limited innovation; worked within constraints to create novel approaches; found ways to make the most out of existing resources; swiftly moved from ideas to implementation Candidates should have performed in a manner that substantially exceeds the normal expectation for a staff member.
Candidates should have performed in a manner that substantially exceeds the normal expectation for a staff member
Teamwork Award
Sometimes it takes one person to lead a team and sometimes the team comes together and leads each other. The Teamwork Award recognizes an individual who fosters cooperation, collaboration and open communication, and participated on a project or significant effort that advances departmental goals and/or University mission. The nominee may have demonstrated a combination of the following:
- Works effectively as part of a team to successfully accomplish a task or meet a goal
- Builds effective collaborative relationships across different groups of departments within the organization to define and solve problems or reach agreements on a course of action while considering multiple perspectives
- Creates a team environment that promotes communication, trust, cooperation and respect for differences
- Contributes to a group effort which has a significant impact on departmental goals
- Develops a partnership that seeks input and involvement of those affected by decisions
- Accepts responsibility and accountability in helping to advance the University's mission or departmental goal
- Places team goals above personal goals while achieving a distinctive result or product
Employee award nominations will be requested annually before the Spring Pulse of the Huck meeting and winners will be determined by the Huck Director in consultation with the Managing Director. Winners will be announced during the Pulse of the Huck meeting.
Past Recipients
2022 Recipients:
- Kelly Foster – GEM -Go the Extra Mile Award
- Desa Rae Abrams – Teamwork Award
- Mike Uchneat – Outside the Box Award
2021 Recipients:
None/Pandemic
2020 Recipients:
- Antonio Brown, Brittany Grimes, Kelly Foster, and Josh Yoas – Teamwork Award
- Mike Uchneat – GEM – Go the Extra Mile Award
- Keith Hickey – Outside the Box Award
- Neela Yennawar – Research Faculty Recognition Award
2019 Recipients:
- Jean Pierce, Carla Rodgers and Terrie Young – Teamwork Award
- Ashley Price - GEM – Go the Extra Mile Award
- Daryl Branford - Outside the Box Award
2018 Recipients:
- Laura Drew - Teamwork Award
- Carla Rodgers - GEM Award
- Cole Hons - Outside the Box Award