NSU recognizes STAR and Rising STAR winners

(Tahlequah, Okla.)--In recognition of their outstanding service, the Northeastern State University Staff Council named Frances Rule the first recipient of its STAR award and Anna Pugliese as its first Rising STAR during a reception July 27 at the John Vaughan Library.

The STAR and Rising STAR awards recognize staff who excel in service, teamwork, attitude and reliability. Those employed for at least two years can be nominated for the STAR award. Nominees for the Rising STAR award must be in their second year of employment. Nominations are submitted by faculty and staff.

This is a chance to say thank you to those among us who do exemplary work," said NSU President Martin Tadlock. "These awards are the creation of the people that we work with every day. For a new organization, the Staff Council has moved quickly and confidently to carve out a role for itself. I'm very pleased that the Staff Council is growing and making a difference."

Rule, secretary for the Department of Social Sciences and an NSU student majoring in business administration, said she was "shocked" to win the STAR award.

"My role is to help students get enrolled and help them coordinate their schedules," she said. "I don't treat them like customers, but like people. Since I am also I student I feel like we're all equal. I come in day by day and do my job and I had no idea people saw me in such a way. I am so honored."

Pugliese, staff assistant with business affairs at NSU-Broken Arrow, also expressed surprise after being named NSU's Rising STAR.

"I work with students who are in difficult situations with their financial accounts," she said. "However I spend most of my time working with students and don't interact as often with other staff. So to have my peers notice and acknowledge me in this fashion is really humbling and I thank them."

The NSU Staff Council was formed in 2010 as the representative body of NSU's full-time non-faculty employees. Members are elected to serve two-year terms and may not be elected to more than two terms in succession.

"When we started Staff Council we talked about finding a way to meaningfully recognize staff and let them know how important they are to the university," said Amanda Chappelle, library technician and chair of the staff awards committee. "We began work on it at our first meeting. I couldn't be more pleased with the two winners. Their nominations were amazing."

STAR winners each received a trophy and a $100 gift card donated by Barnes & Noble. Rule receives an all-lots parking pass for the 2011-12 academic year and Pugliese will have a reserved parking space. Their names and photos will also be placed in a public display board in Administration beside winners of NSU's Model the Way and Circle of Excellence awards.