Elon staff honored throughout 2026 Staff Appreciation Day | Today at Elon

Andrew Moffa was named the 2026 Phoenix Rising Award winner. The award is offered to at least one newer member of Elon’s workers who has persistently displayed excellence in pursuit of Elon’s mission with an engaged thoughts in impressed management and international citizenship.

Moffa is the assistant director of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life. He was described because the “mentor people dream of having” and somebody who “creates an environment where students feel valued and empowered” in a number of roles he performs, together with advising college students in Elon 101, mentoring members of the Elon Votes! Team and supporting college students who work within the workplace.

One nominator shared that Moffa “embodies the essence of allyship: showing up consistently, listening deeply and helping students bring their goals and ideas to life.” Students mentioned he’s “an amazing support to any student he comes across” and “an open space for us.”

Moffa expressed gratitude in the direction of the Kernodle Center and the Division of Student Life, as properly the scholars he works with. “It comes back to the students that we work with,” he shared. “That’s why I’m here, that’s why I love showing up to work – it wouldn’t be the same without them.”

Phoenix Collaboration Award

The 2026 Phoenix Collaboration Award was offered to Elon Guided Reflection on Work Student Employment Mentoring Implementation Work Group, led by Alison Doherty, Jo-Rae Jennings, Emily Krechel, Noah Orr and Kameryn Taylor. ElonGROW is a framework designed to assist college students join what they’re studying within the classroom with the talents they’re growing of their campus jobs. Through temporary conversations with their supervisors, college students mirror on how their work helps their tutorial, skilled and private development.

The award is offered to an Elon workers crew or group that has fostered cooperation, collaboration and open communication throughout two or extra departments/places of work/facilities on campus.

A nominator mentioned in regards to the group, “The team modeled the very competencies it seeks to cultivate in students: communication, teamwork, leadership, professionalism and adaptive thinking.”

ElonGROW was designed to be the material of supervision and scholar employment university-wide. Due to the collaborative efforts, supervisors now have clearer expectations, stronger coaching and accessible instruments to facilitate intentional developmental conversations, and scholar staff usually tend to acknowledge transferable abilities, articulate development and join work to teachers and future careers.

Emily Krechel, director of latest scholar applications, addressed the viewers with ElonGROW members standing close to the rostrum. As chair of the workgroup, she described the crew as “the most productive, efficient and collaborative people she has ever had the privilege of working with.”

Phoenix Community Engagement Award

Tammy Hill, scholar medical health insurance and immunization compliance challenge supervisor, was named the 2026 Phoenix Community Engagement Award winner. The award acknowledges a member of the Elon workers who has demonstrated exemplary service to the college, native or international neighborhood by their engagement in volunteer organizations.

Hill is a frontrunner inside the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation and was described as somebody who tirelessly contributes her time, experience and vitality to assist cultural preservation, neighborhood engagement and organizational management.

Hill is profoundly devoted to the preservation, safety and promotion of her tribal neighborhood’s historical past, tradition and traditions. When she was 55, she pursued a level in American historical past to deepen her understanding of Western growth and the various successes of different tribes within the United States. She has served the OBSN as e-newsletter editor, a member of the Scholarship Committee and Tribal Secretary on the Tribal Council, and she or he is self-taught within the abilities wanted for her present function managing the tribal web site, net retailer and buying and selling put up.

One nominator acknowledged, “Whether supporting her tribal community, fostering cultural awareness or strengthening connections within the Elon community, she leads with humility, integrity and dedication. She demonstrates that service is not simply something she does — it is who she is.”

Hill has been at Elon for greater than twenty years and leaves an indelible mark on college students and colleagues alike who fondly mirror on her steerage, heat and real care. She was not current on the ceremony and Jana Lynn Patterson, affiliate vp for Student Life/dean of Student Health & Well-Being/assistant professor, accepted on her behalf.

Blanche Garrison Memorial Award

Drema Holder was named the 2026 Blanche Garrison Memorial Award recipient. The award was established in reminiscence of the late Blanche Garrison, an Elon Medallion awardee, who served the college with distinction as a workers member at Maynard House. This award was created by the generosity of President Emeritus Leo Lambert and Laurie Lambert and acknowledges a workers member who has contributed considerably to shaping the coed expertise at Elon University by their on a regular basis commitments and actions to assist, encourage and mentor Elon college students.

Holder is the Moseley Center program assistant and was described because the epitome of graciousness and customer support, somebody whose genuine kindheartedness, dedication and enthusiasm are important to maintaining her space of campus operating successfully and making all who cross by its halls really feel welcome.

One nominator shared that Holder “continually puts others before herself, uplifting students and advocating for them to receive the recognition they deserve.” Another nominator added, “If Moseley is the heart of campus, then Drema is the heart of Moseley.”

Holder shared that that is her forty eighth yr in larger training and “all my students and all my coworkers have a special place in my heart.”

Staff Member of the Year Awards

Three Staff Member of the Year Awards are offered yearly to school non-teaching workers – one for every of the next classes: amenities administration, skilled hourly workers and administrative workers. Elon President Connie Ledoux Book introduced the award winners.

Staff Member of the Year – Professional Hourly

Sharon Holmes was honored because the 2026 skilled hourly workers member of the yr. Holmes is a program assistant within the Office of Alumni Engagement and described as somebody who goes above and past to facilitate occasions, handle scholar staff and make alumni really feel welcome.

Nominators shared that Holmes is a “mom away from home” for scholar staff and a valued supply of assist and friendship for her colleagues.” Another crew member added, regardless of the crew wants, she is going to do with out query and with the largest smile you’ll ever see.”

She was additional described as “the welcoming voice on the cellphone, the smiling face when alumni cease by her workplace and the useful hand when college students have questions.

Upon receiving the award, Holmes shared that working at Elon is significant to her as a result of she is from Alamance County. She expressed her appreciation to her crew members, saying, “They are truly a pleasure to be around, to work with and to collaborate with. It’s a joy to support them.”

Staff Member of the Year – Administrative

Ross Wade was named the 2026 administrative workers member of the yr. He is Elon’s interim affiliate vp for the Student Professional Development Center.

Wade was acknowledged for steering his division by a interval of crucial transition with “remarkable grace transparency and intentionality.” He is described as having considerate, future-focused management and lauded for restoring a way of course and vigor to the crew and launched insurance policies which have considerably improved workflow effectivity.

One nominator acknowledged that “He leads by example — rolling up his sleeves, staying engaged and demonstrating through his own actions what dedication to this work actually looks like.”

Wade expressed the challenges of stepping right into a management function throughout a time of transition for SPDC. “I stumble through it every single day with the grace and the help from the SPDC team,” he shared. “Thank you so much for your patience, kindness and ideas.”

Staff Member of the Year – Facilities Management

Carol Pulliam obtained the amenities administration workers member of the yr award. She is the custodian for Sato Commons.

Nominators used an array of sentiments to explain why Pulliam is, as they describe, probably the most vital members of her constructing’s crew: exceptionally detail-oriented, pleased with her work and orderly. “She ensures every facet of the physical space reflects the excellence for which Elon is known,” a nominator mentioned.

Pulliam was not solely acknowledged for her immaculate work, but in addition her willingness to submit RepairIt requests and serving to college students arrange analysis posters.

Another nominator shared that her real heat really units her aside. “Her willingness to engage people on the floor in meaningful conversations helps make our floor more connected and caring.”

Addressing her workers friends, she expressed, “thank you, God, and thank you to all the people that made this possible – I love each and every one of you.”