The University of Mississippi is accepting nominations for the Thomas Frist Student Service Award through Wednesday, April 1.
The award is the highest formal recognition of a faculty and a staff member’s service to students. Current students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents can nominate a faculty or staff member through the nomination form until 5 p.m. Wednesday.
The Frist Student Service Award is an annual prize that seeks to recognize one member of UM faculty and one staff member who have shown dedication to serving the student body through their work.
The winners will be determined by a campus committee appointed by Chancellor Glenn Boyce. Besides the award itself, winners will be awarded a prize of $1,000 and a plaque.
Nominations should include specific examples of students or staff going above and beyond to serve the community. Any faculty or staff member, aside from past winners, are eligible for nomination.
This year marks the 30th annual edition of the award, which was established after a $50,000 donation from the late University of Mississippi alum and healthcare magnate Thomas F. Frist Sr.
“The Frist Award is an outstanding opportunity to recognize individuals who embody the caring and supportive qualities that characterize the Ole Miss spirit,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce said on the award’s page on the university website. “Many of our staff and faculty members frequently offer extra time and energy in support of our students, and we are grateful to have an occasion to celebrate their generosity, selflessness and kindness.”
Last year’s winners were Jeremy Griffin, an associate professor of accountancy, and Tamulia Salters, associate director of admissions outreach for the University of Mississippi Booneville campus.
“(Professor Griffin) dropped whatever he was doing at the time to help me,” Griffin’s student nominator said in their nomination form. “His motto is: His students come first. He believed in me. He checked in regularly, offered advice without judgment and always made me feel like my success mattered.”
Blake Adams is a program manager for the Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Program and won the Frist Award in 2023.
For Adams, awareness of the award is paramount to ensure service to the UM community is properly recognized.
“We’d love to spread the word throughout the UM community and receive as many quality nominations as we know there are inspiring stories of extraordinary service to students each year,” Adams said.
