In the midst of the pandemic, Brandon Bouché, an OIT broadcast and emerging media engineering specialist, used his technical expertise to video capture the intricacies of campus life and special events.

For his work, Bouché captured the most prestigious honor bestowed upon an NC State non-faculty member — the University Awards for Excellence — during an awards ceremony held June 8 in the James B. Hunt Jr. Library Auditorium. 

The University Awards for Excellence recognizes contributions that are above and beyond an employee’s normal job responsibilities in customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations, outstanding state government service, public service, safety and heroism, and the spirit of North Carolina. 

Nominated in the category Efficiency and Innovation, Bouché ensured the broadcast of high-profile events — graduation ceremonies, the NC State Board of Trustee meetings, executive searches and sporting events — went smoothly. While addressing pandemic-related challenges, Bouché also developed on a shoestring budget a control room and broadcast studio that significantly advanced and enhanced the quality of campus live video streams and video production.

“It is a huge honor to be recognized with this award,” said Bouché in an email to his colleagues. “I could not do it without all the hard work and support from the rest of my team. And I really want to give a huge thanks to both BJ Attarian and Stan North Martin for the nomination and all the support and recognition given to me over the five years I have been here!”

Bouché and 11 other award recipients will receive a plaque, $1,000 and eight hours of paid leave. They also will vie for the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in October. There were 56 nominees across campus units and divisions.

Other OIT employees who vied for the University Awards for Excellence included: Elizabeth Cole-Walker and Adria Snead. 

• Nominated in the category Customer Service, Cole-Walker, an IT security specialist, has a true passion for cybersecurity and is a campus champion for making these complex topics relatable to customers. Customer service demands continuous improvement and Cole-Walker takes each assignment, project or request as an opportunity to both learn and improve OIT Security and Compliance services. These customer-centric actions build trust in Security and Compliance programs, which enable campus customers to feel more comfortable and confident in their decision-making.
  
• Nominated in the category Outstanding State Government Service, Snead’s unselfish devotion to duty — far and above the normal approach — positioned NC State to be a place to go for national security and other controlled research. During the summer of 2021, Snead, an IT security professional in Security and Compliance, worked many long nights and weekends to help ensure the successful completion of the university’s Secure University Research Environment (SURE) compliance project with reporting to the Department of Defense. Snead continues to work with stakeholders across higher education to share NC State’s lessons learned and success stories, while also listening to other institutions’ needs to prepare NC State for the road ahead. 

OIT Awards for Excellence

Bouché, Cole-Walker and Snead were recipients of OIT’s 2022 Awards for Excellence, which qualified them to vie for the University’s Awards for Excellence. Each received a plaque, $250 and eight hours of paid leave.

Other OIT employees who were nominated at the division level included Matt Deal, Chris Deaton, Mike Donathan, Dan Grigg and Katie McInerney.