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Black Hills State University employee awards
	Al Sandau, retiring theatre professor, was presented the prestigious Distinguished Faculty award.
	Liz Diers, instructor in the College of Business and Technology, received the Community Service award for her work with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Diers, who has administered the program for the last two years, works with accounting students to provide free tax preparation services to low income people in the community. Diers was honored for her “monumental service to the community, as well as providing training and real-life experience for BHSU students.”
	Dr. Pat Mackin (left) accepts the Economic Savings award from Dr. Thomas Flickema. Mackin and Jean Johnson, assistant professors in the College of Business and Technology, received the award in recognition of the savings to the university as a result of their redesign of an introduction to computers course. Students also benefit from the change since computer lab availability has increased.
	Rajeev Bukralia, senior programmer analyst and digital librarian, received the Outstanding University Service Award. Bukralia was recognized for his exceptional service to the library. According to the nominators, Bukralia is “the ultimate professional who is a problem solver. He operates under the premise that we are all here to serve the institution and he does whatever he can to enable the institution and individual users to maximize the potential of the systems available on campus.”
	The Student Service award was presented to Linn Nelson, assistant mass communications professor, for her extraordinary work with students and the establishment of a student-run ad agency. Nelson advises the students at Bullseye ad agency which gives students the opportunity to put their classroom ideas to work. Several students have won state awards for their creations.
	The University Area award was presented to the Enrollment Center in recognition of their outstanding volunteer service. Enrollment center staff include: (front, left to right) Kim Nida, Dawn Kennedy, Erin Richards, and Deb Henrikson. Back row, Cherie Leahy, Michelle Hoffman, Tom Wheaton and Cody McMichael. The staff members were honored for their excellence in enrolling, recruiting and assisting students, as well as for their incredible job serving others through community events such as Relay for Life, helping out with the concession stand to raise scholarship dollars, and volunteering to assist with casino night and other special events on campus.
	The staff members of Dining Services received a special committee award in recognition for their dedication since the military activation of Tim Johnston, Dining Services director. Since that time the entire Dining Services staff has stepped up to cover things in his absence. Leone Geppert (front center) noted that everyone at dining services has assumed a bigger share of responsibility, volunteered for extra duties, contributed ideas, and shared their expertise. Staff members include: front, center, Leone Geppert; middle row, left to right, Dave Maki, Heidi Kegler, Susan Sears, and Patty Maki; back row, Krista Schroeder, Jacque Williams, Shawn Covell, Sandy Dickinson, and Janet Gehring. Not pictured: Richard Walker, Curtis McGuigan, Lynn Langer, and Norma Perry.
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