The Distinguished Performance Awards will be presented to six individuals during the 26th annual Distinguished Performance Awards and Service Recognition ceremony, hosted by A-State's Staff Senate, Tuesday, May 14, at 1:30 p.m. in the Reng Student Union auditorium. Congratulations to the award recipients:

• Team Player – Vickie Gilmer, Department of Political Science
• Outstanding Part-Time – Randall Parker Jones, Information Technology Services
• Rookie of the Year – Robyn Klerk, Department of Psychology and Counseling
• Enhancing the Student Experience – Katey Provence, Leadership Center
• STAR (Service, Teamwork, Attitude, Reliability) – Larry Vinson, Department of Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences
• Unsung Hero – Chad Woodard, Facilities Management

The nominees are individuals who exemplify professionalism and dedication to excellence in service, and perform above the standard to improve programs at A-State. The Distinguished Performance Awards program was initiated in 1994 to recognize outstanding job performance and long-time service by the university’s non-faculty employees.

Fifteen individuals who are retiring during the 2018-19 year will be honored Tuesday during the annual Distinguished Performance Awards and Service Recognition Ceremony.  The 15 have a combined 319 total years of service. Two employees – Dr. Ruth A. Hawkins, Heritage Sites, and Lola Langley, Procurement – have attained the longest period of service, 41 years. 

Other retirees are Kathy Reno Ward, Controller's Office-Travel, 30 years; Shirley A. Intres, Undergraduate Studies, 27 years; Dennis Timms, First National Bank Arena, 26 years; Beverley Mixon, Student Affairs Administration, 22 years; Sharon Webb, Institutional Effectiveness, 20 years; Trish Holt, Department of Social Work, 18 years; Gil Freeman, Facilities Project Services, 16 years; Sherry L. Reece, Department of Health, Physical Education and Sport Sciences, 16 years; Joyce Mann, Center For Excellence In Education, 15 years; Patsy R. Puckett, Facilities-Custodial Care, 13 years; Robin K. Thompson, School of Nursing, 12 years; Linda J. Hinton, Heritage Sites, Southern Tenant Farmers Museum, 11 years; and Connie Scott, Facilities-Custodial Care, 11 years.

Summer DeProw is now assistant vice chancellor for assessment and accreditation. DeProw has been serving in an interim capacity since fall 2017, prior to A-State's most recent Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit a year ago. Her work in revising and documenting assessment efforts was an important factor in the exemplary report from HLC. She will continue as liaison to HLC, and will direct campus-wide assessment and testing services. Details are online.

Jarrett Free is the new director of the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) University Center at the Delta Center for Economic Development. Free will lead university-community collaboration in 12 Arkansas counties with support from the EDA grant of $564,240 to the Delta Center over a five-year period. Free, who completed a Master of Public Administration degree at A-State, previously was financial aid coordinator and associate director for A-State Online. Details are online.