Fall 2019 Golden Griffin Recipients

Taylor Eljaua - Cohen Career Center

Core Value: Professional Excellence

Taylor joined the staff of the Cohen Career Center about one year ago and jumped right into her role to ensure employer relations at Cohen stayed on a positive trajectory. Taylor communicates with employers, recruiters, students, and staff with professionalism, grace, and overall kindness. She took on a very big role: coordinating over four major career fairs, thousands of student interviews, hundreds of employer relationships, and managing two student teams. Taylor does all things with excitement, positivity, and thoughtfulness. With so much to manage, it is a wonder how she keeps it all straight, but she does it with ease. She also adds to the culture of the office by serving on the CRW fun committee and is always thinking of ways to bring the team together in a fun way. Taylor's energy, positive attitude, and collaborative nature make her a wonderful part of the Cohen Career Center Team. Both the team and the employers she works with are lucky to have her.

Michael White - Campus Recreation

Core Value: Professional Excellence

As the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation for Outdoor Recreation, Michael wears several hats and does the jobs of at least three people. Michael’s busiest time of year is preparing for and running Pathways, an outdoor pre-orientation experience for incoming students during which Michael runs two week-long programs for over 100 students. In addition to learning about life at W&M and forging friendships with fellow incoming students, Pathways participants report learning about how to be more flexible, how to push themselves harder, and how to be in the moment. Michael’s leadership of the Pathways program and the entire Tribe Adventure Program is impressive, and equally impressive is the way Michael manages the stress of his job and life in general. Michael is enjoyable to work with and is excited to collaborate with teammates, both in and outside of Campus Recreation. Thank you, Michael, for being an impressive professional and a great colleague!

Ali Pappas - Counseling Center

Core Value: Student Centeredness

Dr. Pappas has been the epitome of professionalism with her consistency, preparedness, kindness, flexibility, support of her trainees and fellow staff, and the harmony among personal life and professional identities. We have witnessed her present the same kindness and warmness to individuals within and outside our counseling center and in the community. She has demonstrated flexibility with grace and has been attuned to the varied needs of the student she oversees. She is incredibly supportive of us, always improves our mood whenever we’re around her, and generally embodies a kind, compassionate, and playful energy.  Ali gives the trainees the space we need to talk about frustrations and hardships (whether related to the training or to life generally) and takes every opportunity to genuinely compliment us and highlight the positive emotions related to this meaningful work.

Max Blalock - CAMU

Core Value: Student Centeredness

On Tuesday, October 7th the university was surprised with an evangelical preacher at the Sundial who was preaching a message of fear and hate. Max showed up to support students and there was an audible cheer when he arrived. He was there for students on very short notice. And he displayed caring and support through his actions that demonstrated a great deal to the students who were there and helped to diffuse a complicated and highly charged situation.

On Wednesday, October 8^th, Max assisted a student in need with finding temporary housing. In all things, Max displays genuine compassion for others. He can also quickly lift spirits through a good story and deep (and loud) belly laugh.

As staff and students, we are fortunate to have a caring colleague and student supporter in our midst!

Christine Ferguson - Counseling Center

Core Value: Collaboration

Christine is deeply committed to making sure connections between the university and community providers are as seamless as possible for student and families in crisis. She works diligently to create relationships with local providers and mental health facilities, streamlining procedures that allow for continuity of treatment. Her daily tasks include helping with coordinating services both on and off campus, navigating insurance coverage, transportation, and style of therapy. Being able to find the “right fit” between students and providers can be an arduous task, and Christine handles it with relative ease. She is the knowledgeable and gracious face of case management -- a direct connection to the community that expands William & Mary’s ability to service the mental health needs of our students. Because of these efforts, Christine has earned the respect and gratitude of students, their families, the community providers, and her peers.

Lindsay Heck - McLeod Tyler Wellness Center

Core Value: Collaboration

Lindsay keeps the Wellness Center and Health & Wellness on track by navigating challenges and building relationships with ease. We transitioned to a new sign up system for Wellness courses this summer and her tireless work across departments ensured everyone was on board in time for the fall semester. She always has a million tasks to complete but stops to connect with students who visit the wellness center. Her training for the Wellness Ambassadors has them functioning better than ever. As a colleague, I know I can ask her about any Health & Wellness department and she has the answer or can connect me with the right person immediately. I cannot wait to see all that Health & Wellness and the Wellness Center accomplishes this year thanks to Lindsay’s collaborative and kind spirit.