Employee Recognition

Employee Service Award Ceremony

Sponsored by the Office of the President and Office of Human Resources, the employee service award ceremony honors those employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service at Brandeis. 

Invitations are extended to employees who are eligible to receive an award and their supervisors.

Employee Recognition Awards

Lou Ennis Award

Named for the former assistant vice president for employee relations, who retired from Brandeis in 1995, the Lou Ennis Award is presented annually to an exempt staff member who has made significant contributions to the university.

All full-time, exempt staff members in good standing are eligible to be nominated. The recipient of the award is chosen by a cross functional committee who decides on the winner based on the nominations received.

Individuals who are nominated should demonstrate loyalty and dedication to the university and to its mission. Their behavior should be professional, helpful and friendly, and they should be known to consistently treat all members of the community with dignity and respect.

The nominee should be one who goes above and beyond the requirements of the job and has a history of consistent contributions to the well-being and success of the university.

To nominate an exempt staff member for the Lou Ennis Award, please go the on-line form. 

Shannon Kearns receiving the 2022 Lou Ennis Award. Pictured are Kevin Keith, Shannon Kearns and President Liebowitz.

Shannon Kearns receiving the 2022 Lou Ennis Award. Pictured are Kevin Keith, Shannon Kearns and President Liebowitz.

Louis and Helen Zirkel Award

Made possible through the generosity of Lehigh University Professor Perry A. Zirkel, a friend of former Brandeis President Samuel Thier, the Zirkel Award - named for Zirkel's parents - is presented annually to a nonexempt staff member who has made significant contributions to the university.

All full-time, non-exempt staff members in good standing who provide support services, such as staff assistants, library staff, members of the facilities management staff (i.e., custodians and grounds workers), police officers and lab assistants are eligible to be nominated. The recipient of the award is chosen by a cross functional committee who decides on the winner based on the nominations received.

Individuals who are nominated should demonstrate exceptional efforts to improve the service and the operation of his/her department and of the university. The contributions of the nominee should exceed the requirements of the job and demonstrate significant efforts to support the Brandeis mission and well-being of the community.

To nominate a nonexempt staff member for the Zirkel Award, please go the on-line form.

Teresa Pais receiving the 2022 Louis and Helen Zirkel Award. Pictured are Jenny Benavides, Teresa Pais and President Liebowitz.

Teresa Pais receiving the 2022 Louis and Helen Zirkel Award. Pictured are Jenny Benavides, Teresa Pais and President Liebowitz.

 On-the-Spot Rewards Program

Employees deserve to be recognized for their extra efforts. The On-the-Spot Rewards Program is designed to enhance the university's culture of recognition by rewarding employees who go above and beyond their job responsibilities, and to encourage initiative and creativity, in service of students and all constituents. By providing a spot bonus reward, managers have the opportunity to provide a meaningful “thank you” and connect the reward to the contribution and/or performance being recognized. See eligibility and program details