Dean College Employee Service Awards

Dean College faculty and staff were honored for their dedication and service at the annual Employee Service Awards ceremony held on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.

During the ceremony, new hires were recognized and employee milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 were celebrated. Standout milestones included Ken Corkran and Janet Hanson ’03 for 25 years, Wendy Adler and Kathleen McGuire for 30 years, Vic Michaels for 35 years and Jane Gagnon for a remarkable 40 years of service.

Additional awards were given to employees who exemplify The Dean Difference – going above and beyond their roles at the college.

The Bess Walsh Award is given out each year to honor an employee who has worked at the college for 10+ years and displays outstanding loyalty to Dean. Vic Michaels, Associate Professor of Communications and WGAO-FM Operations Manager, and Dr. Dawn Poirier, Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Rooney Shaw Center for Innovation in Teaching, were this year’s honorees.

The James Fox Retention Award recognizes academic programs or initiatives that support retention. This year, the “Boomer” Chatbot program was honored. Core team members who accepted the award included Kristin Fitzgerald, Laura Field ’11, Brenden Knight, Courtney Shimer, Gavin Estey ’08, Jessica Monteiro ’16, MaryAnn Silvestri ’90, Matt Lechter, Liz Rippon, AnneMarie Sweetsir, Lynne DaSilva, Jennifer Stratton, Chris Colantonio, Darrell Kulesza and Wendy Adler.

The Boomer Award was created to honor the unsung heroes in the Dean community, who make meaningful contributions every day. These individuals exemplify Dean’s motto: Never give up, Never settle, Never lose sight of your dreams. This year, Joe Cabral, head coach of the men’s basketball, men’s cross country and women’s cross country teams and resident director of Woodward Hall; James Adams ’07, technology services manager; and Dr. Amy Matten, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Communication, were honored with this distinction.

Members of the Dean Community who have recently retired were also celebrated, with a special recognition of Dr. Paula M. Rooney, President of Dean College, and Dr. P. Gerard Shaw, Dean of the Dean R. Sanders ’47 School of Business, for their nearly three decades of service and dedication to Dean College.

Congratulations to this year’s recipients and to all Dean employees for their outstanding work this year!