College of Humanities Business Manager Natalie Olson is one of six recipients for this year’s University of Arizona Individual Awards for Excellence.

 

One of Olson's nomination letters outlined her ability to get tasks done in almost every corner of the college: “Whether the request is about a completely new initiative (e.g., renovating an old classroom into a podcast studio), a last-minute dash (e.g., rallying a building engineer for an archive's broken AC unit), or a necessary-but-tedious errand (e.g., hauling folding chairs from one building to another on a semi-reliable golf cart), if Natalie is on it, everyone knows the job is as good as done,” the nominator wrote.

 

Another noted her compassion while working through the pandemic: “Her focus was not only on checking the boxes but understanding the fears, concerns and uncertainty of each person she worked with.” Olson has worked for the University for nine years.

 

 

The University Awards for Excellence are designed to recognize individual Classified Staff and Appointed Professionals for outstanding achievements in activities beyond normal duties. The awards are sponsored by the Classified Staff Council, the Appointed Professionals Advisory Council and the President’s Cabinet. Criteria include outstanding achievement in the workplace, exceptional contributions toward efficiency and effectiveness of operations, outstanding service to the University community and/or visitors, special efforts in promoting workforce diversity.

 

For the first time since 2019, recipients will be recognized at an in-person event, happening April 14 from 3-4:30 p.m. at the Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom. Awardees from 2020 and 2021 also will be honored at the event.

 

Olson gives the College of Humanities its third consecutive year with a staff member receiving an Individual Award for Excellence, following Amy Warren and Nichole Guard in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. In 2019, two College of Humanities staff members received Individual Awards for Excellence: Toni Alexander, Assistant Dean for Business and Finance, and Tyler Meier, Executive Director of the UA Poetry Center.