And the Winner Is …

Wednesday’s campus awards countdown began with applause and lighthearted laughter at humorous photos of four dozen winners of NC State’s Awards for Excellence. The suspense built until the final minutes, when five honorees were selected to compete in the next round, the Governor’s Awards for Excellence.

Along with the chance to advance, Ed Farmer, Hermine Kabbendjian, Patty Secoura, Justin Shedd and Matt Shipman each won a check for $250 and a day off. (One of last year’s winners, Tuyen Tran from university bookstores, won the Governor’s Award.)

Kabbendjian (front row at right), the nuclear engineering program’s director of program administration, was honored for bolstering students’ morale in the demanding discipline. She’s kept things running smoothly for three different department heads, handling finances, assisting with proposals, monitoring grants and keeping up with graduate students. She considers the department a second home and extended family.

Farmer (center), a university police sergeant, has taken the initiative to improve logistics and security for a number of campus events, including the City of Oaks Marathon, Polar Plunge and Park Scholars activities. He helped change the marathon route, add escorts for animal emergencies and secure Department of Transportation signs to alert the public.

Secoura, a clinical technician with the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, has helped to nearly double the number of endoscopes at the hospital. She pinpointed needs and found affordable ways to add equipment, helping increase the use of newer, less invasive procedures. In addition to her initiative and creativity, she known for her human relations skills and for making coming to work a pleasure.

Shedd (far right), a research associate with Geographic Information Systems, plays an active role in training and mentoring graduate students. He’s made highly valuable contributions to the National Park Service and won praise for his courage as a volunteer firefighter on several large western forest fires. He was the GIS incident specialist on the devastating Evans Road fire in North Carolina in 2008.

Shipman, a public communication specialist with News Services, writes about the people and discoveries at NC State and attracts coverage in influential media, blogs and trade publications. Even more important are his contributions to Interact, a nonprofit group that serves victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. He uses social media and e-mail to tell colleagues across campus about the shelter’s needs, increasing donations to Interact.

Here’s the complete list of Wednesday’s winners:

Chancellor’s Unit: Heidi Humphrey, Athletics; Ellen S. Klingler, Chancellor’s Office

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Martellis D. Avent, Agricultural and Resource Economics; Patrick Neil Hardison, Vernon G. James Research and Extension Center; Paige Luck, Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences; Vickie Moore, Ashe County Cooperative Extension Center; Michelle Muller Shooter, Robeson County Cooperative Extension Center

College of Design: Karen DeWitt, Design Library; Tih-Yuan Wang, Information Technology

College of Education: David Churchill, Elementary Education; Robin McWilliams, Students Advocating for Youth Village

College of Engineering: Hermine Kabbendjian, Nuclear Engineering; Jack O’Daly, Biomedical Engineering; Andrew Stein, Electrical and Computer Engineering

College of Humanities and Social Sciences: Susan Jones Gasman, Center for Family and Community Engagement; Bob Kadle, Information Technology

College of Management: Daniel R. Steen, Computing Services; David Strickland, Economics

College of Natural Resources: Deborah J. Saunders, Forest Biomaterials; Justin M. Shedd, Geographic Information Systems

College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Adrian Blue, Statistics; Jason Painter, NC Science Olympiad

College of Textiles: Ruby Giles, Research Administration; Michael Walker, Finance and Administration

College of Veterinary Medicine: Curtis Colwell, Large Animal Hospital; Kenneth Satterwhite, Dean’s Office; Patty Secoura, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Extension, Engagement and Economic Development: Cindy S. Allen, Office of Professional Development; Jud Hair, Continuing and Professional Education

Finance and Business: Edward M. Farmer, Police Department; Todd W. Kroesen, Facilities Operations; Ed Levy, Design and Construction Services; Thomas C. Younce, Police Department

Office of Information Technology: Gwen Hazlehurst, Enterprise Application Services; Ron O.N. Jailall, Technical Support Services; Katrina Robeck, Enterprise Application Services

Office of Research and Innovation: Mary Beth Barrow, N.C. Sea Grant and Water Resources Research Institute; Robert Foyle, Institute for Transportation Research and Education

Provost’s Unit: Zachary Cook, First Year College; Teresa Dail, Registration and Records; Aixa Morales-Diaz, Graduate School

Student Affairs: Jennifer Byrd, Campus Recreation; Susan L. Corbett, Student Health Services; Abinadi Ehrisman, University Housing; Mary Yemma, Campus Recreation

University Advancement: Natasha Byrd, Donor Relations; Matt Shipman, News Services