Texas A&M Presents 2025 Staff And Student Excellence Awards
The annual awards recognize individual staff members, supervisors, teams and student employees for their contributions to the university community.
The 2025 Staff and Student Excellence Awards Ceremony, which recognizes staff and student recipients of the Student Employee of the Year Awards, President’s Meritorious Service Awards and Community Engagement Awards, was held on April 16 at the Rudder Theatre Complex.

Nic Taunton ’07, executive vice president and chief operating officer of The Association of Former Students, shares gratitude for the individual, team and student contributions noted among the 2025 Staff and Student Excellence Award winners.
“The great thing about Texas A&M is that our faculty and our staff really do come together behind the idea that this is all about each and every student … it’s about getting them ready to go chase their personal and their professional dream,” said President Mark A. Welsh III while introducing this year’s winners.
Several of the awards are supported by The Association of Former Students. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Nic Taunton ’07 congratulated the recipients and said, “You embody the best of the Aggie Spirit.”
President’s Meritorious Service Awards
Sponsored by the Office of the President and The Association, President’s Meritorious Service Awards are given to individuals who demonstrate their commitment to the Aggie Core Values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service.

President Mark A. Welsh III congratulates each nominee, award winner and their family and friends joining to celebrate the 2025 Staff and Student Excellence Awards Ceremony.
New Employee
Recognizes employees with less than two years of continuous service who energetically engage and provide exceptional effort in their assigned roles:
- Grace Elizabeth Ragaglia ’23
Human Resources, Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness - William Wansitler
Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Supervisor
- Dr. Christine Gravelle
Center for Executive Development, Mays Business School - Dr. Jennifer Rhinesmith-Carranza ’12
Academic Advising, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Individual
- Carissa Beamon ’15
Academic Advising, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Bradley Burroughs ’24
Center for Executive Development, Mays Business School - Deanna Cowan
Office of the Dean, College of Architecture - Deanna Crawford
Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences - Dr. Libby Daggers ’23
Student Life, Division of Student Affairs - Christopher Dieckert
Utilities and Energy Services – Facilities and Energy Services - Carla Harris
Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences - Cheyenne L. Jacobson-VonRosenberg ’17
Academic Success Center, Office of the Provost - Derek Merritt ’02
Virtualization and Storage Operations, Technology Services - Derek Murphy
Utilities and Energy Services, Facilities and Energy Services - Dr. Clinton A. Patterson
Center for Teaching Excellence, Office of the Provost - Dean C. Poppell
Research Technology Services, Technology Services - Deryle Richmond
Memorial Student Center Programs, Division of Student Affairs - Denise Spears
Division of Finance and Business Services, College of Architecture - Stephanie A. Thompson ’93
Alumni and External Relations, School of Law - Yara Valladares ’16
Houston Prospective Student Center, Office of Admissions - Urania Wells
Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences - Clint Willis ’00
Transportation Services - Trisha Winkle
Education Abroad, Global Engagement - Jasmine Zenn ’19
Career Center, Division of Student Affairs
Team
- Maroon and White Fun Run 2024 Team
Kari DeStefano ’97, Ashley Sue Marie Drossel, Jennifer Enloe ’24, Catherine Halverson ’19, Katelynn Kellogg, Ian W. Muise, Jeremy Steven Moore, Madison Pappoe ’23, Brandy Tuck ’06 and Tracy Young - Nurse-Family Partnership
Sarah Dailey, BSN, RN ’11; Heather Dominguez BSN, RN; Dr. Cassidy Doucet; Nydia E. Garcia ’20 ’23; Haley Hoggard ’13; Walter Page; Nancy Saldivar BSN, RN, CHES ’19 ’22; Megan Wheeler, BSN, RN ’14; and Susan Lanier Williams
Student Employee of the Year
Named by the Division of Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness, the award honors students who demonstrate excellence in their job responsibilities and academic endeavors. The honorees excel in communication, teamwork and problem-solving, and possess an outstanding work ethic.
- Ash-Leigh Allgood ’26
Finance – Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences - Olivia Mo ’26
Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Community Engagement Award
Presented by the Student Government Association in collaboration with the Office of Community Engagement, the award recognizes students, faculty and staff for outstanding selfless service through volunteerism, outreach and improving local and university communities as part of Texas A&M’s land-grant mission.
Faculty Award
- Dr. Selina Stasi
Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health - Dr. Cherrie Pullium
College of Nursing
Student Award
- Jessica Steiner
Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
For those who were unable to attend the awards ceremony in person, please view the livestream to celebrate and honor this year’s award recipients.