Caltech Honors Staff Members for Excellence and Dedication

At the 67th annual Staff Service & Impact Awards ceremony, held on June 2, Caltech honored more than 237 staff members for their service and contributions to the Institute.

Julia McCallin, associate vice president for human resources, served as master of ceremonies for the event, which honored Caltech’s staff members for their contributions to the advancement of the Institute’s research and education mission. While honorees were recognized in person in Beckman Auditorium, COVID restrictions required that the larger campus audience view the ceremony online.

The event celebrated staff members who have served on campus for 10 to 45 years, and also included the announcement of two Institute awards—one honoring individual achievement and another recognizing the impact of a team—and a staff appreciation award from the Associated Students of the California Institute of Technology (ASCIT).

This year, two honorees received the Thomas W. Schmitt Annual Staff Prize, which recognizes staff members whose contributions “embody the values and spirit that enable the Institute to achieve excellence in research and education.”

The recipients were Jorge Carrillo, custodial supervisor for the department of student housing, and Darrel Goudeau, manager of mail services. Carrillo was recognized for “the exceptional support he provides to students and staff,” and for his “compassion, loyalty, and service,” according to those who nominated him. Goudeau was honored as “an exceptional role model” who is known for his “diligence and trustworthiness” and his “sense of humor and positive outlook.”

The Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) won the Team Impact Award, which recognizes “teams that make significant contributions to the work and mission of the Institute,” and demonstrate work that has impacted and supported its research or education programs.

The award honored OVRO for its work to design, construct, and commission three major National Science Foundation-funded projects with a combined cost of more than $10 million despite obstacles created by COVID-19, such as the facility being closed for three months in 2020.

The ASCIT Staff Appreciation Award, first awarded at the ceremony in 2021, recognizes exceptional contributions of Caltech staff members on behalf of the undergraduate community. The award went to three recipients: Tom Mannion, senior director of student activities and programs; Monique Thomas, program manager for advocacy and campus relations in the Caltech Center for Inclusion and Diversity; and the Caltech custodial staff.

A recording of the event is online.