Four staff members and administrators were honored recently for their outstanding service to the College and their tireless efforts in support of the campus community.
The Distinguished Service Award was presented to Jill Parak, a part-time nurse practitioner at the Cox Health and Counseling Center, and Patty Burns, retiring director of web strategy, by President Julie Kornfeld at the annual Years of Service recognition ceremony on May 29.
During the previous week, Staff Council’s Spirit Award went to Sarah McKee, director of instruction and engagement for library and information services, and Christy Keffer, administrative assistant in the academic division. They were celebrated during a Staff Council event on May 21.
The Distinguished Service Award was established during the 1998-99 academic year to recognize employees with exceptional accomplishments who provide outstanding service to students, staff and others. It goes to one administrator and one staff member, each of whom receives $500.
This year’s staff winner, Parak, is celebrating 10 years of service to the College. She was recognized for creating a welcoming and supportive environment while mentoring other clinicians, helping to maintain the Cox Center’s community garden, and upholding the highest standards of care for students.
“Her approach to student care integrates physical and mental health treatment, offering thoughtful, compassionate and individualized attention to each student’s needs,” Kornfeld said in announcing the award. “She is not only a trusted provider but also a source of comfort and support for students who may be navigating challenging times.”
Burns, who joined the College in 2001, has led four full website redesigns during her time as an administrator. Her keen insight into college communications and the Kenyon community were cited as providing the bedrock for creating and strengthening connections across campus and beyond.
“She takes tremendous pride in her work and in that of her colleagues and elevates all of it with her attention to detail, patience and thoughtfulness,” Kornfeld said. “Her deep knowledge of the College, and her care for the way it is digitally presented to the world is evident in every pixel of Kenyon’s website.”
The Staff Council’s Spirit Award was created in 2024 to recognize one exempt and one non-exempt staff member who foster community and embody the “Kenyon spirit.”
McKee, who joined the College in 2013 and has served in a number of roles over the years, helps connect the campus community to library resources and provides research instruction. She is known, according to one nominator, for keeping the needs of students and her colleagues front and center and using her dynamic energy to foster a warm and welcoming environment.
“She keeps the library operating at an incredibly high level,” the nominator wrote. “She also maintains positive relationships across the divisions, keeping everyone connected.”
Keffer started at Kenyon in 2022 and supports a variety of personnel, including those at the Center for Innovative Pedagogy, the Center for the Study of American Democracy, the departments of sociology and anthropology, the law and society concentration, and the John W. Adams Summer Scholars Program in Socio-legal Studies.
One nominator noted her ability to go the extra mile for everyone she works with. “She treats everyone who walks in her space with care and respect,” they wrote. “She remembers birthdays and small details. She doesn't just keep our department running, she makes it feel like a community and makes us feel like we are a central part of it.