About the Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition Program

On June 23, 2022, Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway endorsed the recommendations of the Future of Work Task Force, which called for the establishment of a universitywide Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition program. The goal of the recognition program is to strengthen institutional pride and build on the ideal of a beloved community where employees are engaged, productive, valued, and rewarded for their contributions.

To this end, the Presidential Employee Excellence Committee was charged with two primary areas of focus:

• Determine ways to enhance workplace culture through strategic investments in recognition opportunities.
• Establish an employee excellence program that celebrates teamwork and collaboration across departments and recognizes employees who engage in activities aligned with the value propositions emphasized by President Holloway: Committed to access and academic excellence, building a beloved community, and serving the common good.

In many ways, the college campus represents a microcosm of civil society—one in which integrity is the norm, differences are embraced, and members treat each other with mutual respect. The Presidential Employee Excellence Recognition program serves as a vehicle for celebrating those who embody such qualities and who serve as exemplars for the Rutgers community.

Presidential Employee Excellence Committee

The committee is co-chaired by Ralph Gigliotti, University Academic Affairs, and Karen Shapiro, School of Health Professions, and supported by Melissa Marrero and Julie Jain, University Human Resources. Committee members come from across Rutgers University and include:

• Elizabeth Matto, Eagleton Institute of Politics
• Jon Oliver, Office of the Chancellor–New Brunswick
• Ghislaine Darden, Institutional Planning and Operations
• Adam Kustka, School of Arts and Sciences–Newark
• Sam Rabinowitz, School of Business–Camden
• Mark Robson, School of Environmental & Biological Sciences
• Kyle Warren, School of Nursing & Rutgers Health
• Sasha Taner, Institute for Women’s Leadership
• Gulam Rather, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
• Jennifer Bucalo, Rutgers University–Newark
• Brian Schilling, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
• Jennifer Williams, University Human Resources–Camden

Read the committee’s 2025 proposal [PDF].