Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Outstanding Employee Performance Awards

JONESBORO – The 32nd Annual Outstanding Performance Awards ceremony at Arkansas State University honored six individual staff members and one team for their outstanding contributions to their departments or groups. The annual ceremony for non-faculty staff was hosted by members of the Staff Senate. The awards were presented by committee members Angela Daniels, Tiffany Mosley and Ian Buchanan.

The recipients of the Outstanding Performance Awards include:

• Enhancing the Student Experience – Rasheda Hamilton, transfer research coordinator, University College
• STAR (Service, Teamwork, Attitude, Reliability) – Prathima Pattada, program director, Arkansas Biosciences Institute
• Unsung Hero – Phareta Calkin, print shop worker, Printing Services
• Outstanding Team Member – Kyle Walker, director of academic support services, University College
• Rookie of the Year – J. Jagriti, program coordinator, Higher Education Initiative (HEI), Graduate School
• Outstanding Part-Time Award – Jacob Short, personal trainer and group fitness instructor, Red Wolf Wellness
• Team Achievement Award – Office of Student Life

Award nominees are individuals who demonstrate professionalism and dedication to excellence in service, going above and beyond standard expectations to enhance quality at A-State.

The program also included recognition of retiring staff members and those reaching service milestones of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years. The Outstanding Performance Awards program was established in 1994 to recognize outstanding job performance and long-term service among the university's non-faculty employees, including both classified and non-classified staff.

Team Achievement Award winners:

• University Housing and Facilities Management Team (left to right): Kelly Ponder, Jenny Gray, Zhedrick Jackson, Larry Floyd, Lex Leonard and Natalie Eskew.