Bucknell Honors Exemplary Employees for Outstanding Service

On Aug. 19, President John Bravman recognized the recipients of the 2024 Geiger, Zeller and Maxwell Awards. These annual awards honor staff members, faculty and collaborative teams who were nominated by colleagues for their outstanding contributions to the Bucknell community.

The Walter C. Geiger Memorial Award

Named in honor of the late director of the Bucknell physical plant, this award recognizes administrative staff who demonstrate sustained excellence and embrace Bucknell's core competencies. This year's recipients were Olivia Libby, director, Fraternity & Sorority Affairs; and Lynn Pierson, director, Community Engaged Leadership, Learning & Research.

Libby oversees Fraternity & Sorority Affairs, where she has established risk management policies, educational opportunities and leadership training for students who participate in Greek life. Her colleagues noted that she is "relentless in her compassion" and strives to maintain a culture of inclusivity, transparency and accountability. One of her nominators described her as someone who "regularly goes above and beyond her job description" and consistently advocates for student health and well-being. Libby strives to build and maintain strong partnerships with stakeholders on and off campus, and works with alumni services to empower young alumni to remain involved in campus fraternity and sorority chapters.

Pierson's leadership helped transform the Office of Civic Engagement into the newly minted Center for Community Engaged Leadership, Learning & Research. By working collaboratively with Bucknellians and local community organizations, Pierson has built a nationally recognized team that serves as a model for best practices in civic engagement. With her guidance, the center created a new summer internship program that pairs Bucknell students with local organizations to address issues of food insecurity, housing and mental health and sponsored a poverty simulation and social determinants of health training in collaboration with community partners. Her colleagues described her as someone who fosters "an environment of inclusivity and collaboration" by ensuring that the perspectives of each staff member are "incorporated into the decision-making process." Nominators noted that Pierson's philosophy and work ethic center on supporting Bucknellians and the local community "in an equitable and reciprocal way."

The John F. Zeller Memorial Award for Support Staff Excellence

This award honors the late vice president for business & fiscal affairs and general counsel emeritus at Bucknell, and recognizes support staff who demonstrate consistent excellence in the conduct of their responsibilities. This year's recipients were Ben Hodgson, crew leader, landscaping and plant maintenance; Monna Hosterman, cataloging specialist; Donny Rager, controls technician II, HVAC; and Kelly Pastuszek, financial aid assistant.

As a crew leader, Hodgson designed landscaping for the new Pascucci Team Center and led its installation by Bucknell's grounds team. His colleagues also praised his implementation of work logs to more efficiently track work progress across campus and said that he was instrumental in introducing low-maintenance landscaping options, giving his team more time to focus on planting perennials and flowering shrubs that enhance campus beauty. He led his team in erecting the stages for Commencement ceremonies, and his nominators noted that his positive outlook on life helps foster strong relationships with vendors, faculty, staff and students.

Hosterman's dedication to her job has helped ensure that the Library & Information Technology team has been able to meet deadlines while maintaining a high level of service. During a period of staff transitions, Hosterman was her team's sole cataloger, which meant that she handled every book the library ordered, cataloged it, and made sure it was available for pickup in a timely manner. Her colleagues noted that she routinely steps up to fulfill a wide range of duties, including helping patrons track down books and assisting students in finding their classrooms. Hosterman's creativity inspires library displays and exhibits that showcase scholarly resources, campus events, and the University's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Rager identified and implemented more than 20 initiatives to help with energy conservation, carbon footprint reduction and overall system reliability, resulting in over $50,000 in cost savings for the University. He is the lead technician for troubleshooting and resolving issues with campus HVAC systems and regularly offers technical assistance to Facilities personnel. His colleagues recognized his "great work ethic" and his "unsurpassed" dedication to the Bucknell community, which includes volunteering during student move-in, Commencement and Reunion weekends, as well as responding to emergency building issues.

Pastuszek is a passionate and devoted employee in the Office of Financial Aid who has lent her support to students, faculty, staff and families within the Bucknell community. Her Bernese mountain dog Digger is not only the Public Safety therapy dog but also an extension of her caring spirit. Pastuszek's colleagues described her as someone who "exemplifies selflessness" and endeavors to build strong connections across campus by attending a wide variety of events and trainings.

The Maxwell Award

Created in honor of the late Vice President for Administration Barry R. Maxwell, this award celebrates outstanding collaborative efforts of cross-functional groups, project teams and task forces that contribute to the success of the Bucknell community. This year's recipient was the Middle States Self-Study Team, which includes co-chairs Tom Cassidy, associate provost for academic affairs; Kevork Horissian, associate vice president and chief analytics officer; Jan Knoedler, professor of economics and department chair; and roughly 60 members of faculty and staff.

Between August 2021 and March 2024, the Middle States Self-Study Team participated in a large-scale evaluation to ensure that Bucknell secured accreditation, a process that takes place every eight years to assure the quality and effectiveness of the University's educational quality and services. The team performed collective research and analysis that was instrumental in meeting the rigorous standards set by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). The self-study document produced by this team served not only as a procedural benchmark, but also as an opportunity for review and reflection on the University's mission and goals. The collaborative efforts of this team, which encompassed everything from offering strategic advice and providing empirical evidence to writing and designing the report, earned the University's re-accreditation and reaffirmed the institution's commitment to continuous self-improvement.

All award recipients were honored at a presentation ceremony held during the annual picnic for faculty and staff ahead of the start of the fall semester.