This award has been discontinued as of Spring 2026.

Background

In 2013, the Employee Assembly established the Opperman Award to extend their appreciation and gratitude to Vice President of Human Resources and Safety Services, Mary George Opperman, for fostering a positive environment where staff are valued contributors to the campus community and its mission. Furthermore, VP Opperman has supported the engagement and inclusion of staff across campus in response to the Employee Engagement Survey, fostering an environment where employees can express their opinions and share experiences while working to create recommendations on core issues of concern discovered in the survey. Therefore, the Employee Assembly passed Resolution 5 on May 31, 2013, to publicly recognize VP Opperman and her continued efforts in creating a culture that allows staff to thrive at home and in the workplace. 

In 2021, the Employee Assembly Communications, Outreach and Recognition Committee (CORC) launched the new Award for Staff Integrity and Inclusion in place of the Opperman Award for Staff Advocacy per resolution EA R10: Revision and Renaming of The Opperman Award.