Wippman also recognized employees celebrating 40, 30, 20, and 10 years of service at Hamilton.
Tobin Award recipients were Custodian Matt Cavanaugh in the facilities management group; Career Center Office Coordinator Rebecca King in the staff category; and Assistant Dean of Community Living Ashley Place in the administrator group. Assistant Athletics Director and Director of Sports Medicine Scott Siddon was honored with the Wertimer-Couper Award.
The Tobin Awards are named for Hamilton’s 18th president, Gene Tobin, and his wife Beverly, and presented to one member each of the staff, administration, and facilities management. Colleagues are recognized for putting forth incredible efforts to support students and co-workers.
In announcing Cavanaugh’s award, Wippman quoted nominators who said Cavanaugh is “always thoughtful and proactive in anticipating needs,” and “is a ray of light… who has devoted a lot of heart to Hamilton.” Wippman cited examples from colleagues, who said Cavanaugh’s small acts of kindness include collecting pens and pencils that are left around the building and putting them where faculty and students can take one when needed, and welcoming a new worker with chocolates on Office Worker Appreciation Day.
Reading from King’s nominations, Wippman said King will always “greet you with a smile. She genuinely cares about everyone and it’s felt by all…Personally, this has improved my experience working here,” a nominator wrote. Another said, “We would be lost without her in the Career Center,” and another colleague said “She’s always down to make someone feel special, and is creative in how she goes about it.”
In talking about Place, Wippman quoted a nominator who said she is “kind, empathetic and supportive regardless of the reason a student is in her office.” He cited an example when a student had flooded their residence hall room and seven adjacent rooms by accidentally setting off a sprinkler, and Place was there talking to students, pulling keys for temporary rooms, and working with Facilities Management to understand the extent of the damage – at midnight. “Not surprisingly she gets kudos from her co-workers for her willingness to show up and do the hard things alongside her team,” Wippman noted.
The Wertimer-Couper Award recognizes a member of the community who embodies a spirit of generosity, loyalty, and fidelity. Wippman said for more than 25 years, [Siddon] “has focused on getting Hamilton’s students ready to achieve their optimal performance. That includes training students on ways to stay healthy and fit and teaching student-workers the proper techniques to assist their peers.”
Wippman quoted Siddon’s supervisor who said, “The kids love him, and he’d do anything for them.” Siddon “is on campus seven days a week when the College is in session, except when he travels with students to an offsite venue, which often takes place on weekends and frequently involves a late-night return to campus.”
One of Siddon’s coworkers said, “He’s an example to students by the way he does his job, interacts with colleagues, and constantly offers support and encouragement. As a supervisor, he’s known for putting his coworkers in situations where they can thrive, and he will always be the one to work extra hours so that someone else can have the day off.” At the same time, “he does everything he can to help us maintain some semblance of work-life balance,” said another colleague.
