Thomas W. Schmitt Prize
Criteria
The Schmitt Prize was established in 2007 through the initiative of Thomas W. Schmitt, former associate vice president for human resources. Schmitt proposed the idea of a staff prize to senior administrators, and it was eventually funded by Ted Jenkins, Caltech alumnus (BS '65, MS '66) and trustee, who spent his professional career in the semiconductor industry. All staff members are eligible for this award and are nominated by members of the Caltech community.
The prize is presented at the annual Staff Service & Impact Awards ceremony to a staff member of the Caltech community whose contributions embody the values and spirit that enables the Institute to achieve excellence in research and education.
All staff members are eligible for this award, and are nominated by a member of the Caltech community. A committee of six faculty and staff members makes the final selection based on the following criteria. The selected staff member should
- Enjoy uncommon trust and respect among their peers,
- Directly or indirectly support the Institute's research and teaching mission in a singularly effective, professional, and passionate manner, and
- Engender a spirit of enthusiasm about Caltech and its values among everyone with whom they interact, both on campus and off.
Submit Your Nomination for the 2025 Thomas W. Schmitt Prize
Entries accepted until May 2, 2025.
Nomination Form
2008 Awardee
2018 Manny de la Torre
| Year | Employee | Div/Depart | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Nora Oshima | GPS | Nora Oshima, grants and building manager in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, was recognized for her dedication and professionalism, which prompted one nominator to call her both "relentlessly helpful" and "indispensible". |
| 2022 | Jorge Carillo | Facilities | Jorge Carrillo, custodial supervisor for the department of student housing, was recognized for "the exceptional support he provides to students and staff," and for his "compassion, loyalty, and service," according to those who nominated him. |
| 2022 | Darrel Goudeau | Facilities | Darrel Goudeau, manager of mail services, was honored as "an exceptional role model" who is known for his "diligence and trustworthiness" and his "sense of humor and positive outlook." |
| 2021 | Jerry Stewart | Facilities | Jerry Stewart, Facilities Maintenance Project Coordinator, was recognized by his peers for his outstanding contributions to Caltech with the Thomas W. Schmitt Annual Staff Prize. His colleagues praise his attention to detail and tenacious chasing down of answers and solutions. "This has earned him a reputation of being the "go to" to get something done." Jerry's ability to learn new tasks and roles quickly and his continuous hard work have exceeded expectations. With his exceptional performance, he has earned the admiration of many who come to interact with him. |
| 2020 | Esthela Jalabert | Facilities | The award recognized Jalabert for her exemplary work ethic, "unique positive spirit, pride, and dedication." In nominating her for this award, her colleagues described her as "so much more than a custodian...she serves an essential role at Caltech: making it a home." |
| 2019 | Rose Royal | Facilities | In nominating her for this honor, her colleagues described her as the heart of the service center and consider her institutional knowledge and commitment to making Caltech a better place "invaluable." |
| 2018 | Manuel (Manny) De La Torre | BBE | Nominators cited De La Torre—whose duties include managing equipment and supply procurement for multiple labs—for his hard work, cheerful attitude, and eagerness to help others. In the words of one supporter, De La Torre makes those he works with feel "like you're part of a winning team." |
| 2017 | Phyllis Burton | Financial Services |
The 2017 Thomas W. Schmitt Annual Staff Prize went to Phyllis Burton, who works in purchasing as the contracting officer for BBE. The award celebrates staff members "whose contributions embody the values and spirit that enable the Institute to achieve excellence in research and education." In nominating her for the honor, Burton's colleagues called her professional, dedicated, warm, and knowledgeable. "There have been so many times over the past few years that I have run to Phyllis with questions or issues," said one nomination. "She knows everything and is our division's savior." Another noted, "She is a problem solver and represents Caltech in such a wonderful way!" |
| 2016 | John Henning | PMA |
Joined Caltech: 1984 On the job: Henning, senior research engineer at Palomar Observatory, designs and maintains control systems to guide and safeguard Palomar's three telescopes. Since he is so familiar with telescopes' inner workings, he is often involved in troubleshooting and improvements at the Observatory. Nickname: "The Wizard," since Henning has a solution to every challenge. Why he loves his work: "I enjoy working with our dedicated, hard-working staff. And getting the telescopes to perform new tricks is a lot of fun; there is always an opportunity to be creative." |
| 2015 | Ruben Carmona | SAS |
Ruben Carmona, a grill station cook in Caltech's Chandler Cafeteria, is the winner of the 2015 Schmitt Prize. The prize is awarded annually to Caltech staff members who embody the values and spirit of the Institute through their work, directly or indirectly supporting its research and teaching mission through the professionalism and commitment they bring to their jobs. Carmona has been a Caltech employee since 2001, working in culinary services both on campus and at JPL. He began his career at Chandler Cafeteria, moving to JPL's Café 167 in 2002, where he worked for four years before returning to campus in 2006. "I have been here almost 15 years, and I love it," Carmona said. "Working at Caltech, I feel like I am part of a family. When I see that smile from my customers—students, faculty, staff—it's a reward for me." Carmona was nominated by an anonymous member of the Caltech community who testified to his dedication to his work as well as his grace under pressure, writing, "I challenge anyone to name another person on campus who, day in and day out, approaches his or her job with more enthusiasm, pride, and attention to detail than Ruben. No matter how colossal the crowd of hungry students, faculty members, and staff clustered around his station is, Ruben prepares each and every delicious meal with unmatched speed and professional skill." The nominator also cited Carmona's unwavering good humor, attesting that "he is never anything but calm and courteous, no matter how chaotic it gets (and we all know how hectic the noon hour in Chandler can be). Even on the craziest days, Ruben will cheerfully go out of his way to accommodate a special request." Carmona recalls his reaction to hearing his name called as the winner. "It was shocking," he says. "I'm still surprised; I can't believe it. I got a letter last week, and I knew I was nominated, and just knowing that was exciting for me. …This is incredible. Thank you. Thank you, everybody." "We are very grateful to have an employee as dedicated as Ruben on our staff," says Webster. "He has been a fixture at the Chandler grill station for over 15 years. One thing to note about the grill station is the constant heat: constant orders coming in, hot equipment all around, and hungry people waiting for their food. Ruben still has time to greet everyone cordially, chat with his regulars, and know his customers' 'regular' orders." |
| 2014 | Maria I. Lopez | EAS |
Maria I. Lopez is lead options administrator in Computing and Mathematical Sciences in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science at Caltech. She has been working at Caltech since 1996. Since 2003, she has served in a variety of capacities within computer science: as secretary to the department head, administrator for the Center for the Mathematics of Information, and most recently as the option administrator for Caltech students who are pursuing concentrations in computer science. Lopez counts herself lucky to work with a wonderful group of people. "My first job on campus was in faculty records, and then I moved to admissions and worked with prospective students. These were good experiences, but I think I've found my place in computer science. It's a great department. We have great leadership, great support, and wonderful coworkers. My supervisor, Jerolyn Chittum, always gives us the proper tools. If you want to take a class to better yourself, she's very supportive. And our director, Mathieu Desbrun, is just amazing." She stands poised to step into all kinds of situations, to be of use wherever she can. As Lopez explains, "I really enjoy interacting with people, and it's nice to work with people from multicultural backgrounds. For everyone, but especially for our international students, I like to emphasize an open door policy: stop by and say hello, come on in. If it's not my area, I'll find out who you can talk to. I just want to be of service. We're here because of the students, so I try to make it warm and inviting for them." Because Lopez works with incoming students, she often knows individuals throughout their Caltech careers, and she delights in meeting their families and watching them grow and change during their time here. "Caltech is a great place to work," says Lopez. "When I first started, a friend of mine was introducing me to other staff, and they all said, 'Oh, I've worked here 17 years, or 20 years, or 12 years.' Now it's me saying, 'Oh, I've been here 18 years.' My whole job is different each term, so it's always interesting." |
| 2013 | Barbara Green | Student Affairs | Barbara Green is the associate dean of undergraduate students. In her more than 25 years at Caltech, her door has always been open to students who are seeking her help. Barbara's colleagues consistently give her high marks for her accessibility and generosity with her time. She enjoys uncommon trust and respect among her peers, and is the go-to person for students, staff, and faculty when dealing with difficult situations, both academic and personal. Barbara excels at balancing the students' desire for freedom and the need to keep them out of harm's way. She often serves as the face of Caltech, personifies the honor code, and provides continuity between deans. Faculty members often ask what to do when a student displays behaviors or attitudes that are of concern, and the answer is usually the same: "Call Barbara." |
| 2013 | Maria F. Lopez | Student Affairs | Maria F. Lopez joined the Caltech Counseling Center in 2004. As the office's administrative assistant, she ensures that the daily operations of the Counseling Center run smoothly. She handles an incredibly demanding workload with professionalism and a positive attitude. She also ensures that the students who use the counseling services have a great experience as soon as they come through the doors. Maria greets each of them with warmth and sensitivity while seeing to their needs. Many make time to chat with her before their sessions because of her incredible personality; they just can't help themselves. One student remarked, "She always makes us feel noticed, cared for, and loved." Maria recently started a walking group on campus to promote a healthy lifestyle. They call themselves "The Pink Turtles," and they can be seen many evenings walking the campus. |
| 2012 | Tony Parker | Facilities | Tony Parker is a project manager in Facilities Design and Construction who is described as "reliable" and "demonstrating high standards." Tony is a creative problem-solver whose professional approach and work ethic make him the ultimate project manager. His work in programming and predesign are well known, and he is frequently requested for campus projects. His contributions to the campus are visible in projects such as the Schlinger Laboratory. In the area of customer service, he keeps everyone informed, anticipates customers' needs, and has the ability to manage difficult situations with great diplomacy (some would say we could use his skills on a global level). Time and again, it has been mentioned that Tony goes out of his way to help and encourage coworkers to do their best work. Outside Caltech, he actively supports his children's activities. |
| 2012 | Vince Riley | Facilities | Vince Riley began his career at Caltech when he was just 15 years old. He started in the plant maintenance department of Physical Plant as part of a summer program in 1978, and three years later he began working full-time in the custodial department. In 1991 he became a senior building supervisor in the physical education and recreation division of the athletics department. As the Caltech athletics ambassador, he takes pride in his job and loves his interactions with faculty, students, staff, and other members of our community. At present, as for the last two decades, Vince exercises a leadership role in organizing the daily functions of the athletics department. He has innumerable responsibilities and is an example of an unsung Caltech employee whose conscientious, intelligent, and dedicated service is what makes this university special. In 2011, Vince was honored with the staff appreciation award for services to our student athletes. He is known as the Caltech club football team's six-time award-winning running back who participated in the team's only undefeated season (1985) and who still holds the record for the longest run-a 96-yard touchdown. |
| 2011 | David Woody | PMA | David Woody has led the instrumentation development effort at OVRO for more than three decades—an internationally recognized effort that has included antenna design and verification, advances in receivers and optics, correlator design, atmospheric phase correction, and control and monitoring. He played a crucial role in completing the original Owens Valley millimeter-wave array, taking over from Professor Bob Leighton to construct the final three antennas. More recently, he masterminded the move of all six antennas to the new high site at Cedar Flat, where they form part of the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-Wave Astronomy (CARMA). Moreover, during the past five years, he has helped lead the design and construction at OVRO of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array, whose specific purpose is to search for clusters of galaxies throughout the universe. Beyond that, he has still found time to play important technical advisory roles in the design and construction of both the Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT) and the Atacama Large-Millimeter Array in the high desert of northern Chile. And, for the last six years, he has traveled to Uganda to teach mathematics and other subjects through the Kampala-based organization Missionaries of the Poor. |
| 2010 | Nils Asplund | PMA | Nils Asplund began his Caltech career in Gerry Wasserburg's Lunatic Asylum, where he stayed for 10 years. In 1985 Nils transferred to Low Temperature Physics, where he provided support as an expert engineer in both low temperature cryogenics and microfabrication. As a master of custom design and fabrication, he has crafted various pieces of research-specific instrumentation; in fact, many of the instruments he created are in use in research labs around the world. Since 2006, Nils has been senior research engineer in the applied physics group, specifically the Kavli Nanoscience Institute (KNI), in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science. He worked on everything during the construction of KNI, from designing safe engineering solutions for handling the vast array of chemicals used to the details of providing electricity, vibration isolation, soundproofing, and water cooling for all the new lab equipment. Nils may consider himself a "lone wolf," but he is considered "an exemplary leader" in the engineering field by those with whom he has worked over the years. Indeed, he has a reputation for fixing any problem, for always being there when he's needed, and for working with a calm demeanor and "can-do" attitude. |
| 2010 | Dlorah Gonzales | HR | Dlorah Gonzales—whose unique first name is her father's name, Harold, spelled backwards—came to Caltech in 1970. Starting as an 02 general clerk in Graphic Arts, within weeks she had assumed additional chores in the printshop and photo lab. Dlorah's diligence and initiative got her promoted to assistant manager and then to manager of graphic arts, where she instituted a centralized copier program and built a reputation as an efficient and well-liked manager. In 1992 she took on the additional responsibility of directing Mail Services, and in 1997 she added the title of deputy director of Auxiliary and Business Services, increasing her responsibilities yet again. She even managed to squeeze in a stint as interim bursar while a new one was recruited. Then, in 2001, Dlorah began a completely new phase of her Caltech career, as director of employment and employee services for Human Resources. But regardless of where she's worked and what her job title has been, Dlorah has long been known for her boundless energy, her ability to motivate her coworkers, and her willingness to take on any task herself. |
| 2010 | Mike Walsh | BBE | Mike Walsh has been the first and only supervisor of the Division of Biology's Electronics Shop, which has existed for more than 30 years. Over the years, he's worked with a wide, vast array of graduate students, postdocs, and faculty, including such luminaries as Nobel Laureate Max Delbrück. Mike has exceeded the expectations for himself and the shop, and as a consequence it has been an invaluable resource to researchers all over campus who need instrumentation in bioelectronics. His customer-oriented focus and accommodating management style have earned him a well-deserved first-class reputation among faculty, graduate students, and staff. But Mike's reputation seems to extend far beyond Caltech, as many former members of the community continually seek his advice and expertise from their positions in other elite institutions in the U.S. and abroad. Or, as one former grad student here put it, "Now that I've moved with my lab to Frankfurt, I only wish that we could have taken Mike along with us." |
| 2009 | Tom Dunn | CCE | Tom Dunn has been at Caltech since 1973 and is the head of the electronics shop in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Last year, when we celebrated Tom's 35th year of being at Caltech, he wrote, "I am thankful for my 35 years of employment at Caltech. . . . I have particularly enjoyed working with the many fine Chemistry and Chemical Engineering graduate students during my career here. My biggest challenge and greatest blessing has been the fact that I am often working with someone smarter than myself. I also appreciate the other fine staff in the CCE division and other divisions, as well as those in Physical Plant, who have helped me in so many ways." As self-effacing as Tom is, it is no secret that hundreds of faculty, students, postdocs, and staff—current and former— feel enormous admiration and respect for him. No fewer than 90 of Tom's admirers wrote words of praise for him. |
| 2009 | Sheila Shull | EAS | Sheila Shull has been the department administrator in Applied and Computational Mathematics for almost 30 years. When she first came to ACM (then known as AMa), the option was in some organizational disarray. Gerry Whitham, the executive officer at the time, pointed to the mess and asked Sheila if she could get things reorganized. She did so with incredible speed and skill, and the ACM faculty quickly realized what a treasure they had found. Sheila is an outstanding department administrator, and the entire ACM faculty feels privileged to have someone of her abilities. Sheila takes care of almost every aspect of the day-to-day activities in ACM, including proposal submission and grant management; management of staff members, visitors, and students; organization of international conferences; recruitment of students and instructors; utilization of space; and, most importantly, "care and feeding" of the ACM faculty, which is not without its challenges. The entire option feels very privileged to have someone of her caliber working for ACM and for Caltech. |
| 2008 | Teesa Chmielewski | Facilities | Teesa started her career at Caltech in 1981 as key clerk in the Lock Shop. In her free time she got involved in helping in other areas of the shop and found she enjoyed the mechanical work. She also seemed to have an aptitude for it and earned a four-year apprenticeship in the Lock Shop. Tessa was then promoted to journeyman locksmith and then master locksmith. She currently supervises the Lock Shop with its staff of three. The love of Teesa's life is her daughter, Megan. Together they enjoy camping, soccer, and dance. |
| 2008 | Dana Roth | CCE | Dana unofficially started working at Caltech in 1952 when the 16-year-old bagged corn tassels in Professor Ernest G. Anderson's experimental cornfield on Temple City Boulevard. He officially began his career here in 1965 when, after earning a master's degree in chemistry, he became the first chemistry librarian in the Gates Chemistry Library. He quickly became so well known that he was enticed to India on an exchange program as a library advisor for the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur in 1971-72. Three years later Scotland beckoned to him for a similar exchange. Dana and his wife, Eileen, reside in Pasadena and enjoy spending time with their daughters, Nancy and Sandra, and their grandchildren. |
| 2007 | Carol Casey | Student Affairs | Carol began her Caltech career in 1987. After seven years in Geological and Planetary Sciences and in the Career Development Center, she became the receptionist in the Student-Faculty Programs Office. Since 1994 her portfolio has steadily expanded, as she has taken on responsibility for such programs as MURF, Axline SURF, and many more. She has successfully built coalitions of faculty, staff, and students in order to provide each student with a great summer undergraduate research experience. In recognition of her superlative performance, she was promoted to assistant and then associate director of Student-Faculty Programs. |
| 2007 | Allen Taylor | Facilities | Allen has been a member of the Caltech community for more than 40 years, but has been associated with Caltech for 65 years, a remarkable achievement since he is 63 years old. His mother, Violet Taylor, worked in Seismology for 25 years and married Allen's stepfather, Francis Lehner, also from Seismology. You could say the Taylors and Caltech are truly a family affair. Allen's duties in Transportation include delivering 500-pound Dewars containing liquid nitrogen and smaller cylinders containing other chemical gases for use in experiments in Caltech laboratories. Allen also delivers packages from Central Shipping and Receiving and helps move office furniture and scientific equipment. |