The
event took place on the Albert A. Sheen Campus, April 17 and on St. Thomas
Campus on April 19. Employees who worked for
five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 years as well as those who are retired were
also honored at the event.
This
year’s events were held under the theme: “We’ve Risen and We’re Gaining Steam —
Service Awards 2018.”
“I
am not doing this for the recognition, but from my heart,” said Potter, winner
of this year’s award and Registrar at the university.
“I
have worked hard for the University for over 10 years and I took on an enormous
position at the University a few years ago,” she said. “The leadership and dedication of the staff
exemplifies great teamwork and provides a sense of accomplishment at the end of
the year to see students graduate with the degree they have worked hard to
earn.”
Joseph,
winner of this year’s award on the Albert A. Sheen Campus has only been with
the university for almost three years. When asked how she felt about receiving
the award, Joseph responded by saying she was very surprised.
“That
was the last thing I expected, it really caught me off guard,” she said.
Joseph
prides herself for the work that she does and believes that the key to customer
service is that the customer should always leave feeling better than when they
first came to you.
“I try to put my best foot forward at all times. I always try to help as best as possible,” Joseph said. “I believe a little goes a long way, if I see something that needs to be done I don’t wait to be asked I take initiative and get it done.”
Joseph
advises all employees at UVI to always put customer service at the forefront.
“We
are here to serve people, we are here to help, we should always try to provide
a listening ear to our customers,” Joseph said.
Debbie
Joseph works as an administrative assistant to the College of Liberal Arts and
Social Sciences on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
Dr. David Hall, president of the university said that this
year’s program is of great significance because of what each recipient and
employee endured during the academic year 2017-2018.
“I continue to be impressed with the enthusiasm and service
with which I see so many of our employees provide to the university through the
work that they do and the extent to which they so often go above and beyond the
scope of the job responsibilities,” Dr. Hall said.
The employee of the year program and annual service awards is organized by the university’s Human Resources Department and aims to recognize employees who have demonstrated and contributed to the improvement of the quality and performance of the University of the Virgin Islands.
There were a total of six employee of the year nominations for the 2018 award, four on the St Thomas Campus and two on the Albert A. Sheen Campus.
Employee
of the year winners receive a $200 check, an engraved plaque, bouquet of
flowers and a basket of fruits.
To be eligible for the award the recipient must be a full-time employee and have at least one year of continuous employment with the university. Employees are selected based on three of the criteria areas including professionalism, customer focus, quality, teamwork, and innovation.
