Employee Recognition

Recognizing, celebrating, and rewarding employees' exceptional performance is an important way that Messiah University strives to cultivate a culture of excellence and to be a place where people love to work. In addition to the many ways that our employees informally thank each other, Messiah University has established a new formal recognition program, which has several elements:

Thank You Program

The Thank You Program, which is managed by Human Resources, gives any employee the opportunity to recognize another employee by requesting that a thank you message be sent to a colleague, along with a candy bar, via Campus Mail.

This is an excellent way to provide "on-the-spot" recognition for an employee assuming extra duties during a crunch time, an employee delivering good work under tight deadlines, an employee who demonstrates an especially good attitude during a trying time, an employee who provides excellent customer focus, etc. Simply email Human Resources with the thank you message you would like to send, and Human Resources will put the message with a candy bar into Campus Mail.

Pride in Performance Award

The Pride in Performance Award is a means for the University to promote excellence and to provide visible recognition of exceptionally consistent, superior performance.

Eligible Employees

All full and part-time administrative and staff employees are eligible to receive Pride in Performance Awards. Independent contractors, student employees, and temporary employees, either those employed by the University or from an agency, are not eligible to receive an award. Prior recipients are not eligible to be considered for a Pride in Performance Award until three subsequent award years have passed. Five awards will be given each year.

Criteria

The Pride in Performance Award is used to recognize an employee based on the following criteria:

• The employee has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and remarkable proficiency in his/her assigned duties;
• The employee has demonstrated hospitality, student/colleague/department focus, and has been active in promoting a pleasant working environment;
• The employee has demonstrated dependability, innovative ways to manage work and effective problem-solving;
• The employee has been committed to professional development and enhancing his/her skill set.

Award Amount

The Pride in Performance Award is a cash award of $200. (All awards are considered taxable income and will be reflected on the employee's income earning statements.)

Recommending for the Award

All full and part-time administrative and staff employees, as well as faculty members may recommend an employee for a Pride in Performance award. Nominations will be solicited each year in late winter with due dates announced in the Intercom and mass email. A committee comprised of the prior year's award recipients, chaired by a member of the Human Resources department, will review the nominations and submit recommendations for President's Cabinet review by late-March. President's Cabinet will then select each year's class of recipients. Awards will be given out at the annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May.

Team Falcon Award

This award is a means for the University to recognize a group or team that collaborated successfully on a significant project or initiative that advanced departmental or university-wide goals.

Eligible Groups

Eligible teams include units, departments, task forces, and committees or other cross-departmental work groups. The team may be comprised of part-time or full-time staff, administrative and/or faculty employees. Team members recognized must have had significant involvement in the accomplishment of the project, process or initiative. Generally, teams will consist of 2 to 10 individuals. One team will be recognized each year.

Criteria

• The Team Falcon Award is used to recognize a work group based on the following criteria:
• The team made a significant contribution towards achievement of a strategic goal
• The team exhibited innovation, creativity and excellence
• The group fostered a team environment that promoted communication, trust, cooperation and respect for differences.

Award

Each member of the team recognized will receive a gift.

Recommending for the Award

Any employee can recommend a deserving team. Nominations will be solicited each year in late winter with due dates announced in the Intercom and mass email. Human Resources will prepare a file for President's Cabinet to review by late-March of each year. President's Cabinet will then select the team to receive the award. Awards will be given at the annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May.

President's Award

The President's Award is for notable employee action or accomplishment that is well beyond the scope of the employee's regular day-to-day activities and assignments. For example, the award could be for an employee who uses initiative and creativity to resolve a serious problem, situation, or conflict. It could also be given to recognize an exceptional achievement or to recognize an employee's successful improvement/re-design of a significant process resulting in greater efficiency or cost savings for the University.

Eligible Employees

All full and part-time administrative and staff employees are eligible to receive President's Awards. Independent contractors, student employees, and temporary employees, either those employed by the company or from an agency, are not eligible to receive an award. Two awards will be given each year.

Criteria

The President's Award is used to recognize an employee who has accomplished something exceptional and particularly noteworthy. As such, the award should be tied to the specific and exceptional action or achievement rather than awarded for a situation that is consistent with expected performance.

Award Amount

The President's Award is a cash award of $500. (All awards are considered taxable income and will be reflected on the employee's income earning statements.)

Recommending for the Award

Nominations will be solicited each year in late winter with due dates announced in the Intercom and mass email. Human Resources will prepare a file for President's Cabinet to review by late-March of each year. President's Cabinet will then select each year's class of recipients. Awards will be given at the annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May.

Road to Reconciliation Award

This award was designed to recognize employees who demonstrate a leadership role related to reconciliation beyond the expectations of their positions, and who have met one or more of the following goals. The employee has:

• Improved the quality of life and/or served as an advocate for underrepresented groups at the University
• Championed recruitment and retention efforts aimed at improving diversity at the University
• Planned and implemented change related to issues of cultural intelligence
• Educated the Messiah community toward intercultural awareness and appreciation of an increasingly diverse Messiah community
• Actively contributed to a reconciliation process, thereby fostering a stronger community

Eligible Employees

All full and part-time administrative, staff, and faculty employees are eligible to receive the Road to Reconciliation Award. Independent contractors, student employees, and temporary employees, either those employed by the company or from an agency, are not eligible to receive an award.

Criteria

The Road to Reconciliation Award is based on the following criteria:

• The ways in which the nominee demonstrated a leadership role related to reconciliation.
• The effort, work and creativity that was needed for this achievement.
• Any hurdles or difficulties that were overcome in reaching this achievement.
• The ways this achievement has had a positive impact on the University community in relation to reconciliation.

Award Amount

The Road to Reconciliation Award recipient will be recognized with a gift.

Recommending for the Award

All full and part-time administrative and staff employees, as well as faculty members may recommend an employee for the Road to Reconciliation award. Nominations will be solicited each year in late winter with due dates announced in the Intercom and mass email. President's Cabinet will review the nominations and select the recipient in late-March. The awards will be given out at the annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May.

Celebrating the commitment of our employees is a cherished tradition at Messiah. We gather annually each spring to applaud employees who have reached significant service milestones and to honor our retirees.

Service Milestone Recognition

Longstanding commitment to the University is celebrated at our annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May. Faculty, staff, and administrators who have reached service year milestones are honored and receive a gift.

Criteria

Employees who meet the following criteria are recognized:

• Full-time and part-time employees
• Employees who will reach a significant service year milestone (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc.) on or before September 15th of that year
• Employees who are re-hired by the University will be credited with service years earned prior to an approved break in service
• Temporary or occasional assignments are not considered when calculating service years

Honoring Our Retirees

Employees who are retiring from the University are also recognized at the annual Employee Recognition Picnic in May. Retirees must let the Office of Human Resources and Compliance know about their decision by March 1 to be recognized at the May picnic; otherwise, the retiree will be celebrated the following spring. Faculty, staff, and administrators who meet the retirement criteria receive a gift based on their number of years of service to the University.

Criteria

(for determining service award eligibility only and not benefits eligibility)

Employees who meet the following criteria are recognized:

• Employee is at least 55 years of age
• Employee has voluntarily terminated employment after at least 10 years of full- or part-time employment
• Temporary or occasional assignments are not considered when calculating service years

Employee Memory Book - 2026

Please view our 2026 Memory Book to see the service milestone awards and performance award recipients. In addition to those honored in this publication, we are deeply grateful for the contributions of each member of the Messiah Community.