Alumni Association Honors 2012 Top Techsans

The Texas Tech Alumni Association recently presented the 2012 Top Techsan Award to four Texas Tech University staff members at a luncheon held at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center as part of the university’s annual homecoming celebration.

Created in 1973, the Top Techsan Award honors Texas Tech staff members for extraordinary work proficiency and an attitude of team spirit. Recipients are nominated by current faculty, staff or students and received a plaque and $500 during the presentation.

Bill Dean, executive vice president and CEO of the alumni association, opened the ceremony and called it a very special occasion for the recipients and the association.

“Of all the things the alumni association does, this truly is one of the highlights of our year,” he said.

Dean then presented the awards to this year’s four honorees:

• Katherine “Kathy” Austin Beltz, assistant vice president of the Information Technology Division
• Margaret “Margie” Ceja, academic adviser in the Edward E. Whitacre College of Engineering’s Department of Construction Engineering
• Beccy Hambright, program manager in the Edward E. Whitacre College of Engineering’s T-STEM Center
• Shannon Hutchison, unit manager in the Edward E. Whitacre College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Texas Tech Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Transportation

According to the Top Techsan website, Beltz was recognized for giving her heart, passion and impeccable work ethic to Texas Tech for the last 20-plus years. She is known for communicating complex technical information in an easy-to-understand way.

Ceja received the award for exhibiting outstanding customer service skills by serving students with dedication, concern and empathy. She has worked at Texas Tech for more than 10 years and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree.

Hambright was recognized for possessing strong leadership skills and is known to finish the job right the first time, and to have a can-do attitude. Hambright is also lauded for putting first the educational experiences of students and schools involved in the T-STEM program. She has worked for Texas Tech since 1991.

Hutchison was given the award for going above and beyond his daily responsibilities, allowing students to contact him after hours and on weekends. He is known for treating everyone with respect, whether they are faculty, staff, student or service personnel. He has worked at Texas Tech for 11 years.

Dean said the alumni association appreciates the dedication of Texas Tech’s faculty and staff.

“When you stop and think about it, this is all truly amazing,” he said. “This is Texas Tech. That’s what it’s all about.”

In addition to the four Top Techsan Award winners, the alumni association also recognized faculty and staff members who retired from Texas Tech in the past year.