The deadline for nominations for the 2026 award is noon, Friday, October 16, 2026.
About the Award
The Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence is the highest honor bestowed upon staff members, recognizing individuals who exemplify exceptional job performance, a strong work ethic, and an unwavering commitment to service. The award celebrates outstanding contributions, fosters a culture of creativity and innovation, and highlights the significant impact of Public Service and Outreach staff. Established in 2006, the award has become a distinguished tradition of recognizing excellence, with up to three recipients honored annually.
Direct questions to: Matt Bishop, Associate Vice President, Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach, mlbishop@uga.edu, 706-542-6167
Submit nomination packets via this LINK.
Nomination Guidelines
Purpose
The Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence recognizes staff members who demonstrate exceptional job performance, a strong work ethic, and a steadfast commitment to service. The award celebrates outstanding contributions, promotes creativity and innovation in the workplace, and honors the vital role that Public Service and Outreach (PSO) staff play in advancing the PSO mission of the University of Georgia. As the highest honor bestowed upon PSO staff members, this award serves as the staff counterpart to the prestigious Walter Barnard Hill Awards for Distinguished Achievement in Public Service and Outreach presented to faculty.
Award
Up to three Public Service and Outreach Staff Awards for Excellence may be awarded annually. To preserve the prestige and significance of the award, the PSO Selection Committee reserves the discretion to determine the number of awards presented each year, including the option to make no award if no nominee sufficiently meets the established criteria.
Each recipient will receive a monetary award of $1,000, an engraved recognition award, and a framed certificate, which will be presented at the annual Public Service and Outreach Faculty and Staff Appreciation Event held each fall. Recipients are also recognized during the Public Service and Outreach Annual Meeting the following spring.
Note that funding for the monetary award is provided by the recipient’s unit.
Eligibility
Benefit-eligible staff members employed for a minimum of two continuous years in one of the eight PSO units that report directly to the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach are eligible to be nominated by their directors.
Process
Each Public Service and Outreach unit may submit one nomination annually. Exceptions include the Carl Vinson Institute of Government (CVIOG), the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and the UGA Center for Continuing Education and Hotel, each of which may submit up to two nominations annually.
All PSO faculty and staff are encouraged to nominate deserving staff members in their unit.
The director of each PSO unit determines the process used to nominate staff member(s) within their unit, and units may consider and review as many prospective nominees as they deem appropriate. The unit director will appoint a unit-level review committee to evaluate candidates and recommend the nomination(s) that advance to the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach.
Nominations must be submitted using this LINK. Note that a letter of support from the unit director and a current copy of the nominee’s job description must be uploaded as part of the nomination process.
Selection Committee
The Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach will appoint a selection committee composed of previous award recipients as well as Public Service and Outreach faculty members. The committee will be chaired by a representative from the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach who will serve in a non-voting capacity. Using a standardized evaluation rubric, the committee will review all nominations and recommend up to three recipients of the Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence to the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach for final approval.
Units submitting nominations should be prepared to provide additional documentation upon request of the Selection Committee.
Timeline
The call for nominations will be issued in late August 2026. Each unit sets their internal timeline for reviewing and recommending their nomination(s). Nominations are due to the Office of the Vice President for Public Service and Outreach via the link provided above no later than noon, Friday, October 16, 2026.
Recognition Ceremony
The Public Service and Outreach Staff Award for Excellence is presented at the annual Public Service and Outreach Faculty and Staff Appreciation Event held each fall.
Past Recipients
2026: Emily Kenworthy, Scott King, Jennifer Willis
2025: Laurel Clark, Emily Schattler, Brian Wrenn
2024: Christina Allen-Wise, Scott Crabtree, Emily Newdow
2023: Jack Auckland, James Byars
2022: Pamela C. Bracken
2021: Lisa Gentit
2020: Cora Keber, Clark Stancil
2019: Genell Gibson
2018: James Marty Higgins
2017: Kate Smith
2016: Fei Zhang
2015: Sandy Christopher
2014: Karen Duncan, Melanie Hardman, Lindsey Parker
2013: Dan Evans, Tim Holcomb, Linda Rhodes
2012: Michelle Bailey, Emily Davis, Kathy Hart
2011: Stephanie Edgecombe, Lisa Lynn Kesler, Larry Welborn
2010: Annie Burgess, Melanie Lee
2009: Dianne Campbell, Marie Scoggins
2008: Anne Shenk, Kitty Shollenberger
2007: Debra Gates, James H. Gilstrap, Jann Moore
2006: Richard Hitchcock, James McCay, Tiffany Williams