Excellence on Display – The Oscars for Federal Employees

The Service to America Medals are the Oscars of public service awards. The annual awards – by the Partnership for Public Service – are given to outstanding public servants. Last year’s recipients included a NIH scientist who found the superbug infecting patients, a NASA rocket scientist who helped create the Mars Rover and a young State Department employee who bridged the culture gap in the Middle East. Amazing stories of innovation and perseverance.

Tim McManus is the Vice President for Education and Outreach at the Partnership for Public Service. He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program that reading through the Sammies nominations are one of the best parts of his job.

Especially in times like these it is such a good opportunity to recognize your employees with a nomination.Even if they are not selected to be a Sammies recipient, by submitting their name and nominating them in this time when feds are under pressure and being bashed for a lot of different things, a nomination is a great way to show recognition and appreciation for the hard work that they are doing every single day.

It is free. That is what agencies are struggling with a little bit right now, we can’t give pay increases, we can’t give bonuses, how do we recognize folks? This is one of those ways. Just the nomination is a recognition that you have taken note of their accomplishments.

Nominees always say, “I was just doing my job. This is what I do.”

“One of the things that is most awe-inspiring happens at the recognition gala itself. The recipients say, ‘I was just doing my job. I was doing what needed to be done.’ They are the most humble group,” said McManus.

How to nominate someone:

“We recognize folks in 8 categories, everything from Career Achievement, to Call to Service. The Call to Service category is one of my favorite because nominees have to be 35 years or younger. It is really for younger, newer to government employees. The amazing employees work from this cohort is incredible because they have only had a few years of service. What is surprising is that the nominations in here are not overwhelming in the numbers. We need to recognize more young people,” said McManus.

Get the good work of government out:

“More of these messages about the day to day good work of the public sector needs to get out to the American people. They need to see federal workers not as the problem, but as the solution,” said McManus.

All nominations to the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals program must be submitted using the online application form.