Staff Dedication and Excellence Takes Center Stage at 60th Annual Awards Celebration

Roses for the Matador: Honorees at the 2026 Staff Service and Recognition of Excellence Awards take part in the tradition of placing a rose on the Matador statue, to commemorate milestone events. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

Edgar Fidel Lopez of Research and Sponsored Programs and winner of the 2026 Presidential Award poses for a photo with CSUN President Erika D. Beck. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

Staff members celebrating milestone anniversaries on campus take a moment to catch up with Matty, CSUN’s Matador mascot. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

Megan Duncan Jones (right) of the Department of Academic Technology is presented with the Award of Merit by Genevieve Evans Taylor, chief of staff to the university president. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

Jeffrey Steinberg of the Klotz Student Health Center was honored for 40 years of service to CSUN. He received a special Matadors basketball jersey at the ceremony on May 28, 2026, in the University Student Union. Rueyling Tsay of the University Library (not shown) was also recognized for 40 years at CSUN. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

The Staff Service and Recognition of Excellence Awards is always a popular event. (Ringo Chiu/CSUN)

Aymie Guerrero (right) of the Office of the Vice President, Student Affairs is presented with the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award by Amanda Quintero, senior advisor to the president for inclusive excellence and equity innovation officer for the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

Nora Harrington (right) of the Klotz Student Health Center is presented with the Award of Merit by CSUN Provost Meera Komarraju. (Ringo Chiu / CSUN)

CSUN staff members gathered in the University Student Union on May 28 for the annual celebration to recognize years of dedicated service and a collective commitment to excellence.

This was a landmark year for the event — the 60th Annual Staff Service and Recognition of Excellence Awards, where more than 300 staff, managers and auxiliary employees were recognized at milestone years of service, starting at five years. Honorees walked the red carpet into the Northridge Center to enjoy breakfast and a fun photo booth as part of the morning’s festivities, that also included a presentation of awards.

The Staff Service and Recognition of Excellence Awards include the CSUN Presidential Award, CSUN Award of Merit, Jolene Koester Team Award, CSUN Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award, Student Assistant of the Year Award, Leadership Award and Sustainability Award.

The honorees for 2026 are listed below — and don’t miss the photos of this beloved annual event:

Presidential Award: Edgar Fidel Lopez, Research and Sponsored Programs

Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award: Aymie Guerrero, Office of the Vice President, Student Affairs

Merit Awards: Erika Andres, Human Resources; Megan Duncan Jones, Academic Technology; Nora Harrington, Klotz Student Health Center

Student Assistant of the Year Award: Raquel Guadalupe, Associated Students

Leadership Award: Tim Szczepanski, Associated Students

Jolene Koester Team Award: Expanding Student Housing Access Through Strategic Improvement

Community Engaged Staff Award: Sushmita Saha, Information Technology

Sustainability Award: Robert Harbeston, Physical Plant Management

Forty Years of Service: Jeffrey Steinberg of the Klotz Student Health Center and Rueyling Tsay of the University Library