Employee Excellence AWARDS Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Table of Contents President’s Letter Milestone Calculations
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MILESTONE RECIPIENTS Five Years of Service Ten Years of Service Fifteen Years of Service Twenty Years of Service Twenty-Five Years of Service Thirty Years of Service
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EMPLOYEE EXCELLENCE AWARDS Care Award Communication Award Collabortate Award Celebrate Award Teaching Excellence Award Distinguished Part Time Award Innovation Award Rising Star Awards Spirit of the Lakehawk Award President’s Leadership Award
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Employee Excellence AWARDS
President’s Letter our Excellence Award recipients. Nominated by their peers, these employees exemplify the values, dedication, innovation, and care that help students achieve their goals and fulfill our mission each day. Their contributions inspire all of us and demonstrate the power of service, collaboration, and excellence.
Dear colleagues, Today, we celebrate the people who make our College exceptional. Whether recognized for their years of dedicated service or honored through a peer-nominated excellence award, each individual acknowledged in these pages has helped shape the supportive, student-centered culture that defines our institution. Our milestone honorees represent a remarkable commitment to the College and to the students, colleagues, and communities we serve. Their years of service represent a lasting investment in our mission and in the success of generations of students. We are also proud to recognize
To every employee, thank you. Your hard work, compassion, and commitment make a difference in the lives of our students and strengthen our College in countless ways. As we start a new academic year, it is always an honor to celebrate the achievements of all of our employees and recognize the impact each of you have on our shared success. Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees and thank you for all you do. With Lakehawk Pride,
John Temple President
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Milestone Calculations Years of service milestones are calculated as of December 31 of the year prior to the recognition event. For the 2026 event, the cutoff date is December 31, 2025. Years of service for full- and part-time employees are calculated based on the hire date and length of service to the cutoff date and are cumulative for all employment at the College, including non-consecutive service. Any student employment is not included in the years of service calculation. Adjunct faculty earn a year of service for completing at least one semester of teaching per calendar year. Kids’ College adjunct faculty earn a year of service for completing at least one term of Kids’ College per calendar year.
Employee Excellence AWARDS
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Milestone Award Recipients 5 YEARS OF SERVICE Jonathan Alvarez-Torre* Kristofer Atkinson* Carolyn Baldwin Sandra Beener Susan Boyd* Andrew Brinkley Matthew Bush Gregory Craig* Sunny Ferrero Natasha Govan* Mary Griffith* Michael Hall* Maria Hubbard* Arminta Johnson Alexandria LeGault
Bridget Logan* Samara Lozano* Dr. Stephanie Luke* William Miller Casey Nicole Roland Nunez Charmaine Overmyer* Amanda Pryor*^ John Rackley* Anthony Ritter*^ Kristin Rogers* Deborah Snellen* Marko Stanisic Laura Strickland* Lee Ochs*
*includes service as adjunct faculty ^includes service as Kids’ College adjunct
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Milestone Award Recipients 10 YEARS OF SERVICE Lisa Apikos* Agnes Bereczky* Charise Conant Chuck Durante* Kathy Ingold Beate Ivey James Jackson
Amber Karlins James Miller Kelly Moore* Elizabeth Nisbet* Dr. Christine Ramos Joseph Silver* Jessica Terrell*
15 YEARS OF SERVICE Jeannie Amcher* Debra Gloss Nicholas Kemp Caitlin Moore Dr. Michael Morse Nancy Parks* Dr. Elizabeth Terranova*
*includes service as adjunct faculty ^includes service as Kids’ College adjunct
Employee Excellence AWARDS
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Milestone Award Recipients 20 YEARS OF SERVICE Sybil Brown* Emily Curington* Dennis Kaminski*^ Jacklyn Pierce* Christopher Purallo Sonja Sanders Phillip Suttkus
25 YEARS OF SERVICE Alissa Sustarsic Dr. Katherine Urquhart
30 YEARS OF SERVICE Nora Rackley
*includes service as adjunct faculty ^includes service as Kids’ College adjunct
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Awards CARE AWARD The Care Award is presented to an employee who exemplifies LSSC’s core value of CARE. This award is designed to recognize and celebrate individuals who embody a profound sense of compassion and empathy, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to fostering a culture of care within the college community. The recipient of this award is someone who goes above and beyond to make a positive impact on the lives of others, particularly our students and their experience.
COMMUNICATION AWARD The Communicate Award stands as a distinguished recognition presented to an employee who exemplifies Lake-Sumter State College’s core value of COMMUNICATE. This accolade is designed to honor an individual who, through their exceptional communication skills, contributes significantly to creating a positive student experience and fostering effective communication within the college community.
COLLABORATE AWARD The Collaborate Award is to an employee who embodies LakeSumter State College’s core value of COLLABORATE. This accolade is bestowed upon an individual who places a significant emphasis on working together harmoniously with peers, students, and the community, fostering a culture of collaboration within Lake-Sumter State College.
Employee Excellence AWARDS
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Awards CELEBRATE AWARD The Celebrate Award is presented to an employee who embodies Lake-Sumter State College’s core value of CELEBRATE. This accolade is bestowed upon an individual who not only contributes to the success of the college but actively fosters a positive and supportive learning and workplace culture, creating an environment where achievements are acknowledged and celebrated.
TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD The Award for Teaching Excellence is a distinguished honor that recognizes outstanding faculty contributions to the art and craft of teaching at Lake-Sumter State College. This award is designed to celebrate faculty members who demonstrate exceptional dedication to teaching-related activities, showcasing significant innovation, creativity, and a commitment to fostering an engaging and enriching learning environment.
DISTINGUISHED PART TIME EMPLOYEE AWARD The Distinguished Part-Time Employee Award is bestowed upon an exceptional individual who embodies LSSC’s core values of Collaborate, Communicate, Care, and Celebrate. This award is designed to honor the outstanding contributions of part-time employees who consistently go above and beyond in serving the mission of our college. As a part-time employee, the recipient serves as a shining example of dedication, commitment, and passion for the institution’s mission.
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Awards INNOVATION AWARD The Innovation Award celebrates the trailblazers within our institution, recognizing outstanding contributions made by an individual, team, or department that champions innovation with a data-driven approach. This prestigious recognition is reserved for those who not only prioritize performance improvement but also fearlessly embrace the risks associated with groundbreaking innovation.
RISING STAR AWARDS The Rising Star Award is a distinction presented to an outstanding employee who, with less than two years in their role at LakeSumter State College, has exhibited exceptional performance and unwavering support of the college’s mission. This accolade is designed to honor an individual’s remarkable contributions, acknowledging their steadfast commitment to excellence and recognizing them as a rising force within the college community. Academic Affairs Enrollment & Student Affairs Facilities Planning & Operations
Finance Institutional Advancement Technology Innovation
Employee Excellence AWARDS
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Awards SPIRIT OF THE LAKEHAWK AWARD The Spirit of the Lakehawk Award is a prestigious and significant honor presented to an outstanding employee of Lake-Sumter State College who not only embraces but truly exemplifies the institution’s four core values: Collaborate, Communicate, Care, and Celebrate. This award recognizes individuals who drive transformation through their unwavering commitment to the College’s mission and who, through their exceptional performance, go above and beyond in making a profound impact on the student experience and the College as a whole.
PRESIDENT’S LEADERSHIP AWARD The President’s Leadership Award holds special significance as it is conferred upon an individual who exemplifies the foundational values of our college community and embraces leadership as a set of behaviors that set them apart. This distinguished recognition acknowledges the recipient’s consistent demonstration of behaviors rooted in the 4 C’s. By emphasizing leadership as a collection of behaviors, this award honors an individual whose everyday actions contribute significantly to the advancement of the College’s mission and exemplify the essence of true leadership.
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Thank You! © 2026 Lake-Sumter State College. Lake-Sumter State College prohibits discrimination in any of its programs, activities, and employment. The notice of nondiscrimination is located at www.lssc.edu/nondiscrimination. | 2026-08