2024 Honored Employees will soon be added.
Are you inspired by a colleague or team member? Do you know someone who achieves distinction in their daily work and commitment to the university?
Nominate a university member for either PSA Employee of the Year (Professional) or ACE Employee of the Year (Classified). Let’s work together to recognize our colleagues who are the foundation of this university!
Wendy Wong, business operations manager in the School of Public Service, was named Professional Staff of the Year by the Professional Staff Association. The award honors an employee who has demonstrated: a significant contribution to their department; involvement in campus-wide activities supporting students, faculty or staff; participation in community service and/or professional organization involvement; and contributed to the university mission and the Blueprint for Success.
Of Wong, her nominators said: “She is someone who ‘knows everything’ – in a positive way, a true professional, flexible in her work, has a friendly and warm demeanor, is a lifelong learner, and someone who makes all students, alums, and external guests feel welcome and at home.”
The Association of Classified Employees has named Saul Meza, a materials handler and mover in Facilities Operations and Maintenance, its Outstanding Classified Employee of the Year. This award honors an employee who displays a deep and sincere commitment to the quality of their work.
Meza’s nominator had this to say of him:
“Saul ensures the safety of Bronco fans as a security officer at Albertsons Stadium. He also makes sure that campus gets their important packages fast and reliably so they can continue doing their important work. His attention to detail makes him exceptional in both these roles, and his service to the university has helped cultivate meaningful relationships with folks all across campus. He’s always willing to lend a hand: whether it’s an emergency package delivery, or helping folks stuck in an elevator, you can always count on him.”
Ben Quintana, an adjunct faculty member in the College of Business and Economics, received the Adjunct Faculty Member of the Year Award from Provost John Buckwalter.
“To deliver our academic programs at Boise State, we rely on faculty in both tenure and non-tenure track roles,” Buckwalter said. “Adjunct faculty play a critical role and are essential to the delivery of high-quality academic programming, and help us achieve our first goal of the strategic plan – student access and student success.”
The award honors adjunct faculty members who are demonstrating excellence in teaching, particularly by using evidence-based instructional practices and student engagement techniques to support student success, as well as by their engagement with faculty development opportunities.
Student and peer testimonials recognized Quintana for the significant impact he’s made in the Professional, Online and JD/MBA programs in the College of Business and Economics, and his students speak highly of the care he devotes to his classes both as an educator and as a mentor for rising business professionals.
Two members of the Boise State University community were honored by Boise State University President Dr. Marlene Tromp with the 2024 President’s Community Service Award. The award provides the campus community an opportunity to celebrate and honor individuals, or groups of faculty, staff or students, who serve the community in extraordinary ways.
Nere Lete, professor in the Department of World Languages, is helping to preserve Basque language, culture and history. Over the course of nearly three decades, Lete has been exceedingly generous in dedicating time for service to the department, the college, the university, the community and the profession. She works within the university to educate others about Basque language, culture and history, and actively works beyond the university to preserve and promote Basque language, culture and history.
Experiential and Career Learning Coordinator Mike Stefancic worked with Idaho Partners for Good to facilitate a workshop to help community members understand how to partner with the university and successfully support student volunteers. He took on the challenge of starting their first grant relations team and the selection process. Stefancic is careful about developing and nurturing connections and turns them into relationships that support the good he wants to do, both personally and professionally, and he is committed to making meaningful and fulfilling connections for Boise State students.
Talley’s research focuses on community collaboration in the environmental governance of the American West. He received a Resource Nexus for Sustainability Grand Challenge award this year. This interdisciplinary initiative elevates societally relevant questions around finite and critical resources, sustainability and community needs. He led the team that focused on regenerative ranching and carbon project potential in Idaho, seeking to better understand how diverse communities relate to the land and how this relationship poses both obstacles and opportunities for collaboration and governance.
