Award to recognize stellar
staff member
By Kurt Esposito
Assistant
Campus Editor
Two Purdue graduates have established an award
in honor of their mother to recognize the outstanding service of staff
members.
"There has not been an award like this before,"
said Lisa Crowe, associate director of the Office of University Development.
The award was established for Eudoxia Girard Martin
by two of her sons, Leslie and Carlton.
The Eudoxia Girard Martin Memorial Staff Recognition
Award will be given to staff members who "possess those qualities of
heart, mind and spirit, which evince a love for, and helpfulness to,
students, faculty and staff, as demonstrated in the performance of the
recipient's professional duties," according to a release.
Crowe said the sons established the award to honor
their mother because of her commitment to the University. "They're honoring
their mother by honoring a staff person," she said.
Martin served as executive secretary to Andrey
Potter, dean of the Schools of Engineering, from 1920 to 1953 and Willard
Knapp, associate dean of the Schools of Engineering, from 1943 to 1955.
She was born in Allen County to French immigrant
parents in 1890. In 1918 she was widowed at the age of 28 and was left
with three sons. In 1920 she moved to Lafayette and placed her children
in an orphanage while she worked and went to night school to receive
secretarial skills.
Every Sunday she walked eight miles to visit her
sons in the orphanage. After five years she received a secretarial position
and took her oldest son out of the orphanage. Two years later she took
the other two out.
Kay Branson, human resource assistant in Personnel
Services, said the sons revere their mother for the sacrifice she made
for them.
Students can make nominations for the award. Nominations
will be accepted beginning Monday and are due by Oct. 12. The first
award will be presented Dec. 5 at the Clerical and Service Staff Recognition
Program. Future awards will be presented at the annual Spring Fling
in May.
The recipient of the award will receive a medallion,
a framed description of the life of Martin and a $1,000 honorarium.
Nominations should be submitted in writing to Personnel
Services in Freehafer Hall care of Debbie Dillman-Crowell, manager of
employee group services, or electronically at debbie@purdue.edu.
The nominations are for staff members who are either
full-time administrative assistants or level five secretaries. The nominee
must have completed one year of service and those who retired during
the 2000-01 fiscal year are eligible for consideration.
The nomination should include a statement —
no longer than two pages — that outlines the nominee's possession
of heart, mind and spirit. It should also include a letter of support
from the nominee’s immediate supervisor and unit head.
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