Six staff employees will receive the 40th annual Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award, and one staff employee will receive the 2016 Ruth Jameyson "Above and Beyond" Award on May 15.
This year's reception is scheduled for 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center’s Big Ten Rooms.
Jack Breslin Distinguished Staff Award Winners:
Calvin Bricker Jr.
Calvin “Cal” Bricker Jr. is an IT support technician with Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences. Bricker has shown humble dedication to MSU for over 45 years. He is a mentor to many and represents a solid work ethic, respect and professionalism and is highly valued and respected by his colleagues.
After spending more than 30 years as a research technician conducting lab and field experiments, he saw a need for an IT support technician in the department and took on the challenge to fill the void with no formal training. He has been instrumental in transitioning a wide array of technology that benefit employees, students, faculty and administrators.
In his spare time, he visits retirees at their homes to help them with computer issues, simply because he believes they’ve earned it for all the years they’ve devoted to MSU.
Susan Green
Susan Green is the assistant Freedom of Information Act officer in MSU’s FOIA Office. In her role, she is called upon to explain requests, gather records, assist campus units with their statutory obligations, all while being understanding and diplomatic about the time pressures for a response.
Green is bright, motivated, self-less and is a tremendous ambassador for MSU as she works with a multitude of constituents in her role. She performs her job with efficiency, integrity and sound judgement. She puts her heart into every task, maintains a reassuring demeanor and embodies humor and grace in stressful situations.
Green has earned the respect of colleagues on and off campus by navigating her role with remarkable tact, grace and respect for everyone with whom she interacts.
Michael Hanson
Michael Hanson is a custodian with Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Custodial Services. Michael is passionate about his role in leading recycling efforts in MSU’s science complex and being an advocate for sustainability by tirelessly promoting the university’s efforts to “Be Spartan Green.” The pride he takes in his work is demonstrated through his responsiveness, flexibility and commitment to always go above and beyond to exceed expectations.
Hanson is also an active member of the community, where he volunteers and raises funds for The Old Newsboys, serves the homeless during the holidays and contributes to MSU’s United Way program. He’s a caring neighbor and often assists the elderly with home improvement projects. Hanson is also a dedicated Spartan fan, who can be found cheering on the team at every home football game.
Bill Kost
William “Bill” Kost is the associate director of Retail Services for Culinary Services. Kost’s continued passion to enhance his own leadership skills in order to be a better leader for his team is what sets him apart. He invests in his team and is intentional about providing resources and opportunities for individuals to develop professionally and personally.
Kost is reliable and his colleagues know they can count on him to always be willing to talk through challenges and work together to produce active solutions. He is enthusiastic about the success of others and inspires his team to be better each day.
A former student athlete on the MSU Golf team, Kost embodies the values of a Spartan and cares deeply for MSU. Kost has assisted with the planning for the MSU Food Drive for the past nine years. He is also active in higher education associations, including the National Association of Collegiate Concessionaries, where he served as president.
Sharon Reasoner
Sharon Reasoner is the administrative assistant in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. Since joining the team as an office assistant in 2008, she has been promoted to an administrative assistant I due to her willingness to take on new responsibilities to make the department run more efficiently.
Reasoner is dependable, organized, tolerant and extremely patient. She is a consummate professional and is never bothered by the task of navigating last minute changes or meeting tight deadlines. She is heavily involved in organizing department activities to strengthen relationships and plays a critical role in providing a friendly, supportive and respectful environment.
Reasoner also serves as the chair of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Staff Advisory Committee. She is an active member in her church and has taken on a leadership role in the Bible Study Fellowship International.
Carolyn Sekedat
Carolyn Sekedat is the office coordinator in the Natural Science Dean’s Office. With any thriving office, you will find a strong leader in front of it. That is Sekedat, who makes strangers feel like friends with her kindness and generosity.
Sekedat’s thirst for knowledge has led her to take on many different responsibilities and make suggestions for changes and improvements that enhance the effectiveness of her office. She is positive, thorough and shows excellent judgement. She strives for high quality work that advances the common good and is a constant reminder that we are here to assist students in achieving their goals in any way they can, even if that means putting in a bit more effort and time.
Sekedat is actively involved with the Eastern Michigan University’s Mentorship Access Guidance in College program, which helps increase the graduation rate of students who have been a part of the foster care system or have experienced homelessness.
Ruth Jameyson Above and Beyond Award Winner:
Grace Morris
Grace Morris is a library assistant IV in the MSU Library’s Gerald R. Kline Digital and Multimedia Center. Morris started at the library as a student assistant, and through her hard work and commitment to excellence, was hired for a newly created position upon graduation. She consistently exudes enthusiasm for meeting the challenges of advancing the core mission of the MSU Library and is always willing to engage in activities outside her immediate scope of work.
Morris genuinely empathizes with students in their ongoing journey through MSU, and is always kind, patient and helpful. An expert in the creation and manipulation of digital images for preservation and access, Morris travels around the state of Michigan to give presentations and seminars on managing digitization projects in all manners of situations. Based upon her tireless efforts and those of her team, MSU is now creating high-quality digital images of over 125,000 pages of library books and journals each year.
Morris is currently working on her master's of library and information services online at the University of Washington, and is expected to finish this summer. She is also a former intern at the Capital Area District Libraries Downtown Lansing Branch, where she continues to volunteer.