Two Win University Awards for Outstanding Contributions, Leadership

Two WSU Libraries employees were recognized for their efforts in the university community this spring with President’s Awards at two separate events.

Graphic designer Amy Grey received the 2014-15 President’s Employee Excellence Award at the Celebrating Excellence Recognition Banquet on March 27, part of WSU’s annual Showcase celebration of faculty, staff and student achievement.

The award recognizes civil service and administrative professional staff for outstanding contributions regarding work quality, efficiency, productivity, problem solving, work relations and community service.

In just over a year—and working half time—she has “dramatically improved the look and comprehensibility of the libraries through her work on signage, exhibits and other graphics,” said one nominator. Efficient organization of her resources saves time and materials and has saved the libraries and university money. She has worked with library personnel to create displays and materials that help tell their stories to the WSU and wider communities.

“She helps us take pride in our physical workplace,” said one nominator. Grey works well with diverse partners, listens well, is collaborative and able to creatively respond to the needs of others. In 2008, she founded Moscow, Idaho’s “Backyard Harvest,” a volunteer effort to harvest local produce for delivery to area relief organizations.

Turner-Rahman, coordinator for the Kimble Northwest History Database, received the 2014-15 President’s Award for Leadership at the Leadership and Engagement Awards of Distinction event on April 23.

The President’s Award for Leadership has been an honor bestowed annually to students and others who advance leadership and engagement at WSU. Award recipients demonstrate exceptional leadership and service to the university and the community as well as to those who support leadership development in WSU students. The award categories are student, student group, faculty or staff, and community organization.

Turner-Rahman received her award in the faculty/staff category for her leadership, mentoring and advising of the Association of Bangladeshi Students and Scholars (ABSS). According to one nominator, “she has always volunteered in participating in various events organized by our organization or whenever we needed participation from community members…

“She has helped us to collaborate with different culture-related [organizations] like the Asia Program at WSU for outreach of our culture,” the nominator adds. “She also showed her leadership skill to solve small conflicts among the organization members in a very intellectual way.”

The nominator noted that Turner-Rahman worked with the Asia Program to promote participation in International Mother Language Day, a worldwide annual observance held on Feb. 21 to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. She encouraged Pullman community members to participate on various cultural events organized by ABSS and collaborated with a linguist and faculty member at University of Idaho to share his knowledge on different cultures and languages during the observance.

“[Turner-Rahman’s] collaboration with the Asia Program helped our organization learn about other cultures and achieve educational outreach,” the nominator said.