One of my most rewarding experiences as an Ole Miss staff member has been longtime service on the Frist Student Service Award committee. In 1994, alumnus Dr. Thomas F. Frist, founder of Hospital Corporation of America, established the Thomas F. Frist Service Award Endowment.
The cornerstone of Dr. Frist’s enormous success was his emphasis on service, whether as a physician, as a company CEO or as a volunteer for many worthwhile projects. The endowment provides a $1,000 award each year for one faculty member and one staff member who exemplify Dr. Frist’s remarkable life by providing extraordinary service to students.
Under the auspices of the Office of the Chancellor, the campus committee, which includes immediate past recipients of the award and a student representative, coordinates the nomination and selection process each spring.
Students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to submit nominations for the coveted awards, which are presented at spring Commencement. The committee places great emphasis on nominations that provide details of specific instances of service demonstrating that a member goes beyond the duties of his or her job. Showing that it’s a distinct honor to even be considered for a Frist Award, faculty and staff who are nominated receive a letter of congratulations from the chancellor.
While specific details of nominations are kept confidential within the committee, we members feel privileged to share in this selection process, which is reassurance that many good things are happening at this flagship university, often behind the scenes and in the trenches.
A call for nominations goes out in early March and ends around the second week in April. Read Ole Miss News online for information and watch for an icon on the Ole Miss home page to click for the online Frist Award nomination form.