LAS honors staff and academic professionals for outstanding contributions

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is recognizing seven staff members and academic professionals for their outstanding professional contributions.

Heather Gillett, Nicolas Morphew, and Billy Vermillion have been selected to receive the LAS Academic Professional Award, which provides a cash award as well as a salary increment funded by LAS alumni.

Melissa Odom, Audrey Ramsey, and Brenda Stamm have been honored with the LAS Staff Award, which comes with a cash award funded by LAS alumni.

Andrew Gabel has been selected to receive the Paula Adametz Hays Award. This recognition comes with a $2,000 award supported by funds donated by Sarah C. Mangelsdorf, former dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Karl S. Rosengren, former professor in the Department of Psychology.

The awardees will be celebrated in a ceremony in Spring 2025.

Andrew Gabel

As the assistant director of business services for the college, Andrew Gabel provides oversight and direction of business services for multiple units, including the offices of the dean, student academic affairs, advancement, research, inclusive excellence, and communications and marketing. One of his most notable achievements is the development of a comprehensive financial management system, which has improved operating budget tracking and reporting and provided insights to support decision-making. He is highly regarded for his collaborative spirit and exceptional interpersonal skills.

Heather Gillett

Heather Gillett is a senior graphic designer with the college’s Office of Communications and Marketing. In her more than 10 years with the college, Heather has created countless print and digital projects that help the college recruit students, connect with alumni and supporters, and foster a strong community. Nominators praised Heather’s “contagious positivity, passion to serve others, and her desire to ensure everyone feels like they belong,” adding that she has a “can-do attitude toward every project.”

Nicolas Morphew

As the senior lab coordinator at the School of Integrative Biology, Nicolas Morphew oversees undergraduate teaching laboratories for multiple courses that serve up to 800 students every year. During his 16 years with SIB, he has helped set thousands of students on the path to success as they build a wide range of essential lab skills. He also mentors teaching assistants and undergraduate staff. Nominators praised his preparedness, adaptability, knowledge, effective communication, and positive outlook.

Melissa Odom

As an accounting officer, Melissa Odom provides procurement, reimbursement, and other financial support for the Department of Psychology. Nominators praised her ability to handle a large volume of work with accuracy and timeliness as well as her patience and good cheer when fielding questions. She not only stays informed about evolving campus policies and procedures; she also works to keep others informed and identifies opportunities to improve processes, such as working with faculty to implement a new purchasing portal.

Audrey Ramsey

Audrey Ramsey is the associate human resources director-administration for the College of LAS. She supports the HR function for the college’s administrative units, serves as a subject matter expert on HR policies, procedures, and activities, and oversees work authorization, I-9, and onboarding processes for the entire college. Her forward-thinking mindset and creativity have contributed to improved HR processes, and she has been instrumental in successful implementation of Operational Excellence initiatives. Nominators wrote that Ramsey excels in building positive relationships with colleagues and fostering a positive, inclusive work environment.

Brenda Stamm

Brenda Stamm works as a business administrative associate for the Department of Political Science. In this role, she oversees the business office's human resources, business management, and fiscal operations as well as managing the academic affairs of both undergraduate and graduate programs. Department head Tom Rudolph wrote that "No job title could fully capture how much Brenda does for our department or how well she does it…[She] is an instrumental and irreplaceable member of our department."

Billy Vermillion

Since 2014, Billy Vermillion has been an academic advisor in the Department of Psychology. In addition to providing knowledgeable academic advice to some of the department’s nearly 2,000 undergraduate majors, he also helps students navigate life changes and feel at home. As the advising staff has grown, he has assisted new hires with training and guidance, and he played a key role in developing a program to increase representation in undergraduate psychology research. Nominators praised his ability to connect with others, saying that he cares deeply and is both funny and compassionate.