8 staff members honored with RICE MILE Award

Eight members of the Rice chemistry department have been honored with the RICE MILE Award for September.

Vicky Armstrong, executive administrator; Nancy Adler, academic program administrator; Pam On, graduate program administrator; Pedro Prado, lead financial administrator; Abby Vacek, facilities and purchasing administrator; Patricia Villanueva, seminar and event coordinator; Anita Walker, undergraduate/classroom coordinator; and Selena Zermeno, department coordinator, are being honored for their responsibility, integrity, community, excellence, impact and entrepreneurial spirit.

A letter nominating the group praised the members for their strong sense of community.

“We all have a healthy attitude to make our department the best it can be whether assisting undergrads, grads, post-docs, faculty members or welcoming new staff,” it read.

The letter also applauded the group for its honesty and transparency.

“If someone makes a mistake everyone is there to support the person to remedy the situation rather than point fingers,” it read. “I believe we make impact on others as we are thoughtful and intentional in what we plan and we strive to achieve our yearly goals.”

All levels of staff are eligible for consideration for the RICE MILE Award and can be nominated by peers, colleagues, co-workers or supervisors as long as they have at least one year of service and are in good standing. Nominations must be submitted through the RICE MILE Award online nomination form and require approval from senior leadership in the nominee’s school or division.

For more information or to nominate a staff member for the award, visit http://people.rice.edu/careersrice/awards-and-recognition/the-rice-mile-award/.