The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) celebrated employee achievements by honoring retirees, recognizing employees for years of service and acknowledging outstanding work among faculty and staff with the announcement of the “President’s Awards of Excellence for Employee Achievement” awards.
This year, the Employee Celebration began by recognizing ten retirees who had a combined service to WVSOM of 243 years. Retirees were Dr. Michael Adelman, Dr. Elaine Soper, Patricia Cruse, Patricia Crawford, Michele Vallandingham, Angie Bowyer (Hellms), Milletta Burns, Dr. Bob Fisk, Dr. George Boxwell and Cheryl Baker.
“It’s no accident that WVSOM has become the institution it is today,” Leslie Bicksler, WVSOM’s vice president of human resources told the audience. “There are a score of great employees like each of you who have come before us and have ensured that WVSOM not only existed but thrived over the years. Employees who paid the power bill, rewrote the curriculum, rewrote the curriculum again, recruited students, taught students, moved a wall and then moved the wall back the next year, they conducted research, they ran graduation, they made sure we got paid. Of course I’m referring to our WVSOM retirees. We can’t thank you enough for all you have done and continue to do for WVSOM.”
The Office of Human Resources also presented the President’s Award of Excellence for Employee Achievement to individuals whose job performance has demonstrated sustained creativity, resourcefulness and dedication. These individuals have made significant contributions to WVSOM through their professional specialty and achievement of the school’s goals and objectives. Winners in the administrative/managerial category were Edward Bridges, Ph.D.; Jeff Dowdy; and Mary Essig. Winners in the professional/non-faculty category were Angie Amick; Kathy Hoke; Carrie Lawrence; Alicia Luckton; Scott Maxwell; Sherri Miller; Randy Saunders; and Todd Trent. Winners in the paraprofessional/clerical category were Milletta Burns; Rebekah McDowell; and Jill Trent. Winners in the maintenance/service category were Gina Griffin; Lisa Howard; and Eddie Miller.
Two faculty members, Andrea Nazar, D.O., clinical sciences, and Kristie Bridges, Ph.D., biomedical sciences, received this year’s President’s Outstanding Faculty Awards. The awards are presented each year to members of the faculty in recognition of their excellence in teaching and commitment to osteopathic medical education.
The President’s Outstanding Employee Award is given annually to selected employees who are identified to the president by a vote of WVSOM faculty and Staff as overall outstanding employees for the current academic year. The award recognizes exceptional and dedicated service to WVSOM. The goal of the award is to raise awareness in the campus community about the indispensable contributions that have been made by the outstanding employee to the quality, diversity and overall mission of WVSOM. Eleven employees were nominated. They were Suzanne Adkins, Edward Bridges, Ph.D., Marietta Chaney, Susan Griffith, Jandy Hanna, Ph.D., Alicia Luckton, Sherri Miller, Andrea Nazar, D.O., Karla Pauley, Deborah Schmidt, D.O., and Leah Stone. The two winners this year were Susan Griffith and Andrea Nazar, D.O.
“We want you to know as your colleagues how much we appreciate you and the work that you do at WVSOM,” Bicksler said. “We recognize the dedication, the time, the commitment, the extra effort and the passion that you show to not only ensuring WVSOM’s success but the success of those around you. You make WVSOM what it is – a special place to many of us and we thank you.”
The celebration also recognizes employees for reaching milestones in five-year increments of service at WVSOM. In addition to recognizing a number of employees who have reached milestones of service, WVSOM recognized eight employees who achieved 20 or more years of service to WVSOM as of June 2018. Paul Boothe and Patricia Crawford have worked at WVSOM for 20 years; William Alder for 25 years; Craig Boisvert, D.O., for 30 years; Diana Bird and Robert Foster, D.O., for 35 years; and Elayne Brown and Ernest Piercy for 40 years.
“We want each and every one of you to know how much we appreciate your time, energy, talents and passion for making WVSOM successful. Your contributions are essential to WVSOM’s ongoing and continued success,” Bicksler said.
Kelly Jackson, Ph.D. was honored as professor emeritus during the celebration. Jackson taught immunology for 22 years at WVSOM and, while there, aided in developing new curriculum and was the vice chair of biomedical sciences. Jackson has been recognized as a dedicated teacher as the recipient of several awards at WVSOM including the Osteopathic Principles and Practice Integration Teaching award, Outstanding Teacher and the Golden Key Award for Excellence. He also received a nomination for the West Virginia Professor of the Year award in 2000.
Other WVSOM faculty who received promotions and tenures were Joyce Morris-Wiman, Ph.D., awarded tenure; Kristie Bridges, Ph.D., promoted to professor; Raeann Carrier, Ph.D., promoted to associate professor; John Garlitz, D.O., promoted to professor; Jandy Hanna, Ph.D., promoted to professor; and Lourdes Bernardino, M.D., awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor.
WVSOM currently employs 286 people. For a complete look at retirees and award winners, visit the WVSOM Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wvsom/ to view a photo album.