Congratulations to Tammi Harmon, this year’s recipient of the Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award! This award honors a support staff employee who goes “above and beyond” in their job at MSU while pursuing a graduate degree concurrent with their employment. 

Tammi is the Executive Staff Assistant for Student Services and has worked at MSU for almost 8 years. She is pursuing a master’s in Higher Adult and Lifelong Education from Michigan State University.  

You can watch the moment Tammi discovered she was this year’s award winner below or on YouTube.

Tammi’s leaders and colleagues have this to say about her:   

“I believe Tammi epitomizes the values of the Michigan State University community and would be an excellent recipient of this honor. I highly recommend her for this award without any hesitation.”  

“Tammi is officially listed on paper as an ‘Executive Staff Assistant’ but treats every single person as the executive staff member being supported through efforts and endeavors, whether it is the Dean of Students or a student trying to find another office on campus or locate a blue book while frantically rushing to an exam.”  

“Above and beyond only begins to describe the work Tammi did and continues to advance for this ever-evolving office. As a former elementary school teacher, Tammi has been able to adapt her skills in working with college students by employing the same focus on care for the individual, addressing their needs, treating each student with the highest respect, and helping students refine their educational goals and make plans to achieve them.” 

The Awards Ceremony 

On April 14, Tammi was honored at an awards ceremony at the Kellogg Center for the Ruth Jameyson, Jack Breslin, and Gliozzo Clerical-Technical Award recipients. Executive Vice President for Administration, Vennie Gore, Interim Associate Vice President for Human Resources, Donna Donovan, and Award Selection Committee Chairman, Ray Gasser, acknowledged Tammi’s hard work and expressed their gratitude during the ceremony. A recording of the event is available below or on YouTube.

About the Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” Award 

The annual Ruth Jameyson “Above and Beyond” award recognizes a support staff member who most closely exemplifies the contributions, personal characteristics, and commitment to MSU demonstrated by Ms. Jameyson, going “above and beyond” what is reasonably expected to support the mission of MSU. In recognition of Ms. Jameyson’s pursuit of a graduate degree while working at MSU, the award recipient must be pursuing a graduate degree at MSU or elsewhere, concurrent with their employment at MSU. 

Ms. Ruth Jameyson, who died in 2007 at the age of 100 years, served as the secretary to MSU President Robert S. Shaw from 1938 to 1941 and secretary/administrative assistant to President John A. Hannah from 1941 to 1969. She served as both greeter and gatekeeper to the numerous students, faculty, and staff seeking to meet Dr. Hannah, as well as dignitaries from around the globe. Ms. Jameyson accepted roles and responsibilities far beyond her formal job description. Having arrived in Lansing with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Coe College, Iowa, Ms. Jameyson pursued a master’s in economics at MSU while working full-time. 

This award has been created and funded by friends of Ruth Jameyson: Barbara Sawyer-Koch, MSU trustee emerita, and Donald F. Koch, MSU professor emeritus. 

All photo credits: Dane Robison/TimeFramePhoto 
All video credit: Cheeney Media Concepts