The Facilities Management & Planning department has been recognized with the Shippensburg University Presidential Medal by President Laurie Carter.

The award was announced last Wednesday at the annual campus-wide meeting to start the school year. The meeting was held through a virtual presentation due to social distancing measures in place on campus.

The work of the facilities department directly affects students, faculty, staff, parents and visitors of Shippensburg University. Its operations include custodial, grounds, maintenance, heating and cooling, planning, design, and construction staffs. The Facilities Department strives to maintain the university’s reputation for excellence.

President Carter complemented the facilities department for their consistent work over the last five months during the pandemic.

“The facilities department is an important part of our success story,” Carter said. “They are members of our community who never left campus. They worked tirelessly to ensure that buildings are sanitized and safety measures were in place for our return. They are our essential workers, and their extraordinary service to the university should be celebrated by us all.”

The Presidential medal is awarded to a person or a group for extraordinary contributions to the university. In addition to the recognition, the awardee is given scholarship money to distribute to a student as the awardee chooses. The medal isn’t necessarily an annual award, but, as President Carter stated, “This year, there was no question.”