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FLSI Gold Star Program

A shiny gold star trophy on a dark wooden base sits on a wooden tabletop, set against a warm background of glowing golden bokeh lights.

GIVE A GOLD STAR

Nominate a colleague who's gone above and beyond. Recognized nominees are celebrated monthly across these Fralin Life Sciences Institute
communications channels.

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Meet our Gold Star Recipients

 Celebrating our August 2026 Gold Star Recipients! 🌟Join us in recognizing two outstanding members of our FLSI Operations team for their incredible contributions, leadership, and dedication:   👏 Andy Baltzegar | Director, Research Services Infrastructure    Recognized for exceptional leadership and innovative collaboration that expanded FLSI core facility capabilities and improved research services across the Virginia Tech community!   👏 Erin Cassidy | Director, Talent Management    Recognized for exceptional service and supportive guidance that streamlined hiring and HR processes, directly benefiting the GlycoMIP project and its team!   Thank you, Andy and Erin, for advancing discovery and supporting our community every day! ✨Know an FLSI employee who deserves recognition? Scan the QR code in the image or click the link to submit a nomination!
🌟 Congratulations to Steve Gray, our September 2026 Gold Star Recipient! 🌟As Facilities Support Assistant for FLSI Operations, Steve brings exceptional reliability and meticulous attention to detail to everything he does. His hard work ensures accurate receiving processes and supports timely vendor payments, directly strengthening FLSI’s operations and financial stewardship.   Thank you, Steve, for your dedication and commitment to advancing discovery at Virginia Tech! 👏✨Know an FLSI employee doing outstanding work? Scan the QR code or click the link to nominate them for a future Gold Star Award! ⬇️

This program is open to the Fralin Life Sciences Institute (FLSI) employees. Any FLSI employee can nominate another FLSI employee — you just can't nominate yourself.

Not sure what to nominate someone for? Here are a few examples:

  • Mentoring a colleague or student
  • Stepping up during a crunch or crisis
  • A small act of kindness that made someone's day easier
  • Cross-departmental collaboration that solved a problem

By submitting a nomination, you're helping us celebrate great colleagues across the FLSI community. Selected nominees will be recognized publicly each month through social media, building screens, and email — so please only nominate someone you believe would welcome public recognition.

Can I nominate my supervisor, peer, or direct report?
Yes — as long as both you and the person you're nominating are FLSI employees, you can nominate anyone at any level, including your supervisor, a peer, or someone you supervise.

How often can I submit a nomination?
As often as you'd like.

How will I know if my nomination was selected?
Selected nominees are celebrated each month across FLSI's recognition channels.

Who do I contact with questions?
Megan Williams, FLSI Administrative Coordinator — meganwilliams@vt.edu