Three receive honor from provost

Dedication, commitment and enthusiasm—these are some of the words used to describe the three recipients of the first annual Candace J. Johnson Staff Award for Excellence, honored by Provost Paul N. Courant during a December celebration.

Provost Paul N. Courant, Pablo LaValle, Cora Horgrow and Shirley Culliton at the Dec. 17 awards ceremony. (Photo by Paul Jaronski, U-M Photo Services)

The recipients are Shirley Culliton, School of Information (SI), Cora Horgrow, U-M Health
System and Pablo LaValle, College of Engineering (CoE).

The award was established to recognize staff members who demonstrate commitment, excellence and dedication in their work. It honors Johnson, who was employed in the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs at the time of her death in 2003.

The office received 268 nominations for the award, and because of the strong pool, the committee opted to give three awards in this inaugural year, Courant said.

"The committee received many outstanding nominations for people across the University who are dedicated to excellence and to having a positive impact on the workplace, just as Candy was," Courant said.

Culliton, executive secretary in SI, has served admirably as the school has gone through two name changes and six deans, according to her nominators. Faculty members describe her as the heart of the school. She is lauded for her knowledge, commitment, efficiency and cheerfulness.

One of her nominators wrote, "Shirley is the glue of our school. She is always ready to help. With a smile on her face, empathy in her voice, and energy in her motion, Shirley calms students, fields faculty demands, welcomes each visitor, and remembers every detail." Another faculty member reported, "At alumni receptions, Shirley is the one most asked about and most fondly remembered."

Horgrow, nurse's aide on 4West Peri-natal Unit at the Medical Center, interacts with a wide range of people—doctors, nurses, medical students, parents and newborn babies. Her nominators have the highest praise for her work. Doctors speak of her skill and dedication. One of them wrote, "The staff (here) is one of the best I have ever seen, with many, many superior employees, and Cora still stands out."

A student in the residency program wrote, "We, as OB residents, adore Cora. She was one of the shining lights that helped us navigate through the challenges of intern year." One nurse wrote, "Cora always comes to work with a beautiful smile, gentle hands, and a kind heart. It makes me happy to think of the thousands of babies who have had the gift of the 'Cora touch.'"

LaValle, senior engineer for the Department of Chemical Engineering in CoE, organizes and maintains undergraduate teaching labs and provides assistance to research labs and other facilities in the department. Faculty and students are enthusiastic in their praise of LaValle.

Describing his work in the large undergraduate courses, one faculty member said, "What he did single-handedly for our undergrad laboratories has been nothing short of phenomenal." LaValle didn't just maintain the equipment being used—he built much of it, the faculty member said. The equipment is so well suited to undergraduate education that other universities have replicated it, members of the college said. Students have high praise for him as well. As one student put it, "Perhaps even more important than his knowledge of the equipment was his enthusiasm for the experiments."

Courant presented the awards Dec.17. The nearly 60 people in attendance included members of Johnson's family: Rick, Carey and Adam Johnson, Don and Jean Carey, and Sandy Knight.

A full list of nominated staff members is available at the Candace J. Johnson Staff Award for Excellence Web site, http://www.umich.edu/~hraa/cjjaward.