Written by: Mathäus Schwarzen, staff writer
DAYTON, Tenn.—Bryan College President Stephen Livesay presented awards for exceptional service to the members of the Information Technology (IT), Events Services and Maintenance, Housekeeping and Grounds departments on November 20, 2019. The ceremony was held during a chapel in Rudd Auditorium.
“Every year we like to honor members of our staff who do so much for us,” Livesay said. “This year there were so many individuals who were recommended that it was very difficult to select just one. So this year we have three—not three individuals, but three departments—that are going to be recognized as our staff members.”
Livesay stressed the importance of the role that the three departments had played over the course of the summer and the semester.
He touched on the work they had done during the installation of new cafeteria materials over the summer and the conclusion of construction on the college’s new Stophel Welcome Center.
Livesay said the staff of the three departments had done their share of the extra work in the season of change with pleasant attitudes and undue devotion. They had also made a positive impression on the people they worked alongside through the projects.
“These guys were here all through weekends, and at night,” Livesay said. “I don’t know how you did it, but we want to honor you.”
Livesay called each of the attending department members to the front of the auditorium individually.
James Sullivan, Director of IT Services, received the plaque for his department. Director of the Physical Plant David Morgan accepted the award for Maintenance, Housekeeping and Grounds. Ryan Padgett accepted the award for Events Services in the absence of Event Services Manager Jim Kinser, who was occupied with operating the sound booth.
Livesay stressed that much of the work that the three awarded departments performs takes place on a daily basis without much thanks. Other work includes cleaning and fixing problems on campus. The IT department alone has closed 1,638 cases since the beginning of the Fall 2019 semester.
“You’re looking at about 15 tickets a day,” Assistant Network Administrator Andrew Biddle said. “Maybe about 400 a month.”
The employees in the three departments are also sometimes required to respond quickly to larger issues, such as a major air conditioning outage in the Woodlee-Ewing dorm that happened in September, and recent water backups in the cafeteria.
“These people have their individual duties that keep this campus running,” Livesay said. “They make it possible for us to do everything we do.”
Each of the department members was also given undisclosed compensation in envelopes. President Livesay closed the ceremony with a prayer of thanks for their service.
Mathäus Schwarzen is a staff writer for the Bryan Triangle specializing in campus news, and a sophomore at Bryan College, majoring in creative writing. He spends his free time writing, drawing and listening to music.
