The 12th Randolph-Macon College Yellow Jacket Awards ceremony took place October 16, 2017 in The Pavilion at Birdsong Hall. Yellow Jacket Awards are given to staff who demonstrate distinction in one of three categories: Excellence in Service, Excellence as a Team Member, and Excellence Behind the Scenes. Each award recipient received a certificate and a cash award. President Robert R. Lindgren welcomed staff to the ceremony.

“I delight in recognizing our staff for the outstanding work they do each and every day, often long past scheduled working hours,” said Lindgren. “Our campus is beautiful, our buildings are clean and inviting, and our offices are doing important work to enrich the lives of our students, faculty, parents, and alumni. I am so very proud of all of you and grateful for what you do every day, in your own way, and I am proud to be part of this great Randolph-Macon team.”

The Excellence Behind the Scenes Award is given to a staff member who provides excellent service behind the scenes, showing initiative and drive, and making Randolph-Macon a better place for work and study. Two staff members were presented this award.

Benny Balderrama (student life)
Balderrama joined the Office of Student Life in 2014 as the assistant director. He oversees the Commons Activities Board, supports student organizations, and develops the
J-Term Short Course series.

“Another responsibility Benny was given was to create a late-night program of events,” said Lindgren. “He piloted the Late Night Buzz, a weekly event taking place every Saturday night in Brock Commons, with different student groups hosting each week. This year, these events have consistently had 200-600 students attend, which means this one event is engaging over 50 percent of our student body in a friendly and safe environment. He also works with our students to plan, budget, and advertise these events, teaching them important skills along the way. We thank Benny for his hard work and dedication to our students, especially at hours when many of us have long been asleep.”

Andre Jackson (physical plant)
“Andre has been working for the college longer than any of our award recipients today, and longer than most people in attendance,” noted Lindgren. “For 33 years, Andre has committed his time and energy to making our buildings beautiful, and in fact, has worked in just about every building on campus over the years. His attention to detail, especially in Blackwell Auditorium, is so important, as that space is so often used as a venue open to the public, and therefore must set the standard for how welcoming our campus appears to visitors.” 

Lindgren continued, “When other staff members are working long hours for large campus events in their areas, it is not surprising to see Andre pitching in to help his co-workers. Andre, your commitment to Randolph-Macon is truly exceptional, and we thank you for your long history of good service, work ethic, and love for this campus.”

The Excellence as a Team Member award is given to an employee who exhibits outstanding teamwork and cooperation, both in his/her own department and with others. Two staff members were presented this award.

John Jackson (physical plant)
Jackson has served the college for more than two years.

“John has helped tremendously in our residential buildings especially, and is always willing to lend a hand,” said Lindgren. “John’s truly exceptional spirit of helpfulness was recently on display when he moved furniture in a pouring rain storm so that the parent of one of our special needs students could set up their student’s dorm room. John is a leader, a motivator, and never asks his crew to do something that he would not do himself.”
Lindgren continued, “John, we thank you for your dedication to our students, particularly in making their dorm furniture functional and accessible. This contributes significantly to our students’ ability to make Randolph-Macon home and we appreciate your commitment to quality service.”

Susie Sprinson (admissions)
Sprinson has worked in the Admissions Office since 2014.
“Susie is our international admissions counselor, and we are so grateful for the excellent work she has done in this important area,” said Lindgren. “While you would think international travel would fill Susie’s time, she has chosen to take on increased responsibilities in spearheading the admissions office’s change to a new database system, spending countless hours making sure she not only understands the system, but that she is able to train her colleagues as well. Her willingness to learn something new proved successful, as she truly has a talent in this highly detailed, database implementation work.”

Lindgren continued, “This dedication does not go unnoticed, and we thank you for the time and energy you have put into increasing global awareness for our college and contributing to the overall success of our Admissions Office.”

The Excellence in Service award is given to an employee who provides excellent service to students, staff, faculty, parents, alumni, or visitors. Four staff members were presented this award.

Mark Hipes (athletics)
Hipes joined the Randolph-Macon staff in 2015 as the director of development for Athletics.

“In so many ways, Mark embodies the one quality we value most among our colleagues—the willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to enhance the experience for our student-athletes, coaches and alumni,” said Lindgren. “In his relatively short time here, he led the efforts to set a new record for annual giving to the Yellow Jacket Club. Regardless of whether he is raising money for athletics or helping others on the Development staff with their fundraising initiatives, his commitment to Randolph-Macon is unwavering. Mark, we thank you for your commitment to the success of our student-athletes and the engagement of our alumni and friends of the college.”

Judee Showalter ’84 (library)
Showalter has served as the circulation supervisor in the McGraw-Page Library since 2011.

“Judee has a wide range of responsibilities, which she manages professionally and gracefully,” said Lindgren. “She is one of the first faces visitors encounter at the library’s information desk, and her courteous and helpful demeanor makes her a great fit for that role. She also manages the library’s student workers, and ensures that the information desk is run effectively for nearly 100 hours each week.”

Lindgren noted, “Before taking on her current role in the library, she worked as the college’s archivist for eight years, making her incredibly knowledgeable and indispensable to those who work with her. Her calm and attentive approach to her work is so appreciated by her colleagues in the library. Judee, we thank you for your dedication to your alma mater.”

Robert Patterson ’94 (institutional partnerships)
This is Patterson’s 10th year at the college, where he serves as senior director of institutional partnerships.

“Robert works continuously to find grant funding opportunities for our faculty, to help them turn their research passions into reality,” said Lindgren. “In addition to fund-raising, Robert oversees highly visible events that are important to maintaining the college’s excellent image in the community and beyond. These are events requiring extraordinary attention to detail and a high level of organization—both areas in which Robert excels.”

Lindgren continued, “Not only has Robert helped to raise millions from foundations over the last decade, he continually thinks strategically about ways in which he can best promote the college. Robert, we are grateful for your commitment to excellence.”

Kara Peatross (human resources)
Peatross has served the college for more than nine years.

“Last year, she was promoted from coordinator to benefits administrator, and has excelled in her new role,” noted Lindgren. “Managing the benefits program requires attention to detail to ensure all steps in the process are completed in a timely fashion, and Kara is able to do all of this with an exceptional amount of friendliness and support. In fiscal year 2017, the college hired over 50 new faculty and staff, requiring Kara to be the consummate professional to handle the increased responsibilities that are inherent with a new employee coming on campus.”

Lindgren continued, “Her personal touch is what sets Kara apart. Her genuine kindness creates a warm and helpful environment. Kara, we thank you for your dedication to our students, faculty and staff.”