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Chancellor's Outstanding Staff Awards

The Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards are the highest staff recognition at UC Davis.

The Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards for Exceptional University Management and Exceptional University Impact recognize and honor staff employees who have demonstrated exceptional initiative to create significant positive impact on the UC Davis community in the past 12 months.

Awards are given for:

  • Exceptional University Management (Managers & Supervisors)
  • Exceptional University Impact (Individual Contributors)
     

"The Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards recognize exceptional staff members whose recent work leaves a notable mark on UC Davis. Selected recipients distinguish themselves by surpassing expectations in advancing the university’s mission and supporting our students, employees, patients, and community. I eagerly await celebrating the recipients of this highest UC Davis staff honor.”
-- Chancellor Gary S. May

Who is Eligible?
  • Open to all staff employees (career and non-probationary), on both the UC Davis campus and UC Davis Health who have demonstrated exceptional initiative to create significant contributions/impact in the past year (January 2024-December 2024). 
  • Have been a career/contract/temporary UCD or UCDH employee for at least five years with a minimum 50% staff appointment at the time of nomination.


Review full eligibility details below

Nominations Open January 6, 2025

Any campus or health staff member may nominate an eligible employee.  The Exceptional University Management Award is for those who Manage/Supervise and The Exceptional University Impact Award is for individual staff contributors

Nomination Guidance

Clarity and specificity are key when highlighting the nominee's achievements for the award.

  • Nominations must be a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 500 words.
  • The exceptional contributions outlined in the nomination must have occurred between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
  • Focus on Impact:  Contributions must demonstrate a measurable impact on the University and its community, highlighting how the nominee’s work aligns with and supports the University’s core values and overall mission.
  • Tell a Story:  Provide a clear narrative that highlights the nominee’s contributions/achievements using examples that reflect University values potentially including but not limited to:
    • Adaptation, Innovation, Efficiency: Illustrate how the nominee has creatively solved problems, adapted to challenges, or improved processes to benefit the University.
    • Integrity and Accountability: Highlight instances where the nominee demonstrated ethical decision-making, transparency, and responsibility in their actions.
    • Performance and Engagement: Showcase how the nominee has exceeded expectations, engaged with their community or team, and consistently delivered exceptional results.
    • Kindness, Trust, and Inclusion: Share examples where the nominee has fostered a supportive, welcoming, and inclusive environment, building trust and strengthening relationships.
    • Collaboration: Emphasize how the nominee has worked effectively with others to achieve shared goals, demonstrating teamwork and cooperation.
  • Be Specific:  Provide concrete examples that clearly define the nominee's accomplishments. Vague or general statements should be avoided. Focus on tangible outcomes, actions, and measurable results to showcase the nominee’s excellence.
  • Quality Over Quantity:  While addressing multiple values is encouraged, the depth and quality of each example are more important than the quantity. Prioritize significant contributions that have had a lasting, positive impact on the University and its community.
  • Concise Descriptions:  Keep the nomination focused and concise. Each sentence should add value by emphasizing the most important aspects of the nominee’s contributions. Avoid unnecessary details to ensure the nomination is clear, to the point, and impactful. For example...
    • How has the person you are nominating creatively solved problems?
    • How have they adapted to challenges, or improved processes to benefit the University, reflecting values such as adaptation, innovation, and efficiency? 
    • How can the nominee’s ethical decision-making, transparency, and responsibility be highlighted to showcase integrity and accountability? 
    • What specifically are some examples of their kindness, trust, and inclusion that will illustrate how the nominee fostered a supportive, welcoming environment that strengthened relationships?
    • How did the nominee demonstrate leadership and inspire others to work through challenges?
    • How did the nominee introduce a unique or creative solution or management style to a challenge. What makes this solution stand out from typical approaches?
  • If you have any questions, please contact WorkLife Recognition at recognition@ucdavis.edu 
Selecting Award Recipients 

A cross-campus Award Selection Advisory Committee consisting of representatives from various UC Davis and UC Davis Health departments will review all name-redacted nominations.

Headshot of Kelly Yurkosky

Inaugural Winners (2024)

12 outstanding staff received the inaugural Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards for Exceptional University Management and Exceptional University Impact.

>> Meet the Winners
FAQs
  • How many awardees will be honored?
  • >  For the Manager/Supervisor Award: 1-2 managers from each campus will be awarded.
    >  For the Individual Contributor Award: 1-3 staff employees from each campus will be awarded.

    Every nomination from a grateful co-worker is lasting and meaningful recognition so all individuals receiving a nomination will receive a letter of acknowledgement and gratitude from our Chief Human Resource Officer.
  • Is there a ceremony or award?
  • Award recipients (+ guest) will be celebrated at a reception at the Chancellor’s Residence.
  • What are the eligibility details?
  • --Nominees must actively be meeting or exceeding performance standards. 
    --Nominees must be endorsed by their supervisor or department head. 
    --Nominees must be in a staff position (career, contract, temporary) at UC Davis or UC Davis Health, with at least a 50% appointment, and have served in any staff role for at least five years, cumulative or consecutive.
    --Nominees must not have previously been a recipient of this award (see last year's recipients).
    --Faculty, Physicians, Academic Staff and Senior Executives are not eligible. Senior Executives include: Assistant or Associate Vice Chancellors (AVC), Assistant or Associate Vice Provosts (AVP), Vice Chancellors, Vice Provosts, University Librarians, Chief or Assistant Chiefs, Chief HR Officer  (CHRO), Executive Directors, Deans, Associate and Assistant Deans.
    --Nominees must have exhibited and sustained outstanding performance as defined by the selection criteria encompassed within the Nomination Guidance section above.
    --Dual appointments are eligible as long as their primary appointment is classified as staff.
    --Nominees must be either:
    • Policy-covered Professional and Support Staff (PSS) employees.
    • Policy-covered Managers and Senior Professionals (MSP) employees.
  • How are award recipients chosen?
  • Nominations are separated into the two award categories... managers and supervisors are eligible for the Exceptional University Management Award and individual contributors/non-managers for the Exceptional University Impact Award. Representatives from Health Campus will act as the Selection Committee for Davis employee nominations and representatives from Davis Campus will serve on the Selection Committee for Health employee nominations. Names and specific identifying information will be redacted from the nominations, so the selection process is based solely on the nomination submissions/narratives.