Christine Morris, academic administrative assistant for the fine arts division, was selected as the 2022 recipient of the Margaret A. Hommell Staff Service Excellence Award at Franklin College. Morris received the award at the 29th Annual Employee Appreciation and Holiday Celebration Luncheon in the Napolitan Student Center on Friday, Dec. 16.
Morris began working at Franklin College in 2005 in the Institutional Advancement division. From there, she transitioned to a role as an administrative assistant in Physical Facilities in 2008. Then, in 2012, she began working in her current position where she serves multiple departments, including art, English and creative writing, music and theatre.
Morris was nominated by several people for this award. Each nomination letter applauded her for going ‘above and beyond’ for each of the departments she serves.
“Without Christine’s dedication to our department this semester, we would not have been able to successfully pull off our inaugural High School Student Art Competition and Exhibition, which brought 80 high school students to Franklin College’s campus at the beginning of November,” wrote one nominator. “She received 144 email submissions from high school students and their art teachers. She graciously responded to hundreds of more emails throughout October from the students, their parents, the art teachers, and us, faculty members. In each email and personal interaction, Christine was kind, knowledgeable and eager to lend a hand, even though we asked her to perform tasks way beyond her usual workload. She arrived early for work, stayed late and worked on several weekends.”
Other departments also commended her ability to multi-task, to stay organized, to add a creative touch to the posters and programs she creates, to provide solutions to problems facing the departments and, especially, to adapt to the various needs and personalities of the numerous faculty she supports.
“The faculty in the art, English and creative writing, music and theatre departments greatly value and appreciate Christine,” wrote one nominator. “I can’t think of a more worthy recipient of the Margaret A. Hommell Staff Excellence Service Award than Christine Morris.”
Another colleague wrote: “Over the last 10 years, in all kinds of situations, I have never, not once, seen her without the smile on her face, fully ready to help with whatever request or problem was at hand.”
“Christine enhances our Franklin College community and embodies our mission; she is an independent thinker that takes the initiative to implement innovative processes that help our departments run more efficiently. There is only one reason that Christine would take on all the extra work: she wants all the best for Franklin College!”
The award is named in memory of the late Margaret A. Hommell, a Franklin College staff member who served on the award selection committee for several years and passed away in October 2006. Making this year’s presentation of the award even more special was the presence of Hommell’s son, Franklin College alumnus Aaron Hommell, who assisted in the bestowal of the award to Morris.
Morris lives in Indianapolis (46227). In addition to an engraved plaque, she also received a $250 cash award.
Full-time employees celebrating a milestone anniversary with the college were also honored at the luncheon for their years of service. They include the following:
5-year awards: Hannah Adams Ingram (Franklin), Melissa Cochrane (Franklin), Natalie Dilbone (Gosport), Brandon Dworak (Indianapolis 46237), William “Bill” Eiler (Indianapolis 46219), Ryan Gunterman (Bloomington), Melissa Randolph (Franklin), Kim Stropes (Shelbyville), Zhenyu Tang (Greenwood), Sonnie Terrell (Plainfield), Ryan Thomas (Franklin), Amber Yount (Bloomington).
10-year awards: Jarrod Brown (Bloomington), Eric DeForest (Franklin), Paul Fonstad (Franklin), Stacy Hoehn (Franklin), Lourdes Hurtado (Franklin).
15-year awards: Daniel Alsop (Franklin), Dale Carver (Whiteland), Kristin Flora (Franklin), Angelina Walls (Franklin).
20-year awards: Deidra Baumgardner (Greenwood), Jason Jimerson (Greenwood).
25-year awards: Robert “Bob” Beasley (Franklin), Lance Marshall (Franklin).
30-year award: Lisa Mahan (Trafalgar).
35-year award: Dan Callon (Whiteland).
40-year award: Kerry Prather (Franklin).
Part-time employees honored for their years of service with the college include the following:
5-year awards: Kim Lesko (Trafalgar), William “Jeff” Randolph (Franklin).
10-year awards: Amanda Bailey (Indianapolis 46219).
15-year awards: Roger Lundy (Greenwood).
