Chancellor Linda Katehi presented him the Distinguished Citation for Excellence Award.
Heydon was among two other individuals and two teams singled out for distinguished awards. Their names will be engraved on a perpetual plaque at the Walter A. Buehler Alumni and Visitors' Center.
Katehi praised them for their time, efforts and investments. “I’m so proud of you,” she told them. Rob Kerner, Staff Assembly president, read the accolades and described them as the “cream of the crop” of UC Davis employees.
“Steve is a true UC Davis goodwill ambassador in that he takes pride in the university, his department, his colleagues, and his work, which in itself, has drawn national and international acclaim,
Kerner said, in announcing the award. His colleagues described him as . "always willing to drop what he’s doing to help out a scientist, reporter, staff member, volunteer or the public. Steve treats everyone with the utmost respect and understanding, an earmark of an outstanding UC Davis employee." His nominators, colleagues Kathy Keatley Garvey, Tabatha Yang and Andrew Richards described him as "as a prized employee, the best of the best.”
The other recipients:
Individual Award, Supervision: Kathy Canevari, a former supervisor with UC Davis Extension who retired earlier this year.
Individual Award: Campus Service: Paul Cody, coordinator of the Campus Union Center for Student Involvement.
Team Award: General Contributions: School of Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Office, Curricular Support, comprised of Mike Beech, Melinda Carlson, Robin Houston, Linda Royce, Erin Seay, Linda Souza, Teresa Suter, and Ken Taylor.
Team Award: Campus Service: Office of Student Development management team comprised of associate director Catrina Wagner; and assistant directors Courtney Robinson, Richard Ronquillo, Chuck Huneke, and Lisa Papagni.
Others nominated for the distinguished awards and who were named finalists were:
Individual, General Contributions: David Irvine, Veterinary Medicine Teaching and Research Center; Israel G. Herrera, Agricultural Sustainability Institute, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Office; and Katy Bill, Services for International Students and Scholars
Individual Campus Service: Victor Duraj, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Team, General Contributions: Gourley Center-Academic Programs Staff comprised of Katie Almand. Jennifer Child, Meghan Culp, Tatiana Plitt, Morgan Brooks, Robert Favorite, Sarahjane Logan, Lorrie Spring, and Nicole White
Team Award, Campus Service: College of Engineering Shared Services, Human Resources/Payroll, comprised of Noreen Johnson, Stacey Veliz, Noemi Olvera, Debra Hamilton, and Justine Canevari. College of Engineering Shared Services, Purchasing and Accounts Payable: Pia Donaldson, Anna Finlay, Tiffany Hsieh, Denise Bray, Sondra Salazar, and Melanie Burt-Schipke.
Darla Tafoya of the Staff Assembly Executive Committee chaired the Citations for Excellence committee. Pamela Nardinelli serves as the Staff Assembly coordinator.
The Staff Assembly annually seeks nominees for the citations for excellence. UC Davis employees must have distinguished themselves in one or more of the three areas of outstanding achievement: general contributions, campus service or supervision. According to the Staff Assembly website: “We want to recognize staff who go above and beyond the expectations of their position descriptions, who contribute to the university’s mission of teaching, research, and service, and who exemplify outstanding achievement, supervisory skills, and/or service.” More information is at http://staff.ucdavis.edu/