Honoring Penn’s exceptional staffers

On Wednesday, April 4, the University community celebrated outstanding staffers in the 19th annual Models of Excellence Ceremony.

Working Group for LGBTQ Student Health

On Wednesday, April 4, the University community celebrated outstanding staffers in the 19th annual Models of Excellence Ceremony.

Penn President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett were joined by Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli and Vice President for Human Resources Jack Heuer to honor the winners. Prizes included a “Models of Excellence Award,” which honored 13 interdisciplinary members of the Intercultural Leadership Team; Charity Payne of the GRASP Lab and PERCH; and the 20 members of the Working Group for LGBTQ Student Health (pictured, top).

Models of Excellence winners 2018
The Intercultural Leadership Team, winner of a 2018 Models of Excellence Award.

Rodolfo “Rudie” Altamirano, director of International Student and Scholar Services, received a “Model Supervisor Award and a “Pillars of Excellence Award” was bestowed upon Kim Bowers, from Student Services, and Deidre Wood, from Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES). 

Models of Excellence honorable mentions went to the Perelman School of Medicine’s Faculty Life and Professional Development team; the team behind the Institutional Risk Committee’s Information Security Program; and the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Gayle Joseph. A Pillars of Excellence honorable mention went to the Materials Library and Shared Shelf team in Fisher Fine Arts Library. Penn Medicine’s Amy Ashbridge and FRES’ Karen Di Maria received honorable mentions for the Model Supervisor Award. 

Penn President Amy Gutmann at the 2018 Models of Excellence ceremony
Penn President Amy Gutmann (center) at the 2018 Models of Excellence ceremony.

Since its inception, the program has honored more than 1,000 Penn staff members who play key roles in the University’s daily successes and operations. Nominated by their fellow colleagues, and selected by a special, 23-member committee of past honorees and senior campus leaders, this year, 97 staff members were celebrated.

Photos by Peter Tobia