The annual IT Service Awards acknowledge outstanding service and provide a time to celebrate these individuals within the Information Technology Division. The awards program, under the leadership of Information Technology Community Advocates (ITCA), brings peer endorsement and recognition to professional accomplishments.

• Service Excellence – The Service Excellent Award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond professional responsibilities in contributing his/her expertise and service to the GVSU community, a professional organization, or the local/national/international community.
• Innovation – The Innovation Award recognizes an individual who has innovative ideas and practices that benefit Information Technology and the university.  This could include methods to improve cost efficiency, changes in procedures, creating new programs or services, or leading new initiatives.
• Leadership – The Leadership Award recognizes an individual who has made notable contributions that have influenced positive change at GVSU. This could include members who have shown adaptability, mentorship, exceptional teamwork, motivation, and lasting other contributions. 

2023 Leadership Award Recipient - Melissa Cunningham

Refreshing. Approachable. Team-Focused. These are the words used to describe the leadership style of Melissa Cunningham, the 2023 Leadership Award Winner. Melissa is engaged and honest with her team, caring about their well-being and work style. She oversees and leads numerous operational and technology projects, injecting energy and enthusiasm into each one. Melissa truly exemplifies IT's Leadership Principles which focus on collaboration, accountability, strategic partnerships, and innovation. 

2023 Innovation Award Recipient - Brian Snyder

Brian received the 2023 Innovation Award for advancing several key university technology initiatives with significant success. As well as assisting with Workday deployment, he brought modern processes to older systems such as Banner. He helped automate previously manual tasks with Git and GitHub Actions. Additionally, Brian leads the Apache Airflow scheduler effort for Workday's automatic tasks. As a result of Brian's outstanding leadership and attention to detail, the university will be able to maximize current and future systems for growth and innovation in the future.

2023 Service Excellence Award Recipient - Vince St. Germain

As the winner of the 2023 Service Excellence Award, Vince St. Germain is described as someone who contributes to the university's success and well-being daily. A skilled instructional designer, he consistently prioritizes the well-being of our students as he assists faculty in integrating technology into their teaching and learning practices. Throughout the years, Vince has also served as a catalyst for many major projects at the university, including the Digital Studio and the EAC accreditation tool. Our academic community benefits from his technical expertise and genuine care for the educational journey.