Inaugural Staff Distinction Awards honor the contributions of School of Medicine employees
Four individuals and one team, representing a broad range of departments and units, were recognized for their commitment, collaboration and leadership.
Left to right: Dylan Chaplin, Emma Robinson, Lori Pfister and Alex Josephs are the recipients of this year's Excellence in Collaboration Award.
On Wednesday, July 17, about 120 people gathered during their lunch breaks to celebrate a group of employees described by Cathy Wood, senior associate dean for finance and administration, as “the backbone of everything that we do here” — School of Medicine staff.
“Our faculty, our students, our trainees could not have the successes that they have without our staff,” Wood said at the inaugural Staff Distinction Awards ceremony. “They are really the leaders of the School of Medicine, and sometimes many of them are the unsung heroes and don’t really receive the credit they deserve for their great work.”
The Staff Distinction Awards recognize the achievements of School of Medicine staff members and honor their outstanding contributions to the school’s mission. Four Individual Excellence Awards were presented to a single recipient each, and one Excellence in Collaboration Award went to a team of two or more staff members.
Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the School of Medicine, addressed the nominees and their guests before the winners were announced. He shared an anecdote from his first year in medical school, when an anatomy technician found him alone in the lab late one night, studying for his final and “trying to figure out why I was doing this.” The technician asked if he was frustrated, and Saavedra said he was just trying to get through this course — all he wanted was to score high enough on the test to get a 70% in the class.
“The staff member looked at me and said, ‘Young doctor, will you be satisfied if you only get 70% of your diagnoses correct when you see patients?’” Saavedra said. “And that staff member changed my life."
The dean went on to congratulate the nominees and recipients and remind everyone in attendance of the lasting impact staff members can have on students, faculty and trainees.
The inaugural recipients of the School of Medicine Staff Distinction Awards include the following:
Individual Excellence Awards
Jodi Humpage
Department administrator
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Human and Molecular Genetics and Department of Physiology
“Jodi is always constructive, upbeat, cheerful and enthusiastic to help. Jodi has served many members of the VCU community — students, faculty, staff and fellow administrators — and epitomizes what the perfect administrator should be. Jodi seamlessly moves between the departments, knowing the different approaches required for each department, and all three chairs continue to rely on her heavily for her expertise. On a personal level, Jodi is a pure pleasure to work with, and she serves as a major resource.”
Molly Hyer, Ph.D.
Director of research development and innovation
Institute of Women’s Health
“Molly works independently and seeks out new opportunities to expand the reach of the institute, navigating boundaries to maintain the goals of the institute and the relationships within the broader university. She demonstrates maturity under pressure by maintaining a can-do attitude with all the faculty, staff, trainees and partners she works with. Molly is approachable, positive and energizing, and this comes through all her interactions with colleagues, making her a valuable asset to the institute and School of Medicine.”
Joey Noble
IT manager
SOMTech, Dean’s Office
“Joey maintains a high level of IT knowledge in a rapidly changing technological field, consistently demonstrating his understanding of emerging software, hardware, information security and user interfaces. Joey routinely demonstrates adaptability in instilling his knowledge to quickly provide service and novel technologies to meet the needs of the institute.”
Dana Rajczewski
Communications specialist
Depeartment of Family Medicine and Population Health
“Dana is extremely hardworking, compassionate and a highly driven individual who embodies the culture and values of the VCU School of Medicine. Dana is completely committed to excellence and ensuring smooth operations. She currently holds the title communications specialist, but this is an inadequate descriptor — Dana is, without a doubt, our department go-to person. She is a clear communicator with a special perspective for detail who has a gift for listening and collaborating.”
Excellence in Collaboration Award
SOM Research and Educational Missions Team
“Members of the team often go above and beyond expectations through their proactive efforts and approach to problem-solving. The Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics would truly not be the same without them. To say they are an asset to the VIPBG and VCU is an understatement. This team seems unstoppable when focused on a goal or an identified need and they embody the best of VCU’s values.”
Dylan Chaplin
Financial specialist
Finance and Administration, Dean's Office
Alex Josephs
Financial analyst
Finance and Administration, Dean's Office
Lori Pfister
Director of business operations
Finance and Administration, Dean's Office
Emma Robinson
Financial analyst
Finance and Administration, Dean's Office