On a normal day, the work done in the Purchasing Department at Marshall University may go unnoticed.

But this year, one of the purchasing agents won the recognition a hard worker deserves.

Stephanie C. Smith has been named the Procurement Officer of the Year for Higher Education, being the first person at Marshall to receive the award.

This is an annual award given by the State College and University System of West Virginia.

The award was presented during the Higher Education Conference Nov. 15, 1999, in Charleston.

William J. Shondel, director of purchasing and materials management, nominated Smith for the award.

“Stephanie is the type of person to clone and have hundreds of,” Shondel said. “She deserved an award for what she has done.”

Smith has been at Marshall 11 years in the Purchasing Department. She began as Clerk II, then worked her way up to Purchasing Assistant I, then II, and is now a Purchasing Agent, one of only four at Marshall.

According to Shondel, Smith is also the first Purchasing Office graduate of the College Business Management Institute in Lexington, Ky.

Shondel’s nomination letter lists many of Smith’s projects, such as a new housing complex, daycare center and jazz center. She also negotiated the outsourcing of the bookstore and overflow printing. She developed the statewide asbestos abatement contract, campus one-card system and new tuition management service for students.

Smith is well liked and respected in the office, Barbara J. Smentkowski, administrator’s assistant, said.

“We are very proud of Stephanie,” Smentkowski said. “She is known as Miss Congeniality of the department.”

Smentkowski also said Smith is always there to work and help people with their problems.

Smith described her job as buying goods, services and construction for Marshall. But she said she felt she couldn’t have been a success without the rest of the department. She also gave credit to Shondel.

“He is a great supervisor that also makes you feel like you did a good job. He commends his employees’ accomplishments,” Smith said. “He is a wonderful director and anybody would be honored to work for him.”

Smith received a Marshall-green plaque for her accomplishment, which she said she plans to hang on her office wall, a reminder that hard work really does pay off.

Story by Courtney Ross