Nominations Invited for Annual Awards Recognizing Extraordinary Service to Students

In turn, Ole Miss students have an opportunity each year to
reward those faculty and staff who go beyond the norm to
lend a hand by nominating them for the Thomas Frist Student
Service Award.

Students, alumni, friends, faculty and staff have until
April 11 to submit nominations for the 14th annual awards.

The Frist Awards recognize one faculty member and one staff
member for unwavering dedication to students and provide a
$1,000 prize and a plaque. Any full-time faculty or staff
member, except previous Frist Award recipients, is
eligible.

“We have many employees on our campus who fit the criteria
for the Frist Award,” said Chancellor Robert Khayat. “This
is a caring, nurturing community, where special efforts are
made to support and assist our students. Many faculty and
staff go beyond the norm with acts of kindness that often
become pivotal in helping a young person determine place
and purpose in life.”

Written, signed and submitted by individuals, the
nomination narratives should differentiate between
obligation and service by citing specific examples where an
Ole Miss member has gone beyond what is expected of them to
help a student or group of students.

Past nominations pointing to such acts of kindness have
read in part as follows:

 

When my grandmother died, she and her husband drove me
home and spent some time with my family.

 

When I didn’t have the money to pay for my textbook,
she covered the cost and allowed me to pay her back as soon
as my financial aid hit. She had never met me before that
day. .

 

He took a group of students to visit a company and meet
with the top executives and see the inner workings of the
company. .

 

Some students needed a specific class to be able to
graduate on time and he found a way to get it offered over
the summer. .

 

Even though she was not our adviser, she was more than
willing to stay after hours and discuss questions dealing
with scheduling classes, completing portfolios, field
experiences and other issues. .

 

He organized a reading group that met outside of class;
it was basically an extra class period each week two hours
long and so helpful. .

 

When our course covered some Eastern philosophy and
students expressed a desire to learn more about yoga, she
began offering yoga classes for any interested students one
night a week. .

 

I got into trouble and a number of people offered to
help but he stood by me throughout my adversity. .

Frist Award nomination forms are available at key campus
locations, including the Chancellor’s Office, Dean of
Students and J.D. Williams Library. Letters of nomination
also will be accepted. The mailing address is Office of the
Chancellor, Frist Award, 123 Lyceum, University, MS 38677.
In addition, nomination forms are available on the Internet
at http//www.olemiss.edu/news/frist.html and can be
e-mailed to frist@olemiss.edu.

All nominees are notified that they have been so honored,
and a campus committee appointed by the chancellor chooses
the two recipients.

The Frist Student Service Awards were established with a
$50,000 gift from the late Dr. Thomas F. Frist of
Nashville, a 1930 UM graduate.

“The generosity of this outstanding graduate has given us
this opportunity to recognize dedicated service to students
on our campus,” Khayat said. “The cornerstone of Dr.
Frist’s enormous success was his emphasis on service,
whether as a physician, as a company CEO or as a volunteer
in so many worthwhile projects. It is truly an appropriate
gift, which exemplifies his remarkable life.”

Past recipients of the Frist Award include faculty members
Donald Cole, John Juergens, Pamela Lawhead, James O’Neal,
Terry Panhorst, William Staton, Ken Sufka, Patricia
Treloar, David Willson and John Winkle, and staff members
Sue Hodge, Max Miller, Ginger Patterson, Melinda Pullen,
Thomas J. Reardon and Linda Spargo.