Thomas W. Schmitt Annual Staff Prize

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.