Gilpin named 2022 Staff Excellence Award winner

Megan Gilpin Credit: SuppliedAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Megan Gilpin, outreach coordinator for University Libraries at Penn State, has been named the 2022 Staff Excellence Award winner. 

Established in 1993, the award recognizes the consistently outstanding performance of a staff member who has demonstrated and practiced the philosophy of continuous quality improvement, team spirit, managerial excellence in the performance of assigned duties and leadership in establishing a quality service orientation, so as to benefit his or her unit and the University. 

Nominators said Gilpin is committed to offering and enhancing student-centered programming. She’s a strong leader who is able to communicate and share with her colleagues her vision for engaging and learner-focused library experiences. 

In her decade in the position, Gilpin has made an impact on several fronts. She coordinates library orientation activities, the largest and most ambitious of which  is the annual University Park Libraries Open House.  

The Open House attracts more than 3,000 students over two days. It’s a foundational experience for first-year students that familiarizes them with the library tools they’ll need to excel. Nominators said it requires a coordinated effort among dozens of staff members. 

One area Gilpin had an impact was increasing attendance among students. She also expanded the pool of University volunteers.  

This massive, in-person experience might be difficult to pull off during a pandemic, nominators said, yet Gilpin quickly adapted Open House into a virtual experience. It was so successful the virtual component has continued and been expanded to reach students on other Penn State campuses. 

Gilpin also started the Penn State “Voices” project, which highlights the experiences of people from the Penn State community who offer their own stories that challenge stereotypes through dialog. The effort was inspired by “The Human Library.” 

During finals week, Gilpin  organizes De-Stress Fest. The event centers around student wellness and support and invites students to visit the library during these trying times to meet with staff and enjoy snacks, coffee and de-stressing activities.  

“In Library Learning Services our primary ‘customers’ are our students,” a nominator said. “Gilpin has made it clear that they drive her work. Her aim is to not only make them feel welcome in the library, but to help them to understand they have supportive resources — in the form of library employees and information sources — available to them.” 

Last Updated April 11, 2022