ETSU Heroes

ETSU Heroes Award

Celebrating impactful and extraordinary service 

 

ETSU Heroes is a recognition program celebrating the impactful and extraordinary service of people across the East Tennessee State University community. The stories of the individuals honored with an ETSU Heroes medallion are indicative to what makes ETSU such a special place to work, teach, and learn. A Hero may be someone  known by many or their work may happen primarily "behind the scenes." A Hero could be part of the University community for 40 years, or only four months.  This honor is to recognize role models committed to demonstrating the highest level of excellence.

Our ETSU Heroes

Outstanding members of the university community will be honored with a medallion and a cash award provided by the ETSU Foundation during a special ETSU Heroes recognition ceremony at a forthcoming date and time. 

Do you know an ETSU Hero? 

  • ETSU Heroes...
    • are inspiring role models who embody excellence, and who contribute significant and innovative accomplishments
    • are nominated by their peers for exemplary service and upholding ETSU Mission and Values
    • exceed a high standard of citizenship and demonstrate one or more of the selection criteria

Nominate an ETSU Hero

Nominations are accepted on an ongoing basis and will be considered for the next round of awards to be announced at a later date. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is ETSU Heroes?

    ETSU Heroes is a recognition program that honors and celebrates the impactful and extraordinary service of people across the East Tennessee State University community.   

  • Who is eligible to be nominated as an ETSU Hero? 

    Members of the ETSU community are eligible to be nominated. This includes individuals employed by ETSU as well as individuals employed by Sodexo, MEAC or Follett. Undergraduate, graduate and online students are not eligible to be nominated as ETSU Heroes unless employed as a temporary or regular ETSU employee, or employed by Sodexo, MEAC or Follett. 

    Questions related to eligibility should be directed to etsuheroes@etsu.edu 

  • Who can nominate an ETSU Hero? 

    Anyone affiliated with East Tennessee State University is eligible to submit a nomination.  

  • How are ETSU Hero nominations submitted? 

    Online submissions are recommended.

    To request an alternative nomination method, call the Office of Administration at 423-439-5381 or email etsuheroes@etsu.edu    

  • When are ETSU Hero nominations accepted? 

    Ongoing nominations will be accepted, however,  only those nominations received by mid-August will be considered for the following ETSU Heroes Recognition Ceremony. Nominations received after mid-August will be eligible for the next round of ETSU Heroes recognitions. 

  • How many ETSU Heroes are awarded? 

    Up to 6 ETSU Heroes will be honored. 

  • How are ETSU Heroes selected? 

    A selection committee reviews eligible nominations under the guidance of the defined selection criteria and standards; Nominators may be contacted to provide supplemental information. Recommendations will be presented to the President and Chief Operating Officer for final selection. 

Announcements

Campus invited to attend ETSU Heroes Ceremony

The ETSU Heroes will be honored during a special ceremony on October 11, 2023, at 4 p.m. These outstanding members of the university community will receive a medallion and a cash award provided by the ETSU Foundation. The campus is invited to gather at the D.P. Culp Student Center Ballroom to celebrate the extraordinary stewardship of our ETSU Heroes. The event will include other special recognitions as well as performances from the Department of Music. 

Congratulations to our ETSU Inagural Heroes – Patti Marlow (Dept. of Music), Zach Olsen (Dept. of Theatre & Dance), Derek Patton (Dept. of Public Safety), Kelvin Tarukwasha (Dining Services), and ETSU Health.

The impactful stories of our Inagural ETSU Heroes are shared below!

 

 

President Noland announces 2023 ETSU Heroes

February, 2023

Dear ETSU community,


A new year, and new semester, are upon us. Each offers renewed opportunities for growth as well as reflection upon the accomplishments of our university, our colleges, departments, teams, and colleagues. ETSU Heroes, a recognition program to honor the extraordinary individuals across the East Tennessee State University community, will be honoring a select few who are making a lasting impact on the lives of others.

ETSU Heroes are inspiring role models who embody excellence and contribute significant and innovative accomplishments. They uphold our institutional values and demonstrate a high standard of citizenship and leadership. A Hero may be known by many or work behind the scenes to advance our mission to improve the lives of people across the region. Their unique experiences and contributions shape our ETSU story.

Through this new initiative, up to six honorees will be celebrated annually at a special recognition ceremony where each will receive an ETSU Heroes medallion and cash award provided by the ETSU Foundation. Those eligible to be nominated include, but are not limited to, ETSU faculty and staff. 


The ETSU Heroes website includes additional details about eligibility, selection criteria, and an online nomination form. Members of the ETSU community are encouraged to submit nominations for ETSU Heroes by August 15, 2023.  The nomination form is straightforward and takes minimal time to complete.  The impactful stories of the inaugural ETSU Heroes will be shared and celebrated across campus following the recognition ceremony on October 11, 2023.

Thank you for all you do to improve the quality of life for the people of this region.  Have a wonderful semester!

Sincerely,

Brian Noland
President