Ethos Awards: 2021

Author: Carole Chabries

Published Date: 9/3/2021

Categories: Employee Spotlights Faculty and Staff

The Carroll University Ethos Awards are given to colleagues across campus who model outstanding stewardship, integrity, and respect. This year, three colleagues stood out in a crowded field of nominees for their quiet and caring leadership as our community grappled with COVID-19, new campus needs and protocols, and ongoing social and political unrest across the country.

Stewardship | Amanda Schellinger

Amanda is widely recognized around campus as a key, go-to colleague. Her care for others is evident in both her words and actions. As president of the Staff Executive Council she leads with compassion, conviction, and a ready smile. She manages to be both direct and kind, candid and compassionate, focused and funny. Described as “one of the most trustworthy and reliable people on campus,” Amanda is known for her caring, inclusive leadership, ensuring that everyone she works with feels seen and valued. She is a steadfast steward of our community culture. Thank you, Amanda, for your caring and compassionate leadership. Congratulations for receiving the 2021 Ethos Award for Stewardship.

Integrity | Vanessa Perez Topczewski

Vanessa started with a staff of two and did the work of ten, with a focus on developing the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to assist all students in navigating their lives at Carroll. Vanessa inspired her team to lead our campus in multiple moments of reflection and unity during a period in our history full of political and racial unrest. Her lifetime commitment to education and community are evident in her pursuit of a PhD in Educational Leadership and her service on the board of the United Community Center. Vanessa Perez-Topczewski, thank you for the impact you’ve made during your time at Carroll. Congratulations on receiving the 2021 Ethos Award for Integrity and we wish you well in your future endeavors!

Steve Staab

Respect | Steve Staab

Steve emerged as a quiet and capable leader of the campus through many of our pandemic-related transitions. After taking the Johns Hopkins course on contract tracing, he volunteered to assist with our campus contact tracing and quickly stepped in to lead the creation of a testing regimen, develop our COVID-19 protocols, and advise senior leaders on numbers and patterns. He managed difficult conversations with the Carroll community while maintaining kindness, empathy, and professionalism. He did all of this while providing leadership, guidance, and advice to our 600 student athletes (and their coaches!) as they adapted to training and competing during a pandemic. Steve also stepped in to support Carroll’s course on Advanced Skills in Canine Management and Training, sheltering the sweet pup Sonny who arrived early to campus and needed to be fostered until she could begin living with her student trainer. Steve Staab, thank you for your quiet and effective leadership. Congratulations on receiving the 2021 Ethos Award for respect.