Staff Distinguished Performance Award Winners for 2023 are Announced

Award recipients are (from left) Dominique Taylor, Capt. Jarrod Long, Petree Buford, Suzette Hinkle and Mark Smith, representing the team at KASU-FM. Bekah Hickman is not pictured.

JONESBORO – The 30th annual Distinguished Performance Awards at Arkansas State University were presented to five individual staff members and a departmental team of employees.

The annual campus ceremony for non-faculty employees was conducted by members of the Staff Senate. The recognitions were presented by members of the awards committee: Christina Kostick, Lonell Macon, Porsha McGregor and Alyssa Wells.

The Distinguished Performance Award recipients are:

— Enhancing the Student Experience – Bekah Hickman, assistant director of student engagement, Leadership Center.

— STAR (Service, Teamwork, Attitude, Reliability) – Capt. Jarrod Long, University Police Department.

— Unsung Hero – Petree Buford, project manager in planning, construction and design, Facilities Management.

— Team Player – Suzette Hinkle, administrative specialist, Department of Occupational Therapy.

— Rookie of the Year – Dominique Taylor, administrative specialist, Division of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement.

— Team Achievement – Staff of KASU, A-State’s public radio service.

The award nominees are individuals who exemplify professionalism and dedication to excellence in service, and perform above the standard to enhance quality at A-State.

The program also included recognition of retiring staff members and those achieving service milestones.

The Distinguished Performance Awards program was initiated in 1994 to recognize outstanding job performance and long-time service by the university’s non-faculty employees, both classified and non-classified.