CSSAC Excellence Award recipients named
September 27, 2013
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(From left) Joseph Anderson, chair of the Department of Agronomy; Gary Carter, chair of CSSAC; Andy Linvill, agronomy technician and recipient of the CSSAC Excellence Award; and Luis E. Lewin, vice president for human resources. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) |
Sandy Formica and Andy Linvill are winners of the first CSSAC Excellence Awards. The awards, which recognize clerical and service staff members who perform at outstanding levels, were announced and presented during a Clerical and Service Staff Advisory Committee luncheon Sept. 10 at Purdue Memorial Union. The luncheon honors outgoing and new CSSAC members.
Formica is a secretary in the Department of Physics and Linvill is an agronomy technician in the Department of Agronomy. They each received a plaque and $1,500. The annual award was created by CSSAC and is sponsored by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Business and Finance, Treasurer, and the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. A CSSAC committee selects the winners.
Andrew Hirsch, interim head of the Department of Physics, noted Formica's work with graduate students in his letter nominating her.
"Sandy's involvement in the department goes beyond simply serving her faculty and students. Sandy joined Purdue University Graduate Studies Advisory Council and became the group's secretary … because of her deep concern for the students and her desire to share her wide range of experience and knowledge," he wrote in the letter. "Her leadership and dedication were recently recognized when she was selected as chair of our department clerical and service staff committee."
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(From left) Luis E. Lewin, vice president for human resources; Sandy Formica, secretary in the Department of Physics and recipient of the CSSAC Excellence Award; and Gary Carter, chair of CSSAC. (Purdue University photo/Mark Simons) |
Formica said she was surprised to receive the award.
"Being chosen by people I work closely with every day is amazing," she said. "The Physics Department is like a second family to me, and I am blessed to work with the graduate students. To receive an award for it is unbelievable. I can't thank them enough."
Joseph Anderson, chair of the Department of Agronomy, cited Linvill's dedication in his nomination letter.
"He is always available to assist the students, faculty and staff," Anderson said. "Andy never fails to take the initiative when faced with problems, be they minor or complex. He has assumed leadership in his position with a cheerful and enthusiastic attitude."
Linvill was quick to credit others for his success.
"Usually only professors and faculty members receive awards. To be honored like that is wonderful. When you work with the best, you become the best. When you surround yourself with good people, you become good yourself," he said. "I would like to thank everybody I work with."
Writer: Greg McClure, 49-69711, gmcclure@purdue.edu