May 22, 2025
Contact: Janese Heavin, heavinj@missouri.edu
Photos by Abbie Lankitus
Each year during Staff Recognition Week, the University of Missouri presents the Outstanding Staff Awards to recognize staff achievement and excellence. Each award celebrates those who go above and beyond, setting the standard for excellence, dedication and impact.
In what may be the most rewarding job on campus, a committee of Staff Advisory Council members and staff-at-large select honorees after carefully reviewing nominations submitted by colleagues, students, alumni and retirees.
Join us in celebrating this year’s recipients.
Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards
The Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards are presented to those who best reflect the university and community through job performance, job-related personal qualities, relationships with their associates and the ability to relate their work to Mizzou’s missions and values.
Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards are presented to one staff member from each of six job categories.
The 2025 recipients of the Chancellor’s Outstanding Staff Awards are:
- Crystal Schilling (Administrative/Professional)
- Michelle Rapp (Clerical/Office)
- Michael Nichols (Craft/Maintenance)
- Ashley Granger (Technology/Paraprofessional)
- Phyllis Hawk (UM System)
- Rick Boyce (Temporary/Part-Time)
Crystal Schilling, lead human resources consultant
Nominees praised Crystal Schilling for being a strategic and trusted advisor who supports a dynamic culture and workforce and pursues continuous improvement through knowledge, collaboration and leadership. Shining in her role as a human resources consultant, Schilling has vast knowledge and experience in the field and a great understanding of higher education.
By coming to work every day with a positive attitude and assisting others with kindess and respect, she makes everyone she works with feel like they are a priority, her colleagues wrote. Her great sense of judgement and initiative are paramount in helping others, as she wants everyone to succeed.
“The Mizzou community is lucky to count her as one of our own,” nominators wrote.
Michelle Rapp, assistant to the registrar, School of Law
Michelle Rapp is the heart of the Mizzou Law front office, embodying the values of the university through her exceptional job performance and unwavering support of faculty, staff and students, her nominators wrote. Whether coordinating room scheduling, managing exams, assisting with licensure or helping navigate academic processes, Rapp handles it all with care, professionalism and excellence.
Rapp brings a welcoming presence to her work and consistently anticipates the needs of others, her colleagues say. Her work ethic is incredibly sound, and her ability to support so many with such consistency and kindness is truly remarkable.
Michael Nichols, senior reactor irradiation and hot cell technician
Mike Nichols is the first to show up to work and the last to leave, taking great pride in his work, his nominators wrote. As a senior technician, he sets the example of the type of work that is to be done at the MU Research Reactor. From handling complex hot cell processing and laser-engraving, to ensuring the safe shipment of life-saving radiopharmaceuticals, Nichols plays a critical role in the success of MURR and his team.
Not only is he an exemplary employee and great coworker, but colleagues say he is fun and enjoys life to the fullest. Everything he does, he does without a desire for recognition. He is the true embodiment of dedication, responsibility and quiet leadership.
Ashley Granger, monograph cataloger in the Acquisitions, Collections and Technical Services Department of Mizzou Libraries
Ashley Granger is one of those remarkable professionals whose work may happen behind the scenes, but whose impact is seen and felt across campus, her colleagues wrote. In her role, she creates and maintains the metadata that allows our students, faculty and researchers to discover and access the vast wealth of resources in our libraries.
She is a connector, collaborator and a quiet leader. She champions a culture of respect and goes out of her way to support her colleagues by checking in, showing appreciation and stepping up in moments of need. Nominators wrote that Granger is the sort of coworker everyone wishes they had, an unsung cataloguing hero and an incredibly dedicated member of the Mizzou community.
Phyllis Hawk, executive operations advisor, Board of Curators office
With 26 years of dedicated service, Phyllis Hawk plays a vital role in facilitating board meetings, maintaining legal and historical records and supporting key university governance activities. Nominators say she is widely respected for her professionalism, collaboration and mentorship within the Board of Curators office and across the University of Missouri System. Her ability to build strong relationships and foster a positive, team-oriented environment has made her an invaluable colleague and mentor.
Hawk is not just a colleague — she’s a beloved presence who makes a lasting impact wherever she goes. Her professionalism, integrity, wit and warmth make her an asset to the Board of Curators and the entire UM System.
Rick Boyce, tutor for Mizzou Made Academics Program in Athletics
Rick Boyce has served Mizzou’s student athletes for more than a decade, bringing both experience and heart to his role. After retiring from a successful career in secondary education, he joined the Mizzou Made program, offering expertise in subjects such as college algebra, statistics and history.
Nominators wrote that he has helped hundreds of student athletes succeed academically, becoming one of the most requested and respected tutors in the program. Boyce is an excellent example of what service for the university and community should look like. He is known not only for his ability to make complex subjects less intimidating, but also for helping students connect classroom knowledge to their broader lives.
James P. Pace Continuous Improvement Award
This award, established in 2023 by James Pace, Mizzou alumnus and retired owner and CEO of ROM Corporation, is given annually to an employee who demonstrates innovation, process improvement, change leadership, efficiency and/or effectiveness gains for the university.
The 2025 winner of the James P. Pace Continuous Improvement Award is Waleed Atout, business and finance officer for the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Nominators say Atout is a driving force behind improved financial transparency and smarter decision-making within the College of Veterinary Medicine. During a time of leadership transition, he took the initiative to evaluate how staff time and effort align with funding sources, giving the college clearer insight into staffing needs and resource allocation.
Through collaborative cost assessment with clinical staff, Atout achieved better understanding of the true expenses of services provided. This in turn led to more accurate and sustainable pricing strategies. His efforts have created lasting, meaningful change, and have set a new standard for operational excellence at Mizzou.
Barbara S. Uehling Award for Administrative Excellence
Established in 1986 by the Staff Advisory Council, this award honors an administrator who demonstrates qualities of leadership and administrative excellence, and helps to improve working conditions and the quality of life for Mizzou staff. Chancellor Barbara S. Uehling, who established the Staff Advisory Council, was the first recipient.
The 2025 winner of the Barbara S. Uehling Award for Administrative Excellence is Amber Cheek, director of accessibility and ADA coordinator for Mizzou and the UM System.
Cheek is a nationally respected ADA expert whose leadership has transformed accessibility efforts across campuses. She leads a team that handles hundreds of accommodations each year, resolves disability-related matters and conducts critical accessibility reviews for every Mizzou program and facility.
Whether advising administrators, facilitating sensitive conversations or advocating for fairness, Cheek brings compassion, objectivity and unwavering professionalism to everything she does. Nominators wrote that her dedication, vision and unwavering pursuit of a more accessible university inspire us all.
Mick Deaver Memorial Award for Student Relations Excellence
This award honors a staff member who exemplifies Mick Deaver’s concern for fostering good relations with students. It is named for Major Mick Deaver, who served as the associate director of the University Police Department until his death in 1980, after which the Staff Advisory Council established the award.
The 2025 winner of the Mick Deaver Memorial Award for Student Relations Excellence is Christa Smith, coordinator for the School of Medicine’s new umbrella doctoral program.
With more than 13 years of dedicated service in the College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Smith supported nearly 100 new graduate students each year in the Department of Plant Sciences. Nominators say she created a community that was not only organized and efficient but truly welcoming to students.
This past year, she brought her passion and expertise to the School of Medicine, helping to launch and shape the new program. By answering questions, helping navigate graduate school policies and creating tools such as Canvas sites, Smith has helped build the program from the ground up with students at the center of it.
Staff Advisory Council’s Exemplary Service Award
This award honors someone who has gone above and beyond to support the efforts of Staff Advisory Council.
The 2025 winner of the Staff Advisory Council’s Exemplary Service Award is Patrick Skrivan, employee engagement consultant.
As the Staff Advisory Council coordinator, Skrivan worked with confidence, professionalism and a clear passion for serving Mizzou and UM System staff. He brought not only strong project management skills and campus knowledge, but also an eye for sustainability and ensuring smooth transitions for incoming council leadership.
Skrivan’s impact extended well beyond his role as SAC coordinator. After moving into a new role, he continued to support SAC with expert guidance, valuable insight and collaborative spirit, elevating the council’s visibility and professionalism. His enthusiasm, steady leadership and commitment to excellence have made a lasting difference. Nominators wrote that Skrivan is a true example of what it means to be an exemplary Mizzou Tiger.
Milestones
Officers of the University of Missouri Staff Advisory Council were recognized. From left: Provost Matthew Martens, Vice President for Human Resources Marsha Fischer, SAC Vice Chair of Development Stephany Schler, SAC Chair Lindsay Hing, SAC Vice Chair of Outreach Angela Branson and University of Missouri President Mun Choi.
