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Recipients of 2014 Board of Regents Staff Awards Announced
[September 20, 2014]

Recipients of 2014 Board of Regents Staff Awards Announced


(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ADELPHI, Md., Sept. 19 -- The University System of Maryland issued the following news release: University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Chairman James L. Shea and USM Chancellor William E. Kirwan honored winners of the 2014 USM Regents' Staff Awards at a breakfast ceremony before today's board meeting at Towson University.



The awards recognize staff members who have made exceptional contributions to their organizations, students and the university community.

Award winners are selected based on nominations and letters of support from colleagues, culminating in a formal recommendation from the Council of University System Staff, which provides non-faculty USM employees with a voice in system governance.


Each award carries a $1,000 prize, provided by the institutions and the University System of Maryland Foundation.

The following USM staff members were honored: Regents' Staff Awards for Effectiveness and Efficiency Exempt Staff Allison Foltz, Database Administrator from the Department of Information Technology at Salisbury University (SU).

Ms. Foltz's expertise has been invaluable while SU has handled some major computing projects. For example, thanks to her ability, Salisbury did not have to hire any outside consultants during a recent project involving PeopleSoft's Student Information System. In addition, thanks to her, SU was able to minimize the number of staff needed to operate the new software. And her work with offices across campus has helped these departments operate with greater efficiency as well. Overall, Ms. Foltz's skill and commitment saved the university an estimated 30 to 60 thousand dollars each year during this project.

Claude "Dick" Rader, Director of the Information Technology Division at Coppin State University (CSU).

As director, Mr. Rader has been responsible for initiating several projects that produced a cost savings in excess of a $100,000 for Coppin. During his leadership, he has been instrumental in leveraging existing and emerging technology to advance the university's mission and promote effectiveness and efficiency. His work has included the installation of CSU's fiber optic backbone, the migration of the campus to a voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP), and provision of a cloud-based network backup.

Regents' Staff Award for Exceptional Contribution to the Institution or Unit Exempt Staff: Dr. David Hoffman, Assistant Director of Student Life for Civic Agency at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).

When he joined the UMBC community, Dr. Hoffman envisioned UMBC as a campus where students were deeply involved in decision-making and problem solving. His visions are now a reality. Today, UMBC students see themselves as partners in creating the UMBC experience. David's impact is perhaps best seen through Breaking Ground-a nationally recognized collaboration across campus that promotes the goals of civic agency by supporting students, faculty, and staff in undertaking meaningful and innovative projects for the university and community.

Non-Exempt Staff: Julie Rosenthal, Program Management Specialist for the Asian Studies Program, also from UMBC. Ms. Rosenthal has been instrumental in fostering interconnections among people and programs, and between her campus and local communities. Her advocacy on behalf of Asian Studies has played a key role in the program's rapid growth; it now has 60 majors and 22 minors. Notable in her support of UMBC's broader mission is the founding and directing a Howard County non-profit organization called "Food on the 15th," which provides food for senior citizens on fixed incomes. She has extended this program to the UMBC community by engaging the Asian Studies students to serve as translators for the Asian population.

Regents' Staff Award for Extraordinary Public Service to the University or to the Greater Community Exempt Staff Phillip Thomas, Area Director in the Office of Residence Life at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES).

While at UMES, Mr. Thomas has engaged in many internal and external public service activities. Working with a colleague, he started a turkey drive that has grown to help hundreds of needy families every Thanksgiving. He spearheaded voter registration drives that have now registered more than 1,000 people. He is actively involved in Upward Bound, volunteers his time in mentorship programs, and works with the students on college readiness activities. His crowning achievement is the non-profit program he co-founded, GRASP--Generating Realistic Achievement of Success and Possibilities. Through this organization, he has gone into local schools to motivate and encourage students toward college readiness.

Non-Exempt Staff: Jayne French, Administrative Assistant in the Center for Student Diversity at Towson University (TU). Ms. French is a strong advocate for social justice routinely attending events in the evening and on weekends. She is a life-long member of the NAACP. She has long been involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, prompted by her concern over the plight of many returning Vietnam era veterans. She has served as a volunteer with the Special Olympics for more than 12 years. She works with the Active Coalition for Transitional Services, where she assists women victimized by domestic violence. Ms. French also an active and engaged member of the Towson community, serving on the Towson University Staff Council.

Regents' Staff Award for Outstanding Service to Students in an Academic or Residential Environment Exempt Staff: John Tilghman, also an Area Director in the Office of Residence Life at UMES. In his 34 years at UMES, Mr. Tilghman has been a mentor and father figure for many who live on campus. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks, it is not unusual for him to volunteer and stay on campus with student athletes and international students who remain on campus. Not only does he stay on campus with these students. For several years, Mr. Tilghman, with the help of his family members, has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for the students that stay behind. He has also created community engagement and wellness programs for the 200 student residents. Students lovingly referred to him as "Dean" Tilghman out of their heartfelt love and respect.

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