Exemplary Employee Award Nomination Process and Past Recipients

Exemplary Employee Award

The Oregon State University Exemplary Employee Award recognizes work performance and service of the highest caliber which goes above and beyond the standard expectations held for professional faculty and classified staff. Two award recipients are selected by a committee comprised of employees from across campus from the pool of nominees submitted by their co-workers. One classified and one professional faculty employee will be honored at the University Day ceremonies with the presentation of plaques and a cash award of $500.00 each.

To be eligible for the Exemplary Employee Award both professional faculty and classified employee nominees must have a minimum of one year of University service at .50 FTE or greater.  Temporary employees and members of the selection committee are not eligible for nomination.

Nomination Process

Anyone can make a nomination: supervisors, co-workers or students.

For full consideration, a completed nomination packet must include the following:

  1. A nomination letter of up to two pages addressing how the nominee meets the criteria outlined below;
  2. Two one-page letters of support that address the criteria; and
  3. One of the above documents must be from the employee’s supervisor.

Please send your complete digital (scanned PDF, Word, or DocuSign) confidential nomination packet, no later than May 31, 2023, to:  

Christina Schaaf, University Human Resources
[email protected]
If you have questions regarding this award, please feel free to contact Christina Schaaf at the email address above.

Exemplary Employee Award Criteria

Please use specific examples to describe how this employee’s performance merits recognition for exemplary service. Your letters should address, as precisely as possible, how the nominee has consistently shown outstanding or extraordinary performance in any or all of the following areas:

Customer Service – the employee contributes to the quality of service to students, staff, faculty, or the public resulting in a positive experience for the customer or service user

Leadership – the employee demonstrates initiative and sets the pace in a formal or informal leadership role;

Mentoring – the employee encourages and motivates their peers and other employees to improve or develop professionally

Self-Improvement – the employee initiates developmental activities to improve job knowledge or work performance;

Efficiency – the employee contributes ideas that result in savings of time or resources

Problem Solving – the employee identifies creative and innovative resolutions to problems or challenges in the department and/or the university

Teamwork – the employee contributes significantly to teambuilding to create cohesion and team spirit

The Exemplary Employee Award Committee may reach out to nominators to seek clarification of information when necessary.

Past Recipients List