Holland Wins 2016 Spirit of Emerson Award

From left: Jaqi Holland, Eiki Satake, Jade Zaroff
From left: Jaqi Holland, Eiki Satake, Jade Zaroff

Staff member Jaqi Holland, MA ’04, assistant director of academic support at the Lacerte Family Writing and Academic Resource Center, was presented with a Spirit of Emerson Award at the final faculty meeting of the academic year in April.

The Spirit of Emerson Awards are given annually to Emerson community members who have exemplified the Spirit of Emerson during the past academic year or longer. Recipients must meet at least three of the ten criteria defined by the awards committee. Examples include advancing Emerson’s mission including President Pelton’s five objectives, epitomizing inclusiveness, increasing Emerson’s positive visibility in the world or Boston community, and building morale.

Institute Associate Professor Eiki Satake, chair of the awards committee, cited respect, integrity, dedication, passion, and enthusiasm as traits used to describe Holland.

“Those good characters define and constitute who she is, what she is, and how she successfully demonstrated the spirit and contributed to the College,” said Satake.

Holland started at Emerson in 2000, and her current role requires her to split time between the Writing and Academic Resource Center (WARC) and the Disability Services Office (DSO). For the DSO, she arranges academic accommodations for students. One highlight is the notetaking program, which she built from zero notetakers when she started to currently about 40 notetakers per year. For the WARC, she manages the day-to-day operations including working directly with the student staff and connecting students to a variety of resources.

Holland said, “[I]t’s been a good day if I can calm a student’s anxiety before an exam and reassure them that they’ve got this—or connect them to tutors and specialists so that they can do better the next time.”

Nearly 35 applications were received this year for the award. In addition to Holland, student Jade Zaroff ’17, creator and producer of the annual Emerson Green Gala, received an award.

Holland noted, “I’m humbled to have even been nominated for the award…Emerson has been my home for a long time, so it’s especially meaningful coming from my colleagues.”

According to the Spirit of Emerson website, the committee comprises students and staff members representing various groups within the community.

Carlin Corrigan (Media Services)