Kimberly Olive-Milligan, the assistant director of the Office of Campus Recreation, and Jamie Crockett, the farm supervisor for the Department of Agriculture, Geoscience and Natural Resources, earned the Outstanding Employee Award for the Spring 2024 semester.
UT Martin Outstanding Employee Awards are given to one exempt and one non-exempt employee each semester. Recipients are nominated by their coworkers and chosen by a selection committee.
Olive-Milligan, who won the exempt employee award, has been with the university since 2012 and received high praise from her coworkers in her nomination packet. She is from Martin.
“Kim truly gives her all for Campus Rec,” said one coworker. “No matter the task, rest assured it will be accomplished and at the most professional level possible. She is willing to go above and beyond to help any student or staff member in need, regardless of what else she has going.”
Another stated that Olive-Milligan “revitalized outdoor adventure,” having led seven trips for students in the 2023-24 school year.
“As a supervisor, she provides an exciting learning environment.” another coworker said. “She is patient and encouraging and pushes us to be better and look for ways to improve. Staff and students alike love Kim; she makes everyone feel like they’re at home here.”
Crockett, who won the non-exempt employee award, oversees the daily management of the 700-acre teaching farm. He received nominations from 18 of his coworkers, supervisors and student workers. He came to UTM in 2016 and is from Rives in Obion County.
“Overseeing the farm requires one who can take on many roles with the ability to quickly shift roles at a moment’s notice,” said one letter of recommendation. “It also requires the ability to effectively interact with a variety of people, including farm workers, students, faculty, administrators and the public. Mr. Crockett is an effective leader and a master of these skills. His accommodating attitude and willing spirit to provide help to those in need makes the university farm an asset to the research, teaching, and outreach missions of the university.”
Other letters of recommendation called him “knowledgeable and dependable,” and said he is “a reliable worker” with “an unmatched work ethic in today’s workforce.”
“Jamie interacts with many partnering agencies that have sample plots on the farm and are a huge part of making the farm a success,” said another. “The relationships he has forged are vital to the success of the farm.”
For more information, contact the UT Martin Office of University Relations at 731-881-7615.
PHOTO: Kimberly Olive-Milligan (at left with Chancellor Yancy Freeman) and Jamie Crockett were named the Spring 2024 Outstanding Employees at UT Martin.
