Penny Nigh, an administrative aide and assistant to Executive Associate Chancellor for Administration and University Relations Wanda E. Ward, was honored by the Illinois Administrative Professional at the University of Illinois (formerly The Secretariat) with the 2019 Office Professional of the Year Award.
Nigh was presented with the award April 17 at an event held at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. The keynote speaker was Rohit Bhargava, the director of the Cancer Center at Illinois and Founder Professor of Bioengineering.
Also nominated were: Cathy Bialeschki, Illinois Natural History Survey, nominated by Eric Schauber; Laura Ketchum, College of Education, nominated by Yoon Pak; Elizabeth Lewis, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, nominated by Juan Chambers and represented by Sharee Robinson; Jill Odom, Office of the Vice President and CFO, nominated by Karen Greenwalt and Marie Tan; David Perryn University Housing, nominated by Kimberly Otchere; Kate Wax, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Advancement, nominated by Susan Lee; and Angie Wisehart, Prairie Research Institute, nominated by Mark Ryan.
This year’s committee was chaired by James McGraw and included Erica Hanson and Kate Day and nomination voting help from Rebecca Nash and Jane Baumgartner. Nigh is the 27th person to receive the award.
