University of Utah District Staff Excellence Awards - Student Affairs
Congratulations to Asma Hassan, Catherine (Katy) Riney, and Jenna Templeton, the Student Affairs winners of the University of Utah District Staff Excellence Award.
The University of Utah District Staff Excellence Awards (USEA) program recognizes superior service and ongoing contributions by the University of Utah’s full-time staff employees. This award recognizes superior performance specifically related to the University’s 4 Major Strategic Goals:
- Promote Student Success to Transform Lives
- Develop & Transfer New Knowledge
- Engage Communities to Improve Health & Quality of Life
- Ensure Long-Term Viability of the University
24 District Staff Excellence Awards (DSEA) are given to staff from four districts:
Academic & Student Affairs, Administration, Hospital/Clinics, and Health Academics.
This year, three of the four District Staff Excellence Award winners in the Academic
& Student Affairs district are from Student Affairs.
Congratulations to the winners, and thank you for all you do to support student well-being and success!
Read more about each of the Student Affairs winners below.
Asma Hassan is the Senior Program Manager for the Bennion Center’s Utah Reads program and the
AmeriCorps Campus Coordinator at the Bennion Center. She is a passionate advocate
for student equity and always strives to meet community needs. Asma also regularly
looks for opportunities for professional and personal growth, helping her to further
develop the Utah Reads program. She is interested in the world and people around her,
making her effective at mentoring and helping others. Her contributions to the U go
well beyond her position description and job expectations. Thank you, Asma!
Catherine (Katy) Riney is the Clinical Office Manager and Co-Coordinator of the outreach program at the
University Counseling Center. Katy ensures all students know the Counseling Center
is there to help and makes everyone feel like they matter. She always looks to make
outreach events meaningful experiences and places student well-being and success at
the center of all of her interactions. Students are always greeted by a kind administrative
professional, bringing great relief to those who come into the UCC. For a variety
of reasons, Katy has been described as the “heart” of the UCC. Thank you, Katy!
Jenna Templeton is currently the Assistant Director for the Women’s Resource Center and a foundational
member of the Center for Student Wellness team. She cares deeply about making an impact
in the lives of those she interacts with. Among other things, Jenna launched the ACES
Peer Health Education Program, led EDI education and discussion efforts within the
CSW team for the 2021 year, has served on various committees, and also co-created
the Utah Higher Education Wellness Network. She is always thinking long-term and understands
the importance of building lifelong skills to promote strength, resilience, and care
among students. Jenna empowers those she works with, never strays from difficult conversations,
and elevates underrepresented voices. Thank you, Jenna!