Emory_Quad

Eleven Emory employees were given the 2014 Emory University Award of Distinction at a March 31 dinner with University President James W. Wagner, according to a March 31 University press release.

The $1000 award is given to members of the Emory community who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to their jobs, according to 2014 recipient and Associate Dean for Enrollment and Student Affairs for the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing Lynell Cadray.

The full list of honorees includes Cadray, WorkLife Consultant for Human Resources Audrey Adelson, Senior Secretary for Emory College Annie Carey, Director of Emory’s Office of Sustainability Ciannat Howett, Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services Deena Keeler, Senior Program Associate in the School of Medicine Jane Lawson, Director of Emory Law School’s Career Center Sue McAvoy, Oxford College’s Director of Counseling and Career Services Sandra Schein, Senior Administrator for Critical Event Preparedness and Response Samuel Shartar, Associate General Counsel Mindy Simon and Data Services Supervisor for Human Resources Sherry Stodghill.

Cadray wrote in a statement to the Wheel that she was honored and humbled to receive such a prestigious award for her work, which includes “transformational leadership and developing innovative solutions with positive results” in the School of Nursing.

According to Shartar, the award seeks out Emory employees who “implement collaborative initiatives between schools and/or units that produce meaningful results towards the achievement of Emory’s strategic plan” in one or more areas, including innovation, improvement in cross-cultural understanding and commitment to the public good.

Shartar was honored for implementing processes that improved public safety and security for the Emory community, including expanding severe weather preparedness capabilities and the development of an electronic crisis management system.

“It is an honor to be recognized, although I feel like I was just doing my job,” Shartar wrote in an email to the Wheel. “Emory is a great place to work and I enjoy what I do and the people that I work with.”

Other honorees pointed to the joys of working at Emory and the passion of those around them as guiding factors for both why they felt they received the award and why they work at Emory.

“The University is full of incredibly bright and talented people and so much of what we do is accomplished through the work of teams, rather than by one person,” Adelson wrote. “I am really fortunate to have a job that I love and an HR team that helps make my work come to life and have a positive impact on so many people.”

Sherry Stodghill, data services supervisor for human resources, wrote in a statement to the Wheel that being recognized for what she does every day is a great honor.

“As of May 10, I will be an employee of Emory for 15 years,” Stodghill wrote. “To be with an employer for that length of time says to me that you like where you are and what you’re doing. Emory is a great employer to work for.”​

– By Stephen Fowler

+ posts

Stephen Fowler 16C is the political reporter at Georgia Public Broadcasting, the statewide NPR affiliate in Georgia. He graduated from Emory with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and covered the central administration and Greek Life for the Wheel before serving as assistant news editor, Emory Life editor and the Executive Digital Editor from 2015-16.