Rachael Esterly, lead IT user support analyst at Kent State University at East Liverpool and Salem received one of only 11 President’s Excellence Awards this week. She was informed by President Lester A. Lefton via Ichat.

Esterly was nominated because she serves as an ambassador for the university. Like the other winners, she received a check for $1,000. This is the second year President Lefton has presented the award.

The President’s Excellence Award was implemented in 2009 to recognize full-time classified and unclassified employees who demonstrated exceptional performance in advancing one of the goals of the university’s excellence agenda during the previous fiscal year.  More than 200 nominations were received representing 138 staff throughout the eight campuses.

The criteria included actions, initiatives or projects related to student success, diversity and inclusion, effectiveness and efficiency, quality customer service, collaboration, sustainability and serving as an ambassador for the university.

Esterly was nominated for the work she did in planning the highly successful Kent State Columbiana Campuses Alternative Spring Break project; a week-long residential learning and fellowship experience for 28 Kent State students. Esterly spent months prior to the event coordinating the various service projects throughout Columbiana County, organizing transportation to and from each project  and arranging for all meals and evening activities. She not only participated in the learning activities, but stayed each night with the students, sleeping on the gymnasium floor.  Esterly’s nominator says the students were “engaged in the world beyond our campuses,” due in large part to Esterly’s tireless efforts.

Esterly is again working on the 2011 Alternative Spring Break project, which will run March 21 through March 27.

The Kent State Columbiana County Campuses, which is comprised of Kent State University at East Liverpool and Kent State University at Salem offers its students 28 programs, including 14 bachelor’s degrees locally. Students may complete the first two degrees of more than 250 Kent State University degrees and programs. For more information, please call 1-877-KENT-EDU. Enrollment for spring classes is occurring now.