On Thursday, March 31, Randolph-Macon College honored nine staff members for their outstanding contributions during the College’s semi-annual Yellow Jacket Awards Ceremony in Birdsong Hall.

“As we gather here today, I am so grateful for the important roles that you played in helping us accomplish a successful fall semester, an exciting January term, and a solid start to our spring semester,” President Lindgren said during the ceremony’s opening remarks. “I continue to be exceedingly proud of each and every one of you for the truly noteworthy and impactful work that you all have continued to do in so faithfully supporting our students and our beloved College.”

Yellow Jacket awards were presented to nine staff members who were identified and nominated by their peers as exceptional employees. Each award recipient received a certificate and a cash award.

Remarks for each employee, shared by President Lindgren, are excerpted below.

The Spring 2022 Yellow Jacket Awards

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

Jane Nucup
International Student Services Coordinator

“What makes Jane so exceptional is her desire to ensure that our students who hail from places far from Ashland feel right at home here on our campus. She demonstrates genuine empathy and conveys a deep understanding of their challenges and struggles. Jane provides our international students with assurance and always emphasizes the importance of supporting each one⁠—especially true during what we have experienced during the last two years.”

LaNea Winston
Director of Advising Resources

“Just three months after she was hired at RMC, LaNea taught in the fall 2019 Yellow Jacket Success Strategies program to learn more about how it worked. She then worked with our faculty advisors to assess the program, determining what improvements should be made in fall 2020. But then, when COVID-19 hit, LaNea had to revamp the entire program to move it wholly online that fall. She handled that transition seamlessly and effectively.”

The Excellence as a Team Member award is given to an employee who exhibits outstanding teamwork and cooperation, both in their own department and with others. Three staff members were presented Excellence as a Team Member awards.

Chris Clune
Auxiliary Services Worker

“Proving to be a great asset from day one, Chris assumed responsibilities ranging from classroom set ups, special events preparation, and managing the sound system in Blackwell Auditorium, to general support of his colleagues in Physical Plant. When he is not busy setting up for important College events, Chris often can be found on the athletic fields, painting lines for different sporting events and making sure the facilities are ready for athletic contests and those who come to see our outstanding athletes.”

Mary Koramah
Housekeeper

“Mary takes very seriously her responsibility to maintain a clean, healthy environment for work, study, and living—especially during the pandemic. She pays special attention to detail, making sure her assigned buildings are clean and sanitized,  treating each area as if it were her own. True to our student-centered focus here on campus, she is known to concentrate especially on details in the areas where students live, wanting them to have a great experience while they are here on campus.”

Faith Fox ’19
Admissions Counselor

“Faith researched, presented, and implemented a recruitment plan for Community-Based Organizations (CBO) to help enable our efforts to become a more diverse campus. She now is planning our first CBO counselor visit in the spring, and we have seen an uptick in Virginia-based CBOs visiting campus thanks to her outreach and dedication. While not only good networking, this work supports our intensified marketing efforts to get our story out to more potential students and their families.”

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 Excellence Behind the Scenes awards.

Maggie Brown ’16
Gift Entry Coordinator

“Maggie has both an analytical mind and strong accounting skill set, while also bringing a fresh perspective to logistical discussions and workflow ideas. Likewise, she has a keen attention to detail and is forward-thinking about the future of the College … Maggie recognizes, as do we all, I believe, that all aspects of the College are lifted by philanthropy and how important it is that we present a clear message to alumni when soliciting or participating in an event.”

Phil Stanton
Director of Athletic Communications

“Phil does so many things that everyone knows about plus so many things that we do not. On top of the things that we know Phil for—like his great game write-ups and as the keeper of all things statistics-wise—he also coordinates student-workers for games, assists with setup and breakdown of facilities, nominates student-athletes for various academic and athletic awards, and much more. And his colleagues noted that perhaps the best part about Phil is that he does all of this with a smile on his face.”

The Excellence as a Manager award is given to a mid-level manager who provides excellence in personnel and department leadership to include employee development, innovative ideas, time management, or use of College resources. Two staff members received this award.

Moe Kiely
Director of Campus Safety

“Moe’s ability to shift seamlessly from working with local police and fire officials to speaking with parents and students is remarkable. And significantly, he helps create a comforting environment where families feel safe entrusting us with their most prized possession—their children. In fact, parents often go out of their way to comment about that attribute … In an era where campus safety is of paramount importance, Moe has helped create an environment where RMC’s students, faculty, and staff feel supported, cared for, and, most importantly, safe.”

Kirk Baumbach
Chief Information Officer

“A visionary, Kirk is always looking for ways to improve the technological framework of the College. And his important leadership in advancing the security of ITS has been critical as we worked through the many challenges of the past several years … Kirk is known to give his team credit for all the things they do to keep RMC up and running. ITS is well known for their quick and helpful response. Kirk has earned the respect of our faculty, staff, and students, and is always willing to listen and work to find a solution.”