December 7, 2017

Martin Award given to Cooper

Kitty Cooper, intra and extramural programs assistant in the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, has received the 2017 Eudoxia Girard Martin Memorial Staff Recognition Award.

Cooper has been working for the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering for 10 years and at the University for 36. She is best known for her positive attitude, her willingness to help and the excellence she brings to all areas of her job, according to her nominators. Cooper received the award Tuesday (Dec. 5) during the Clerical and Service Staff Recognition Luncheon.

Many professionals from the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering wrote nomination letters on behalf of Cooper and her excellent work throughout the years. Michael Ladisch, Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering and of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, called Cooper “an exceptional role model” in writing about her outstanding service-minded approach to her work and  her organizational skills.

Cooper is described by her supervisor, Jo Gelfand, intra/extramural relations administrator, as someone who doesn’t know the meaning of the word “no” when it comes to customer service.

“No matter who approaches her with a request (at any time of day or night), Kitty will jump in to solve whatever crisis has arisen, or whatever problem needs smoothing out,” Gelfand wrote.

Kinam Park, the Showalter Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Engineering, wrote, “Even when she is swamped with many deadlines that happen to fall at the same time, she maintains her calm and handles the tasks at hand one by one. This is most likely due to her lifelong positive attitude that her work can impact others. It took me decades to learn that simple lesson.”

The Martin Award is intended for fifth-level secretaries or administrative assistants with five years of continuous service on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. It is awarded to staff who accomplish their duties with a special caring and helpfulness to students, faculty and staff. It consists of a medallion, a framed description of the life of Martin and a $1,000 honorarium.

The other nominees were:

* Regina Brown, Computer Graphics Technology.
* Debra Burrow, Civil Engineering.
* Cynthia Holderbaum, Biomedical Engineering.

The Martin Award is named in honor of Eudoxia Girard Martin, who lived in Lafayette from 1920 to 1977 and was executive secretary to the dean of engineering at Purdue for many years. 


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