Thirteen individuals were recognized at Montana State University’s 37th annual Celebrating Excellence in Service and Employee of the Year awards ceremony on April 16. The awards honor the outstanding performances and contributions of the university’s classified and professional staff.
Each year MSU recognizes two individuals in each of MSU’s four categories of service excellence standards: competence, courtesy, reliability and safety, as well as one individual who provides exemplary service on a daily basis in all four standards of excellence and has devoted a significant portion of their career to MSU.
The 2026 Excellence in Service award recipients are:
Competence:
- Nick Zelver, Technology Transfer Office
- Jeanne Carter, TechLink
Courtesy:
- Halley Perry, Career Services
- Bill McKenney, Dean of Students office
Reliability:
- Teresa Wilhem, Culinary Services
- Christopher Lavery, Parking and Transportation Services
Safety:
- Brian Kassar, Counseling and Psychological Services
- Katie Daughenbaugh, WWAMI
Bobcat Lifetime Achievement Award:
- Ronald Ramsfield, Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology
Four staff awards were also presented:
Academic Advising Award:
- RC Townsend, Advising Commons and College of Education, Health and Human Development
Excellence in Outreach award:
- Ann Bernard, Montana PBS
Excellence in Innovative Service award:
- Hilary Becker, Health Professions Resource Center
President’s Award for Championing Campus Values:
- Susan Kelly, Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering