Awards
ABCD Award
The Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award was established in 2008 to recognize student employees in Purdue Dining & Culinary and University Residences whose actions make a difference at the university and how they contribute to excellence within these two departments. It is awarded four times throughout the academic year and is a $300 award that was included in each of these student’s paychecks.
Winners :
March 2024: Jarod Ball from, Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Jessica Scott
February 2024: Venkata Rehan Sa Devapatla, from Hillenbrand Dining Court, nominated by Neal Williamson
December 2023: Vedaant Saksena from Student Event Services/ Burrow, nominated by Jon Newberry
October 2023: Campbell Wagner from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Molly Pratt
April 2023: Jade Frye from 1bowl, nominated by Colleen Norman
February 2023: Sneha Suvarna from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Sandy Watterson
December 2022: Dawn Burch from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Eric Coates
October 2022: Reid Schene from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Cathy Hartz
Summer 2022: Oyeli Bagchi from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Eric Coates
April 2022: Jake Bagin from Pete's Za, nominated by Tina Anderson
February 2022: Jay Chaudhari from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Eric Coates
October 2021: Michael Bai from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Madison Tarter
April 2021: Jacob Poore from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Madison Tarter
February 2021: Zachary Lythgoe from All American Dining Room, nominated by Abby Bowman
December 2020: Jacqueline Talbot from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Charlotte Kalish
October 2020: Madeline Feister from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Jon Newberry
April 2020: Aung Oo from Hillenbrand Dining Court, nominated by Travis Brannan
February 2020: Luis Haro-Gonzalez, All American Dining Room, nominated by Abby Bowman
December 2019: Moriah Seifert, Continuum Café, nominated by Tammie Hill
October 2019: Jeremy Ramsook, Central Production Kitchen, nominated by Monica Duvall
Summer 2019: Zachary Meyer, Au Bon Pain, nominated by Michelle Ellrich
April 2019: Jeffery Lowe, Ford Dining Court, nominated by Charlotte Kalish
February 2019: Eric Wu, Port Café, nominated by Whitney Wood
December 2018: Claire Mort, LaSalsa, nominated by Judy Sharkey
October 2018: Romikumar Patel, Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
April 2018: Rachel Nellett, Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Stephanie Packer
February 2018: Caitlin Brinkman, Freshens, nominated by Judy Sharkey
December 2017: Gabriela Olguin-Flores, Athletic Dining Room, nominated by Andrea Hallmen
October 2017: Leah Harrison, Port Café, nominated by Whitney Wood
April 2017: Valerie Valerio, Port Café, nominated by Whitney Wood
February 2017: Amanda Williams, Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Alicia Oliver
First-Year Student Success Award
The First-Year Student Success Award is awarded to a Dining & Culinary student employee that is a freshman that shows great potential for growth and had started at work prior to September 15.
Winners :
2022-2023: Brooke Bonny from 1bowl at Meredith, nominated by Colleen Norman
2020-2021: Edmund Leung from All American Dining Room, nominated by Abby Bowman
2019-2020: Austin Martinez from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Sierra Morin
2018-2019: Desiree Watts from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Sierra Morin
2017-2018: Alley Avery from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Rachel Nellett
2016-2017: Ashley Fauble from Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Alicia Oliver
2015-2016: Jeremy Benziger from Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Alicia Oliver
2014-2015: Sarah Wentland from Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Alicia Oliver
NSEA Student Employee of the Year Award
Each spring the National Student Employment Association coordinates a selection process and chooses the National Student Employee of the Year to recognize the outstanding contributions and achievements of students who work while attending college.
Winners:
2023-2024: Stephanie Colby from Hillenbrand Dining Court, nominated by Neal Williamson
2022-2023: Jade Frye from 1 Bowl, nominated by Colleen Norman
2020-2021: Michelle Rybicki from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Madison Tarter
2019-2020: Rachel Nellett from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Sierra Morin
2018-2019: Robert Hughes from Port, nominated by Whitney Wood
2017-2018: Joe Youngkeit from Port, nominated by Whitney Wood
2016-2017: Breille Starost from LaSalsa, nominated by Mary Jane Hoover
2015-2016: Avery Sameshima from Harrison Grillé, nominated by Arline Sprau
2014-2015: Stephanie Buehler from Athletic Dining Room, nominated by Carolyn Shultz
2013-2014: Ashley Culross from Starbucks, nominated by Peggy Hunley
William H. “Bill” Rumple Residence Dining Hall Head Captain Award
This award was established in recognition of William and Tim Rumple. Both of these men provided outstanding service to University Residences Dining Services as former Head Waiters at Fowler Court and Cary Quadrangle. This award is given annually to a Student Manager or Student Coordinator in Residential Dining Services who has achieved distinction in leadership while employed for Dining Services.
Winners:
2023-2024: Alexandria Bedard from Lawson OTG, nominated by Marita Jarvis
2022-2023: Crosley Stanley from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Charlotte Kalish
2020-2021: Kendall Green from Lawson OTG, nominated by Laurie Kender
2019-2020: Noor Elmahdi from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Charlotte Kalish
2018-2019: Rachel Nellett from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Sierra Morin
2017-2018: Katlynn-Ann Douglass from Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Alicia Oliver
2016-2017: Cameron Scott from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2015-2016: Allexys Woodward from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2014-2015: Kelsey Gehlhausen from Harrison Grillé, nominated by Judy Sharkey
2013-2014: Daniel Misch from Harrison Grillé, recommended by Erik Kurdelak
Sarah Johnson Oustanding Student Employee of the Year Award
The Sarah Johnson Outstanding Student Employee of the Year Award Fund was established to recognize the many contributions of Sarah Johnson, former director of Residential Dining for University Residences. Sarah dedicated over 37 years to students at Purdue University and National Association of Colleges & University Food Services (NACUFS). The Outstanding Student Employee of the Year award is selected on reliability, quality of work, initiative, teamwork and contribution to Purdue Dining & Culinary.
Winners:
2023-2024: Jarod Ball from Wiley Dining Court, nominated by Jessica Scott
2022-2023: Jillian Pruss from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Eric Coates
2020-2021: Alley Avery from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Maddie Tarter
2019-2020: Rachel Nellett from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Sierra Morin
2018-2019: Josh Leaver from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Charlotte Kalish
2017-2018: Marquette Minner from Windsor Dining Court, nominated by Stephanie Packer
2016-2017: Robert Komis from Student Success, nominated by Mary Jo Zeiser
2015-2016: Andrea Hallmen from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Ashley Sargent
2014-2015: Chris Lucas from Athletic Dining Room, nominated by Mary Jo Zeiser
2013-2014: Bradley Knoblock from Ford Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
Wiltshire Work Ethic Award
This award recognizes a student whose work exemplifies the standards of excellence in quality and service for which Mrs. Wiltshire strove toward during her 25 years of service to the residence halls and Purdue University. Wiltshire Work Ethic Award is awarded to an Earhart student employee that has worked 2 semesters or longer, has a 2.5 GPA, and shows consistent and excellent work ethic.
Winners:
2023-2024: Jacob Patty from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Scott Sarjent
2020-2021: Ross Reyes from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Jon Newberry
2019-2020: Sarah Hart from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Jon Newberry
2018-2019: Zowie Lemons from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2017-2018: Khameron Allen from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2016-2017: Janessa King from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2015-2016: Heidi Jones from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill
2014-2015: Darci Simmons from Earhart Dining Court, nominated by Kathy Vill