The UNMC College of Pharmacy has introduced a new college-wide honor, the Ellie Award. The award is open to any faculty member, staff member or pharmacy student who exhibits the traits of UNMC’s mascot, Ellie the Lab: loyalty, curiosity and compassion.
The idea was spearheaded by Mandi Fishler, the college’s student services coordinator. She was inspired by Ellie the Lab – and by the people she works with every day.
The award is open to anyone in the college, regardless of classification or job title.
Interim Dean Don Klepser, PhD, said he knows there will be no shortage of candidates within the UNMC College of Pharmacy who display loyalty, curiosity and compassion in their work every day.
Dr. Klepser said the establishment of the award is yet another example of the faculty, staff and students within the college being empowered to come forward with good ideas.
“All credit for the creation of this award goes to Mandi Fishler,” Dr. Klepser said of the college’s student services coordinator. “In the college, we have a group of fundamental behaviors that operationalize the culture we want to see. With this award, Mandi really demonstrated two of them: ‘Keep things fun,’ and ‘Elevate others.’
“We have so many people in the college who are doing amazing things worthy of recognition,” Dr. Klepser said. “This award is a fun way to recognize people who demonstrate ‘Lab Spirit.’”
Phil Covington, EdD, UNMC’s associate vice chancellor for student success, said he is pleased to see Ellie being embraced this way, as an embodiment of the best of what the medical center can and should be.
“We work and learn with amazing people at UNMC every day, and this award from the UNMC College of Pharmacy is a great way to recognize Ellie’s qualities that serve as inspiration for all,” he said. “Our students and others worked hard to get Ellie the Lab approved as our mascot, and it is rewarding to see the continued adoption of the mascot into the fabric of who we are and what we celebrate.”
The first winners of the monthly Ellie Award were:
- Dallon Lemon, P2.
- Vanessa Lo, P3.
- Shelby Butts, P3.
Though all the winners so far have been students, Fishler said she believes more faculty and staff will be nominated as awareness of the award grows.
Use this form to nominate someone in the UNMC College of Pharmacy for the Ellie Award.
How do you nominate someone for this award?
Love this! Great idea, Mandi!