Employee Recognition

Eshelman Employee Excellence Kudos

The Eshelman Employee Excellence Kudos program is intended to show appreciation for our wonderful faculty, staff, and postdocs at UNC Eshleman School of Pharmacy. Many of our employees demonstrate exceptional contributions every day, and our goal is to publicly recognize them for making the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy a great place to work. To show your appreciation to one of our fantastic employees, please submit a nomination for the Eshelman Employee Excellence Kudos program. All permanent staff, faculty, and postdoc employees at the Eshelman School of Pharmacy are eligible. Employees will be recognized in one of the following categories: mentorship, WE CARE, team player, creativity and innovation, and research.  One recipient from each category will be announced at the quarterly Town Halls. Recipients will also be awarded with their choice of UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy swag item. Submissions are due for the current kudos cycle by end of day, Friday, September 13th.

Kudo Categories

Mentorship: An employee who has excelled at mentoring others in their job functions.

WE CARE: An employee who has gone above and beyond to publicly exemplify one or more of our School values (Welcoming, Equity, Commitment, Accountability, Respect, Excellence) through their everyday work.

Team Player: An employee who displays integrity and generosity towards their team members and uplifts fellow employees.

Creativity and Innovation: An employee that embodies the spirit of innovation. Perhaps they are always coming up with creative solutions to problems or drafting unique designs. This person is using innovation to advance our mission.

Research: An employee who demonstrates an exemplary commitment to the research mission of the School, or that supports Priority 2 of the BEYOND Strategic Plan, and has demonstrated outstanding performance in the conduct and/or dissemination of research.

Phyllis Smith Staff Award and Staff Impact Awards

At the end of each calendar year, nine staff members are recognized for their contributions throughout the year through our Phyllis Smith Staff Award for Excellence and the Staff Impact Awards. For details on each award, please read below. NOTE: Employee must have at least 12 months of employment with the School to qualify with the exception of the Rookie of the Year Award which the employee must have 3-18 months of employment with the School.

The Phyllis Smith Staff Award

This award is made possible through an endowment held by the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Foundation. It was established to recognize Phyllis Smith who exemplified the traits identified below and for her 30 years of service to the School and the University.

This $500 award is given annually to an employee of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in recognition of overall excellence in performance and contribution to the school. The recipient is someone who not only performs all assigned duties competently but also goes beyond his or her job description. The recipient is committed to the school’s pursuit of excellence through demonstrated business practices and should possess the following traits:

• Leadership
• Effective team member
• Positive attitude
• Enthusiasm

Staff Impact Awards

The Staff Impact awards were established to recognize the achievements of staff who excel at and foster a collaborative and collegial culture, where teamwork, respect for others, and comradery advance the vision and mission of the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. With eight defined categories and criteria that reflect our core values, there is an opportunity to identify and celebrate with staff as they continue to put forth an outstanding effort in supporting the School. There will be one winner from each category listed below. Winners will receive $50.00 and a plaque recognizing them for their effort.

1. Behind the Scenes Award: This person quietly gets the job done and remains dedicated to serving others and to the mission of the School.
2. Positivity Award: This person is upbeat and exhibits the can-do spirit. Talking to this person never fails to brighten your day because they exhibit respect and kindness always.
3. Mission Possible: This person is integral to the smooth operations of the School. This person embodies and displays the institutional goals (Expertise, Accountability, Customer-Oriented, Team-Oriented, and Compliance & Integrity).
4. Above and Beyond Award: This person goes above and beyond the call of duty to get their job done and is often assisting others with projects. They seek and value collaboration in all aspects of their work.
5. Making the Difference Award: This person fosters morale and helps build a sense of community. They embrace diversity and inclusion of thought, backgrounds, and experiences that adds to the richness the School brings to the community.
6. Rookie of the Year Award: This new employee of 3 to 18 months is energetically engaged in their new position and provides exceptional effort in the assigned role. They are committed to professional growth and have demonstrated their commitment to excellence. (Recipients are only eligible for this award once).
7. Research and Collaboration Award (New): This person has made exceptional research contributions that significantly impact our School’s research mission and goals. They consistently uphold the highest research standards, and their actions promote the development of new ideas and discovery.
8. Going BEYOND Award (New): This person exhibits creativity, resourcefulness, and proactive measures in supporting the School’s strategic plan. This person consistently drives innovation and excellence across our organization.

Nominations are submitted electronically to the Phyllis Smith and Staff Impact Award Committee, the members of which are the previous year’s award winners. Nicole Kenney (ex officio) facilitates the work of the committee.

The committee reviews and considers all nominations and then, selects a recipient based upon the criteria listed above. Note that it is the quality of nominations not the number of nominations supporting a given individual that is considered by the committee.

Please submit your nominations no later than end of day, November 12, 2023. The recipients will be announced during the Employee Holiday Reception in December.