The 2024 SASSIE Awards Recipients
The Student Affairs Staff Service, Innovation & Excellence (SASSIE) Awards recognize the amazing staff members in the Division of Student Affairs.
Innovation Award: Kelly Chastain
Kelly Chastain manages the MySkills Program in Career Services. Kelly’s nominator wrote, “I am pleased to nominate my wonderful colleague… for this award in recognition of her unwavering dedication to enhancing, fortifying, and innovating [programming] within the Career Services office at CU. She consistently strives to build upon existing resources, extracting valuable elements, and identifying gaps in previous work. Her daily endeavors reflect a passion for continuous improvement and a genuine concern for meeting the diverse needs of our students.”
Better Together Award: Mike Jones, Kate Ufer and Molly Bandimere
Mike Jones, program director for First-Generation Programs and Enrichment in the Center for Inclusion and Social Change, Kate Ufer, events specialist in Career Services, and Molly Bandimere, assistant director of events in Career Services, worked together to create intentional and meaningful events to help first-generation students explore job and internship opportunities through two key events.
First, through a First Gen Friday event where they supported over 50 students through one-on-one conversations, resume feedback and skill development. This spring, they also hosted a First-Gen Employer & Student Networking event, which brought first-gen employees from a variety of companies to campus to meet with fellow first-gen students. Their nominator wrote, “These two events are just the beginning of an ongoing partnership to intentionally support first-gen students. This partnership has already led to other initiatives including focus groups with first-gen students and additional programming ideas for the next school year.”
Heart of CU Award: Enrique Rosua Vega, Lisa Jetton and Subodh Nepal
The Heart of CU Award celebrates three of our frontline staff who consistently provide excellent service and go above and beyond to support their colleagues and the division.
Enrique Rosua Vega, Lisa Jetton and Subodh Nepal work in Environmental Services.
Enrique’s nominator wrote, “CU Conference Services (CUCS) controls multiple offices and conference rooms on the second floor of the Kittredge Central building as well as the multipurpose room on the first floor. Enrique goes out of his way to clean any of the spaces before an event even if the event starts early in the morning. He is extremely polite when entering our offices to take out the trash or do any cleaning. Enrique always greets the CUCS career staff with a smile and even has connected with our Assistant Director Hilary Brenneman to help her practice her Spanish. Enrique is an extremely valuable member of the Environmental Services team, and his impact is very apparent in our workplace.”
Lisa’s nominator wrote, “Lisa has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence in managing the conditions of our student housing in Bear Creek and Williams Village. She and her team embody a commitment to service and can often be found assisting students with move in, interacting with residents and working to make their units feel like home. Her contributions to the overall success of student housing cannot be overstated. She is truly an asset to our team and the campus at large.”
Subodh’s nominator wrote, “[He] always shows his willingness to provide assistance to his team and recognizes that excellent customer service comes from the team's success.” This includes helping his teammates with their work when they need it, providing training and leadership, and even helping employees new to this country navigate language barriers and other obstacles.
Impact & Inspire Award: Shane Guinan
Shane Guinan is the assistant director for engagement in the Center for Student Involvement. He is recognized with this award because of his dedication to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students throughout the celebrations and challenges that come with the student experience. His nominator wrote, “He is a reminder of the importance of advocating for students and inspires other student affairs professionals to make positive change.”
Leadership in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice Award: Alexis Gonzalez
Alexis Gonzales is the coordinator for cultural programs in the Center for Student Involvement. She has showcased her passion for DEI and social justice work in a variety of ways, and she always strives to educate and empower students, especially through her work with the cultural events board and the Dennis Small Cultural Center. Her nominator wrote, “From an undergraduate at CU, to a now full-time staff and part-time master’s student, [she] has incorporated her passions into all areas of her involvement on campus.”
Partner with a Purpose Award: Lindsey Weinstein
Lindsey Weinstein works in the Office of Financial Aid. Lindsey “serves as a scholarship advisor and over the last year, they have graciously given their free time to volunteer and support even more students as an intern with the Office of First-Generation Programs and Enrichment within the Center for Inclusion and Social Change. From assisting in financial aid planning to program execution, they have shown that they view student success through a holistic lens. This type of selfless work on top of maintaining their full-time job!”
Student Spotlight Award: Liza Graybill and Gianna Guido
The Student Spotlight Award recognizes those who consistently demonstrate exceptional work and contribute in numerous ways to a positive environment for both student affairs staff and other students.
Liza Graybill works in Career Services. Liza’s nominator wrote, “On numerous occasions, Liza has demonstrated her commitment to serving students.” She has developed a workshop to help students struggling to get interviews, partnered with ISSS on a workshop to support international students in their job search, and proactively revised resume and cover letter samples that were distributed at First-Gen Friday.
Gianna Guido is one of our Peers Educating and Empowering Peers (PEEPs) in the Education and Social Change Office of the Center for Inclusion and Social Change. Her nominator shared that she “has quickly become a leader among her colleagues, always demonstrating a capacity for exceeding job expectations and encouraging others to do the same. She possesses a hunger for knowledge, an ability to listen and care deeply, and an authentic and altruistic desire for assisting others. She is a true mentor and role model.”
Notable Newcomer Award: Esther Vuong
Esther Vuong is a resident support specialist in Residence Life. She received multiple nominations, noting that the position she fills is entirely new to Residence Life and that she has hit the ground running and truly made the role her own. She receives high praise from her colleagues for her deep empathy, genuine listening ear, and unwavering commitment to providing support and resources to students and staff.
Project of the Year Award: Alienware Buffalo Gaming Esports Lounge
The Alienware Buffalo Esports and Gaming Lounge provides a dedicated space for students to have immersive gaming experiences and strengthen the gaming community. Since the lounge opened this fall, it has become a space that students are actively engaging with through daily visits, student organization practice space, CSI events and late-night programs.
The opening and ongoing success of the lounge is because of the collaborative effort made by many individuals and offices from throughout the division. Contributors include:
- Erin Dewese, Shane Guinan and Adam Pallas of the Center for Student Involvement
- Tony Price of Recreation Services
- Montez Butts and Todd Anderson of the University Memorial Center
- Scott Griffith of SA IT
- Cheryl Barbour of SA Compliance
- The team in SA Finance
- SA Comm team for creating visual identity and promoting through photo, video, social and media
Program of the Year Award: L.I.N.K. Committee
L.I.N.K. is a cross-campus committee whose goal is to Liberate, Inspire, Nourish and Know first-generation college students.
By encouraging active partnerships among campus constituents and meeting monthly to discuss first-generation best practices and trends, L.I.N.K. has significantly increased the engagement of first-generation college students at campus-wide events.
Members of L.I.N.K. include:
- Mike Jones, Jerry Nguyen, Nikki Hutchinson, Lindsey Weinstein, Lizzie Brister, Abbey Strusz, Fred Hodges Jr., Andrew Alexander, Hannah Wilks, Molly Bandimere, Kate Ufer, Michele Simpson, Jeff Morris, Tara Korst, Stephen Geering, Meg Tocci, Alexis Gonzales, Jacqueline Loya, Marci Fulton, Joshua Yuen-Schat, Philip Courey
As well as support from Nash Albrecht from Student Affairs Planning, Assessment, and Data Analytics and Meag McEwan from SA Communications and Marketing.
Star Award: Rickie Pettaway
Rickie Pettaway works in Housing Facilities Services. As the environmental services manager, he works to support over 100 custodians, team leads and supervisors across campus as they care for our residence halls, public spaces, and community centers. His nominator shared that “many of our frontline staff do work that is often thankless.” Rickie not only goes above and beyond in his own work, but also ensures that each of these team members feel seen, appreciated, and understood. “He epitomizes what it means to be a star player, and his hard work is on display each time a student moves into a clean and well-maintained room to start their journey at CU Boulder.”
Vice Chancellor’s Bridging the Vision Award: Meagan Larsen, Student Support Case Management and the Basic Needs Center
Meagan Larsen is the director of SA Communication and Marketing. She works tirelessly to support projects from across the division and ensures students are the center of the work she does. As a director and leader, she is supportive, authentic and thoughtful with her team. She is someone you can count on!
This award also recognizes two departments for their collaborative work to lead the CU Boulder Student Emergency Fund. The staff in Student Support and Case Management and the Basic Needs Center have worked closely together this year to ensure that our students, at their most vulnerable moments, do not fall through the cracks. They have gone above and beyond to meet student needs, and to collaborate as one team, committed to bettering the experience of students at CU.