UMass Lowell Employee Receives Top Public Service Award

12/19/2019

Contacts for media: Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu and Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944 or Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu

LOWELL, Mass. – UMass Lowell’s director of workplace learning and development was honored recently with one of the state’s top awards for employees.

Lee Ann Alden of Westford was presented with the Eugene H. Rooney Jr. Public Service Award by Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House on Monday, Dec. 16.

Alden, who has worked at UMass Lowell for 17 years, was one of 14 public employees recognized with various awards at the event by the Executive Office for Administration and Finance’s Human Resources Division.

“Lee Ann has established a true partnership with many stakeholders, both faculty and staff, across the UMass Lowell community as strategic partners in ensuring that the learning and development programs remain successful and foster a highly productive and engaging workplace. Lee Ann’s programming enables employees to develop knowledge, skills and abilities that allow them to perform their jobs more effectively and efficiently. The programs have proved to be an essential resource supporting the university’s desire to be a learning organization,” said Dana Yonchak, senior director of talent and culture for the Human Resources Division.

“I am privileged to have been recognized by my peers and colleagues as deserving of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Eugene H. Rooney Jr. Public Service Award. It is my honor to serve the Commonwealth and the University of Massachusetts Lowell and be a part of a great leadership team that truly cares about the professional growth of the employees,” said Alden. “I take great pride in developing programs that will provide our employees resources to achieve their personal and professional goals and be their best. I look forward to continuing to bring new resources to the university that will allow employees to develop additional skills, knowledge and attitudes that will benefit them in their continued growth and contributions.”

The Rooney Award highlights human resource development as a planned, continuous effort to provide personal and professional growth opportunities that will enhance employee competency levels with the goal of improving individual performance and gaining skills and knowledge needed to advance, according to the Human Resources Division.

The award was established to honor the memory of Eugene Rooney, the division’s former deputy personnel administrator, who strived to create both a learning and team-oriented environment; he personified creativity and innovation in public service. This award is given to public employees who have demonstrated these ideals in the area of human resource development and training.

UMass Lowell is a national research university located on a high-energy campus in the heart of a global community. The university offers its more than 18,000 students bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in business, education, engineering, fine arts, health, humanities, sciences and social sciences. UMass Lowell delivers high-quality educational programs, vigorous hands-on learning and personal attention from leading faculty and staff, all of which prepare graduates to be leaders in their communities and around the globe. www.uml.edu