4 staff members honored with RICE MILE Award

Rice staff members Francis Aguilar, Alaina Schuhsler, Gloria Godinez and Stephanie Thomas were honored with the RICE MILE Award in July.

Francis Aguilar

Aguilar, a custodian in Facilities Engineering & Planning, was nominated for the award by several colleagues who praised her for being conscientious, trustworthy and respectful as well as effective, creative and quick to take initiative.

“Her integrity is unquestionable,” one nominator wrote. “Francis always far exceeds the expectations of her job. There are countless times of her stopping what she is doing to help a visitor or student look for something they lost.”

Alaina Schuhsler

Schuhsler, director of development at Rice’s Jones Graduate School of Business, was described as mission-driven and committed to integrity and leadership.

“She’s not afraid to do the right thing, even when it’s going to be painful,” her nominator wrote. “I can always count on her to make an executive decision if I can’t determine the best course of action. She empowers those of us on her team to be better leaders by giving us tasks that are a little bit tougher than what we’re used to because she believes in us.”

Gloria Godinez

Godinez, program coordinator for the Rice University School Mathematics Project, was praised for her ability to provide creative solutions to problems.

“She juggles so many tasks calmly and accurately, from talking with parents in both English and Spanish for our student programs to fielding questions from teachers and school administrators for our teacher programs,” her nominator wrote. “She manages all registrations and ensures all our programs run smoothly.”

Stephanie Thomas

Thomas, a compliance administrator in the Office of Sponsored Projects and Research Compliance, was applauded for her commitment to the research community and for going out of her way to assist new researchers, especially students, in meeting the requirements for Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval.

“She is a valuable member of the research community, as she ensures Rice’s compliance with federal regulations regarding human participant research,” her nominator wrote. “Her organizational skills are unmatched; she currently manages over 600 active IRB studies and has processed over 800 submissions in a fiscal year. It is no surprise that when you meet researchers on campus who have had the privilege of working with Stephanie, they are always so grateful for her expertise, responsiveness and warmth.”

All levels of staff are eligible for consideration for the RICE MILE Award and can be nominated by peers, colleagues, co-workers or supervisors as long as they have at least one year of service and are in good standing. Nominations must be submitted through the RICE MILE Award online nomination form and require approval from senior leadership in the nominee’s school or division.

For more information or to nominate a staff member for the award, visit http://people.rice.edu/careersrice/awards-and-recognition/the-rice-mile-award/.