NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – When Tennessee State University President Dwayne Tucker took the helm of his alma mater a little over a year ago, he arrived with a clear promise: to right the institutional ship by instilling a culture of high performance and accountability.
Central to his early assessment of the university was a belief that great student experience is built on the foundation of exceptional customer service. Tucker identified critical bottlenecks in daily operations, noting that inefficiencies and outdated processes frequently hindered institutional progress.
“We need to ensure our operations are efficient and responsive to the needs of our students and staff,” Tucker emphasized, calling for immediate actions and creative solutions to enhance operational capacity. For Tucker, a transformative, student-first approach meant that every department had to prioritize being responsive, professional, and accessible.
A year later, those efforts are yielding clear results. Citing improvements across campus, he insists there is an immediate need to recognize and reward the campus workforce driving this evolution.
“Transforming an institution requires shifting our day-to-day culture to one of accountability and appreciation,” Tucker said. “When our faculty and staff go the extra mile to serve our students and colleagues, that dedication deserves to be celebrated. This is how we build a truly responsive university.”
To turn this philosophy into action, Tucker assembled a team of senior executives to devise a formal employee rewards and recognition initiative. The result of their collaboration is the newly minted TSU Impact Awards program. The awards are designed to honor employees who are making meaningful and measurable contributions toward transforming the university.
According to university leadership, the Impact Awards target individuals who excel in four core pillars: driving transformational results, delivering exceptional customer service, demonstrating servant leadership, and receiving outstanding feedback from the campus community.
On May 5, the vision became a reality. Ten individuals from various areas of campus operations, each selected by their peers for their exceptional service and leadership, became the inaugural class of Impact Awards honorees. The group was celebrated during a special luncheon held in Kean Hall.
The 10 inaugural recipients of the Impact Awards are Jennifer Brown Mayes, Dr. Ashanti Chunn, Dr. Poliala Dickson, Dr. Angela Duncan, Leah Granderson, Vonetta Johnson, Dr. Erica Lewis, P. Danielle Nellis, Chief Gregory Robinson, and Keona Smith.
For Granderson, the executive director of Planning, Design and Construction, the award represents both a professional milestone and a personal duty.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled by this recognition,” Granderson said. “Tennessee State University is truly a special place, and to be acknowledged during this important time of growth and transformation means a great deal to me. As a graduate of TSU, I view this work as an opportunity to simply pay it forward to the generations of people who remain committed to the excellence and bright future of our university.”
Chief Gregory Robinson of the TSU Police Department, also an alumnus, echoed that sentiment. “Protecting and serving this campus is a collaborative effort, and being recognized with this inaugural award is a testament to our department’s shared commitment to accountability and the well-being of the TSU family,” Robinson said. “It inspires us to keep raising the bar in how we serve our community.”
The celebration extended well beyond Kean Hall. At the TSU Board of Trustees meeting on May 15, President Tucker formally presented the 10 honorees to the board. The room erupted into a standing ovation as trustees and administrators congratulated the staff members for their contributions to the university success.
Dr. Erik Schmeller, interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, called the initiative a perfect culmination of the academic cycle.
“It was inspiring to see so many qualified nominees and winners of the inaugural Impact Awards,” Schmeller said. “Recognizing and celebrating faculty and staff who go the extra mile is essential to what makes TSU unique. Now that our inaugural recipients have set the bar, I look forward to seeing whom we will recognize next year.”
According to President Tucker and the organizing executive team, the Impact Awards will be given out annually.
Featured Photo: Ten employees were recognized as the inaugural Impact Awards honorees for making meaningful and measurable contributions toward transforming the university. They are from l-r, P. Danielle Nellis, Dr. Angela Duncan, Keona Smith, Dr. Ashanti Chunn, Vonetta Johnson, Chief Gregory Robinson, Leah Granderson, Dr. Erica Lewis, Jennifer Brown Mayes, and Dr. Poliala Dickson. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
About Tennessee State University
Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public land-grant university offering 41 bachelor’s degrees, 15 graduate certificates, 27 master’s degrees, and nine doctoral degrees. TSU’s campus spans 500 acres. The university is committed to academic excellence, providing students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders. Visit tnstate.edu for more details.
