The Rose-Hulman Board of Trustees and administration have recognized faculty and staff for helping the campus community overcome personal challenges, promote diversity and inclusion, and make a difference by supporting students, parents, visitors, and employees. 

The honors were presented at this year’s Pre-Commencement Awards event. Rose-Hulman also honored several faculty and staff members for their longtime service along with achieving academic tenure status and collaborating with others to make the institute a better place to work and learn.

The Rose Cares Behavioral Intervention Team of faculty and staff received the Excellence in Service Award for ensuring the well-being and safety of the campus community by identifying members who are struggling with academic or social adjustment and making the transition to attending college. Committee members then make sure the individual gets properly mental health, academic services, or other necessary assistance.

Board of Trustees Chair Niles Noblitt stated, “Rose Cares members) are the boots on the ground, following through with exactly what we say we are going to do from the time students set foot on campus at Orientation until they walk across the stage at Commencement. They reach out to students, let them know that we are concerned about them, and help them get on track by connecting them to the proper resources.

“The formation of the Rose Cares team has allowed individuals from multiple areas of campus to make a positive impact in the lives of hundreds of our students over the years,” said Noblitt.

Rose Cares team members recognized were Jake Campbell, senior director of safety and security; Nick Davis, director for the Center of Diversity and Inclusion; Patty Eaton, PhD, director of student accessibility services; Sarah Forbes, director of student academic success; LeAnne Myers, associate director of residence life; Cory Pardieck, director of residence life; Kyle Rhodes, business process analyst in the Office of Student Affairs; Russ Warley, PhD, dean of faculty; and Kyle Washburn, assistant director of residence life.

Davis also received the Shining Star Award as a person who has provided notable positive contributions to the quality of campus, strong leadership and excellent job performance between their first and fifth years of continuous service to Rose-Hulman. He has helped elevate the importance of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and awareness for diversity, equity and inclusion on campus, while also helped create the Rose Prime program that helps first-year students make a successful academic and personal transition to start their college careers.

“(Davis) encourages and educates every individual to respect the inherent dignity of others. He strives to broaden the understanding of each individual's unique contribution to society,” said Noblitt. “Through the programming he has created, (Davis) is encouraging the campus community to discuss the hard issues, raise awareness of our biases, and focus on individual change for the betterment of all.”

Pam Hamilton, administrative assistant for the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering, received the Make A Difference Award for demonstrating cooperation, a positive attitude, and a willingness to help others above and beyond normal job expectations. Hamilton has been an Institute staff member for more than 30 years.

“(Hamilton) comes in each day with a positive attitude and goes out of her way to do all that she can to help anyone in need,” said Noblitt. “She is a significant help to faculty, even ones outside her department … If anyone is having a tough day, she always tries to give an encouraging word. Students, staff, and faculty members have commented how much they appreciate (Hamilton’s) thoughtfulness.”

The Dr. John T. Ying Excellence Award for Student-Faculty Collaboration was presented to Diane Evans, PhD, professor of engineering management. It recognized her work with students who have used a Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control methodology in her Six Sigma course to raise campus and community awareness of recycling efforts and food waste. 

This year students reached out to Terre Haute’s Happiness Bag organization, which provides recreational and educational services for individuals with disabilities. Evans’ students analyzed and designed a variety of outdoor activities to increase participation in Happiness Bag activities.

Warley stated, “Besides fulfilling the typical guidelines of a course at Rose-Hulman, the students gained a valuable humanitarian experience that will likely have far-reaching effects in their lives … Dr. Evans’ relentless engagement with her students and her ability to make a positive difference in the lives of numerous Rose-Hulman students and the community makes her very deserving of this award.”

The award was established in 2018 as a legacy of John Ying’s 32-year teaching legacy in the Department of Humanities Social Sciences and the Arts.

Length of service awards were presented to Jerry Wagner, 50 years; Frank Cunning, 40 years;

Lynn Degler, David Purdy and Azad Siahmakoun, 35 years; Yosi Shibberu, Luanne Tilstra and Julia Williams, 30 years; and Terri Gosnell, Dave Hahn, Amy Harshbarger, Jim Koutsoumpas, Jan Pink, Dave Rader, and Paul Wafzig, 25 years.

Completing 20 years on the faculty and staff were Mark Brandt, Sharon Dutrow, Rebecca Dyer, Jim Hanson, Jonathan Labayo, Mark Long, Calvin Lui, Lori Olson, Sandor Pethes, Ryan Smith, and Robert Throne.

Six faculty received Red Tam honors for achieving full professor status, with tenure standing. Joining 80 faculty colleagues at the rank of full professor were Eric Constans, PhD, and Jay McCormack, PhD, Department of Mechanical Engineering; Mark Minster, PhD, and Corey Taylor, PhD, Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts; Rebecca DeVasher, PhD, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and Manda Riehl, PhD, Department of Mathematics.