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Western Washington University employees continue to be recognized via the , begun winter quarter.

The program aims to recognize Western employees for their hard work on campus and to give their co-workers an opportunity to praise their efforts.

"I am regularly amazed and inspired by the talent, commitment and dedication of the employees at Western," said Western President Bruce Shepard in a January email announcing the program. "While we celebrate outstanding achievement at our annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, we've all had experiences with colleagues who go above and beyond in ways that aren't recognized."

Any time throughout the year, folks in the ²ÝÁñÉçÇø community can to recognize a Western employee who demonstrates excellence in serving students, visitors or colleagues, based on the characteristics that make them uniquely Western: inviting, engaging, distinctive, collaborative and adventurous.

Western Way Honorees are recognized online on the Western Way Wall of Acknowledgment, in the Western Today newsletter and in a slideshow at the Employee Recognition Ceremony in April.

A few comments about recent nominees Sonja Sather, Julene Sodt and Kathy Louzao:

Why is it I feel better when I pass Sonja in the hallway or when I see her on campus? It is because of her welcoming spirit. She engages you in such a manner that shows she truly enjoys the conversation or just getting to see you on that day. She reminds me of how powerful a smile or gesture or a moment of conversation can have on an individual. I leave her company motivated to "pay it forward"!
-Chyerl Wolfe-Lee, Assistant Vice President, Human Resources

Julene does amazing work in the Libraries with a strong service ethic to students at Western. There are many things one could highlight about how Julene exemplifies the Western Way. One of my favorite is the fact that she has become Western's citation guru. Do you want to know how to cite an unusual source in APA format? Julene is the person to turn to. Do you need to figure out how to cite in a variation of Chicago format for a particular journal? Julene may not know off-hand but you can be sure she will track the answer down. Have you ever used one of the citation quick guides? Julene keeps those up-to-date. Besides being our citation guru there are many other services she provides to make research services effective at Western!
-Gabe Gossett, Librarian, Libraries

Kathy is a wonderful, caring, hard working individual with a heart of gold. She makes everyone around her feel comfortable and welcomed. She is always willing to go the extra mile and help out anyone, even if it is beyond her responsibilities. Kathy embraces the Western Way in all aspects of her life and is a valuable asset to the Viking Union. I deeply appreciate all she has done for me these past three and a half years.
-Meghan Jacobson, VU Student Clerk, Viking Union Administration

To view more information on the nominees to date, at .