Lewis receives Martin Award

(From left) Bill Bell, vice president of human resources; Betty Lewis, recipient of the Eudoxia Girard Martin Memorial Staff Recognition Award; Lori Czerwionka, associate professor of Spanish and linguistics, who nominated Lewis. (Purdue University photo/Rebecca Wilcox) Download image

Betty Lewis, an administrative assistant in the School of Languages and Cultures, has received the 2019 Eudoxia Girard Martin Memorial Staff Recognition Award.

Lewis began her Purdue career in 1997. She currently serves as schedule/building deputy, after previously working in Human Resources and as the graduate secretary in the School of Languages and Cultures. Lewis is known for welcoming people into her office, problem-solving and taking questions and concerns to heart, nominators wrote. Lewis received the award Thursday (Dec. 12) during the Clerical and Service Staff Recognition Luncheon.

The School of Languages and Cultures nominated Lewis because she goes above and beyond the expectations of the job, is willing to take on new tasks and has a natural ability to connect with others.

“She consistently goes above and beyond expectations of her job,” said Lewis’ supervisor, Lori Czerwionka, associate professor of Spanish and linguistics and interim associate head of the School of Languages and Cultures. “[Lewis] welcomes new tasks and positions, and connects with students, faculty, and other staff members in a way that allows her to understand other’s needs and support them in SLC’s and Purdue’s missions.”

The Martin Award recognizes a full-time administrative assistant (S4 or grandfathered Op Tech) on Purdue’s West Lafayette campus. It is awarded to a staff member who demonstrates qualities of heart, mind and spirit that evince a love for and helpfulness to students, faculty and staff. It consists of a medallion, a framed description of the life of Eudoxia Girard Martin and a $1,000 honorarium.

The other nominees were:

* Judy Rife, Krannert MBA and master’s program.

* Lisa Hartman, English.

* Regina Brown, Computer Graphics Technology.

* Susan Nelson, police department.

* Teasha McKinley, Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.

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.

Writer: Madison Sanneman, msannema@purdue.edu
Source: Melissa Jasek, administrative assistant, Vice President for Human Resources, jasek@purdue.edu