Olivet Celebrates 75th Annual President’s Reception, Honors Outstanding Faculty and Staff
Under sunset skies and twinkling lights in Red Square, Olivet Nazarene University celebrated its 75th annual President’s Dessert Reception for Faculty, Staff and Retirees on Thursday, August 21. The evening began in Chalfant Hall before moving outdoors, where the campus community gathered to recognize exceptional service and welcome new members to the Olivet family.
University President Gregg Chenoweth and First Lady Tammy Chenoweth welcomed faculty, staff, administrators and their spouses to kick off the new academic year with the theme “The Year of Y’all” — celebrating the collective impact of individual contributions.
“Work is demanding. We’re not good at it just by being in it. But when we bring ourselves fully to it, and craft intentions for our lives, massive impact occurs,” President Chenoweth said. “As you realize your potential, along with others, our collection of ‘you’s’ is a spectacle of ‘y’all.’ A fun spectacle.”
Outstanding Service Recognized
The evening’s highlights included the presentation of the Faculty and Staff Member of the Year awards. Dr. Elizabeth (Lisa) Gassin, Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness and Professor of Psychology, received the 2025 Faculty Member of the Year Award for her commitment to institutional effectiveness, academic excellence and dedication to Olivet’s mission. 
Over her 27 years at Olivet, Gassin has mentored University Honors Program students, contributed to numerous research projects and received both the Richard M. Jones Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence (2007) and the Samuel L. Mayhugh Award for Scholarly Excellence (2015). She has published or presented more than 40 solo projects and contributed to 32 additional publications and presentations worldwide.
“One of the reasons I wanted to help with institutional effectiveness was the ability to use my research skills in a way that would have fairly immediate impact for the campus community,” Gassin said. “Given that we look at effectiveness of programs, being able to speak into what affects students, particularly those who are at a disadvantage, has been very fulfilling.”
Cynthia Taylor ’06 M.A., Ph.D., Dean of Multiethnic Student Services, was honored as the 2025 Staff Member of the Year for her decade of work developing and expanding student programming that celebrates cultural heritage and fosters belonging on campus.
Under Taylor’s leadership, Multiethnic Student Services now supports six affinity groups and hosts five to six annual campus-wide events recognizing culturally significant holidays and commemorative months.
“I am so grateful to be able to pour into young adults spiritually, academically and culturally so they can develop a sense of belonging and purpose,” Taylor said. “Olivet is a microcosm of the world. What better way than to pour into students as they become change agents for a world that is so divided?”
Welcoming New Members
The University welcomed seven new faculty members and more than 30 new staff members who have joined the campus community since last year’s reception. Tom Ascher, Director of Human Resources, introduced the new employees who will contribute to Olivet’s mission of providing “Education With a Christian Purpose.”
Years of Service Awards
The reception also recognized faculty and staff reaching significant service milestones, with employees honored for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40 years of dedication to the university. Keith Reel from Information Technology received special recognition for 40 years of service.
As the evening concluded with the traditional singing of the Olivet Alma Mater, the gathering served as both a celebration of past achievements and an inspiring launch to the 2025-2026 academic year, embodying the spirit of community and shared purpose that defines Olivet Nazarene University.
To see the full event program, featuring list of faculty and staff accomplishments as well as special award recognitions, click here.
