Celebrating exceptional Bowers staff.

The four annual awards recognize staff members in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science for their accomplishments, performance excellence, and significant contributions to the college’s mission and community. Award categories are: Rising Star, Staff Innovation, Exceptional Performance, and Inclusion & Belonging.

Four staff members recognized for going above and beyond

Rebecca Dillon, program manager for research initiatives, received the Rising Star Award. Penny Stewart, an administrative assistant in the department of information science, received the Staff innovation Award. Donna Holzbaur, a finance specialist in SRAC, received the Exceptional Performance Award, and Ingrid Jenson, Director of Student Services, received the Excellence in Inclusion & Belonging award. 

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Recipient List

The Rising Star Award recognizes a newer staff member who has been a part of Bowers for a minimum of one year and is within three years of their hire date at the time of nomination.

  • 2025: Rebecca Dillon
  • 2024: Megan Adams

The Staff Innovation Award recognizes a staff member who embodies the spirit of innovation, a core component of the Cornell Bowers mission. The award is given to a staff member who applies creativity to develop new or improve existing processes, methods, systems, or services, and encourages others to do the same.

  • 2025: Penny Stewart
  • 2024: Robert Nicholl

The Exceptional Performance Award acknowledges and provides recognition for a staff member who consistently demonstrates superior professional achievement and the pursuit of excellence within and beyond their position.

  • 2025: Donna Holzbaur
  • 2024: Becky Stewart

The Award for Excellence in Inclusion and Belonging recognizes an individual within Cornell Bowers who has demonstrated an exceptional understanding of inclusion and belonging, a key priority for the college.

  • 2025:  Ingrid Jensen
  • 2024: Sue Shipman