Chancellor Justin Schwartz has selected four women for the University of Colorado Boulder’s 2024 Employee of the Year awards.

This award recognizes staff who are nominated by their colleagues for going above and beyond their job duties to make a difference.

The 2024 chancellor employees of the year are Miki Brooks, Janelle Henderson, Sally Lowell and Jeanne McDonald.

“I feel very honored and appreciative,” Henderson said. “It’s really nice to be recognized.”

Henderson is the Honors Program manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.

She does a bit of everything, including course scheduling, data analysis, budgeting and supporting faculty and students.

This year, Henderson and her department help support 1,200 incoming freshmen and transfer honor students and an additional 4,000 to 4,500 continuing students.

“One of my favorite, favorite things is absolutely helping students,” she said. “I’m so lucky to work with a group of students who are super excited to be there.”

Brooks is the director of Transfer Success Initiatives for the Office of Undergraduate Education. She oversees various recruitment and retention initiatives for transfer students at CU Boulder.

Brooks also supports efforts working with Colorado community colleges and helps students decide whether CU Boulder is right for them.

“It is a huge unexpected honor and I am so grateful to the folks who nominated me and said very generous and beautiful things,” Brooks said. “But quite honestly, I see this as a win for our transfer community.”

Brooks is excited the award will bring attention to the transfer community at CU Boulder and hopes to advocate for more resources and support for transfer students to thrive.

“Our transfer students bring so much to our community in regard to their prior experiences,” she said.

McDonald is the associate director for the Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship. Her job duties include managing a grant program that faculty, staff and students can apply for to work in the community.

She helps support teaching, research and creative work CU Boulder does with communities throughout the state and world.

This year marks 30 years that McDonald has been a staff member at CU Boulder.

“The best part is being able to work with some amazing faculty, staff and students across campus that are working out in these communities,” she said. “They are very passionate and dedicated to the work they’re doing and it’s very satisfying to have a part in that.”

The Daily Camera was unable to reach Lowell, a nurse practitioner at the Wardenburg Health Center at CU Boulder.

According to a CU Boulder article, she’s a champion of inclusive and compassionate care, a disability advocate and a leader in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic and the Trans Care Team.“Sally has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity and a strong commitment to the campus community,” one nominator wrote. “Her dedication to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as her thoughtful and ethical approach to addressing challenges, sets her apart as a true leader.”

The chancellor will recognize the four employees of the year at a ceremony in January. The award typically includes $2,000 after tax and a commemorative keepsake.