Terrie Kellogg Honored with CICS Outstanding Staff Award

Terrie Kellogg, a software specialist in the UMass Amherst College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS), was recently selected to receive the 2018 Outstanding Staff Award for her exceptional work in the college's Computer Science Computing Facilities (CSCF) group.

The CICS Outstanding Staff Award is given annually to an individual or team who demonstrates an exemplary work ethic, impressive contributions to their department, and fosters a positive and successful environment, among other qualities. The CICS Awards Committee selected Kellogg from a pool of nomination letters submitted by faculty, staff, and students.

"She is one of the most knowledgeable, conscientious, self-motivated, and hard-working people who I have encountered during my entire career," read one of the nomination letters. "I still can't quite figure out how she is able to get as much done as she does -- though I do know that she stays late nearly every day, working well into the evening on her never-ending to-do list."

Kellogg has worked in the customer service branch of the CSCF for over thirty-one years and believes that if there is one distinguishable aspect of the college, it is the coworkers she supports. "I take pride in understanding what people need, even if they are not sure what it is they need," said Kellogg. "It can be difficult to come in every day with the same motivation, but they always make me feel like I can help make a difference. They energize me and give me the drive to do the best I can to help them do their best."

The positive energy Kellogg exhibits is invaluable to the environment of CICS and, despite her long to-do list, she manages to maintain her resolve to ensure everyone who visits the office has a positive experience. Said one nominator, "In a very busy CSCF, Terrie manages staff with ease and has the respect of her peers and subordinates. In her customer service role within the CSCF, you never know what the day will hold ... Terrie takes it all in stride."

Kellogg has been integral to the success of numerous projects at CICS, from the implementation of Drupal for the CICS website, to new email clients, to EchoView usage by faculty. She consistently strives to improve her work efficiency.

Kellogg's contributions to CICS, along with her above-and-beyond dedication, made her stand out to the Awards Committee. "She is such an integral member of our college- she truly cares about the well-being of all in CICS," read a nomination. "Without her here, we would be lost."

For more information about the award and a list of previous recipients, see: https://www.cics.umass.edu/awards-programs

Written by Sarah Almstrom (Political Science '22) and Jacob Russian (English '21)