MADISON, Wis.—The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents today announced the recipients of the University Staff Excellence Awards. These awards recognize exceptional service to the university and are the UWs highest recognition bestowed on members of its university staff. The 2024 recipients will be honored at the next Regents meeting, September 26.
The awards, in their fourth year, are part of a family of awards that the Regents sponsor, including the Regents Teaching Excellence Awards, the Regents Academic Staff Excellence Awards, and the Regents Diversity Awards.
“The Board of Regents is proud to recognize this year’s recipients of the University Staff Excellence Awards,” said Regent Angela Adams, chair of the selection committee. “We are delighted to shine a spotlight on the many ways their exemplary dedication supports student success and strengthens our UW communities.”
Award recipients are selected for superior performance resulting in significant contributions to the department and university; use of positive personal interaction to manage work changes; and a consistently innovative approach that improves productivity and work quality. Each recipient is awarded $7,500 to support professional development or program enhancements.
The 2024 recipients include two individuals and one program:
Carissa Menke, Senior Financial Specialist, Cashier’s Office, UW-Platteville.
Menke has worked in UW-Platteville’s Cashier’s Office for more than seven years and is responsible for collections contributing to the financial health of the university. She created the electronic registration agreement form and works with students to create a plan of action to pay down debt and past due balances. Menke represents the Cashier’s Office at student events, including New Student Experience and International Student Orientation. She is known for treating all students with respect, dignity, and compassion. She shares her expertise on the federal Perkins Loan program with peers across the Universities of Wisconsin.
Dirck Nagy, Library Assistant III, Murphy Library, UW-La Crosse.
Nagy works the late-night shift at Murphy Library, providing the evening face of the library to patrons, including students and the public. He created a system to ensure all items checked out of the library are reshelved in the correct place, including double-checking that every item has the correct library system status. This past academic year, he led the challenging task of moving all materials back to the renovated space following the August 2021 library basement flooding. His focus on students led him to provide board games and puzzles for library patrons to take a break from their studies and foster an in-person social activity that also spurs critical thinking.- University Custodial Program, UW-Stout.
Custodial leads Bob Cook, Aimee Lipke, and Brad Mengeling will accept the 2024 University Staff Excellence Award on behalf of UW-Stout’s University Custodial Program.
UW-Stout’s custodial program of 54 custodians is organized into three operational areas: Academic/Service Buildings; University Housing, and Student Centers. University custodians ensure that labs, studios, classrooms, student centers, and living spaces are clean and safe, positively contributing to the overall student experience. As Wisconsin’s only polytechnic university, UW-Stout has three times as many laboratory and studio spaces as classrooms, which requires additional and specific care by the custodial team. The custodial team is instrumental in the success of large, specialized events involving business and industry partners, such as Career Conferences, Stout Game Expo, and fashion shows. UW-Stout was named a 2024 Green Ribbon Award Winner by the U.S. Department of Education; the custodial team’s significant contributions included waste reduction efforts, winter salt management, chemical controls and reduction, clean spaces and indoor air quality efforts, as well as custodial membership on several campus sustainability committees.
Other members of the University Staff Excellence Awards selection committee included Regent Evan Brenkus, Regent Edmund Manydeeds III, and Regent Jack Salzwedel.
The committee also recognizes the important contributions of this year’s other nominees:
Individual nominees included Tina Tackmier, UW-Green Bay; Marion Angeloff, UW-Milwaukee; Angelee Hammond, UW Oshkosh; Loki Lott, UW-Parkside; John Kluck, UW-Stevens Point; Cally Henderson, UW-Stout; and Julie Ridgeman, UW‑Whitewater.
Program nominees included the Murphy Library Staff, UW-La Crosse; Biomedical Research Model Services Animal Program and Cores, UW-Madison; and the Trades and Maintenance Program, UW-Whitewater.
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The Universities of Wisconsin serve nearly 163,600 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, these 13 public universities are Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in the state five years after earning a degree. The universities provide a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. Learn more at wisconsin.edu.