As Cornell Human Ecology concludes its 100th anniversary year, the college community gathered for the annual Staff Recognition event on Dec. 9 to honor staff members who reached milestone years of service, contributed to centennial celebrations and were nominated by colleagues for their exceptional dedication.
This year’s 30 honorees marked service milestones ranging from five to 40 years, collectively contributing 570 years to the college and to Cornell.
Through thoughtful planning and collaboration, faculty and staff also helped shape a centennial year that engaged the entire community, including a centennial-themed exhibit in the Johnson Museum, a signature ice cream flavor developed in collaboration with Cornell Dairy and a birthday celebration attended by more than 200 faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Twelve staff members were nominated for the Staff Recognition Award, recognizing service above and beyond their roles in the past year, providing exceptional contributions and helping to advance the mission of the college:
- Angela Scaglione-Houghtling, finance and operations assistant in the Division of Nutritional Sciences
- Aubrey Wetmore, administrative assistant in the Office of Student Services
- Bailey Drewes Smith, research support specialist in the Division of Nutritional Sciences
- Bernadette Parr, director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions
- Charles Beach, manager in the Digital Design and Fabrication Studio (D2FS)
- Christine Tanner, manager in the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures (CIHF)
- Danielle Parks, Bronx/Manhattan/Staten Island program liaison for Cornell Cooperative Extension — New York City (CUCE-NYC)
- Kristine Manoney, assistant dean for centers and institutes
- Laura Diedrickson, operations and administrative assistant in the Division of Nutritional Sciences
- Patricia Brenchley, assistant to the chair in the Department of Psychology
- Robin Roger, assistant dean for communications
- Sharon Kaplan, student services associate in the Division of Nutritional Sciences
Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean, shared each nominee’s accomplishments, noting an overall theme of proactivity and helping others, before announcing the two winners of the 2025 Staff Recognition Award: Angela Scaglione-Houghtling and Laura Diedrickson.
“Angela and Laura were nominated by no fewer than 42 of their colleagues from across the Division of Nutritional Sciences,” said Dunifon. “They are consummate problem-solvers, trusted information resources, systems and procedures experts and dedicated facilitators. Their support spans everything from booking travel to offering expertise to help avoid missteps when navigating complex institutional and governmental requirements.”
