Elizabeth Milnes

Honored with Joseph A. Martore Excellence in Education Award

By Lois Slavin, ESD Communications Director

On November 13, Institute Professor and Acting Director of ESD Joel Moses announced that Elizabeth Milnes, ESD Academic Administrator, has won the 2007 Joseph A. Martore Award for Excellence in Education. This award was established to recognize outstanding contributions to one of ESD’s academic programs in the areas of education and program development.

Institute Professor Joel Moses, Acting Director of ESD, presents the Joseph A. Martore Excellence in Education Award to ESD's Academic Administrator Elizabeth Milnes.

Milnes was specifically cited for her outstanding contributions to the ESD Ph.D. Program and the ESD graduate student community. Excerpts from her nominations included the following:

• The extent of Beth’s contribution to ESD education is, in the opinion of those being educated, much greater than what can possibly be taught in any single course.
• Beth coaches, consults, and provides key advice on how we can perform better. Day in and day out, she goes above and beyond the bounds of reasonable expectations to help ESD Ph.D. students achieve more.
• Beth regularly listens to students’ concerns, providing support and encouragement throughout the program and also during the admissions process. Students said she “makes ESD feel like home;” “knows her job inside and out;” and “her helpful and knowledgeable attitude goes beyond her ascribed duties.”
• Beth was a tremendous help to revitalizing the Engineering Systems Student Society. “Without Beth’s help in setting up our meetings, without her voice of reason and practicality in scheduling and orchestrating events, and without her curiosity and desire to learn about our research, our peer learning process would be significantly hampered…..Beth is an essential ingredient to the glue that holds all of ESD’s students together; not only is she incredibly involved and helpful with ESS events such as poster sessions and research forums, but she is also that central hub in a network of students that is often too loosely connected.“
• She makes things happen; encourages us to excel and to build a stronger student network.

“We consider it an honor and a privilege to offer this nomination,” concluded the group who wrote the letter of support. “Beth is irreplaceable.”

Milnes will receive a certificate of appreciation and a monetary award.