The Joanne Olson Award

The Joanne Olson Award for Mission-Driven Excellence was developed to recognize an individual who serves within the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and its divisions who demonstrates extraordinary service to the educational mission.

The award is named for Dr. Joanne Olson, who served the University of Mississippi Medical Center for 19 years in institutional research, accreditation, and the grants and contracts offices. She also served as an assistant professor in the School of Nursing. Now retired, she was paramount to the successful 2011 Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Reaffirmation.

Award nominees must display mission-driven dedication, demonstrate service excellence, and be full-time UMMC employees who have been at UMMC for at least three (3) years. Award recipients are on display in the Verner S. Holmes Learning Resource Center.

The 2023 Joanne Olson Award for Mission-Driven Excellence recipient is Kim Chaney, Senior CHPE Accreditation & Program Manager in the Division of Continuing Health Professional Education.

Past Joanne Olson Award nominees and recipients include:

• 2023 - Kim Chaney, Bettie Butler, Dr. Hanna Broome, Lauren Nichols, Dr. Vickie Skinner, Dr. Jeanna D. Wilkes
• 2022 - Kathy Pipitone, Brittney Anthony, Dena Christmas, Dr. Carley Dear, Dr. Wahnee Sherman, Dr. Vickie Skinner
• 2021 - Joyce Shelby, Kim Chaney, Susan Clark, Caroline Compretta, Dr. Natalie Gaughf, Carlo Smith, Kathy Pipitone, Paula Rutledge, Dr. Vickie Skinner, Brandon Wallen
• 2020 - Dr. Chameka Robinson and Dr. Anna Lerant, Kim Chaney, Alaina Herrington, Joyce Shelby
• 2019 - Christi Hardy, Sarah Adcock, Susan Clark, Dr. Ralph Didlake, Dr. Natalie Gaughf, Dr. Rob Rockhold, Ruby Smith
• 2018 - Dorothy Singleton, Emily Cole, Dr. Natalie Gaughf, Dr. Chameka Robinson
• 2017 - Dr. Mitzi Norris