Marcio Moreno has received the 2008 University of North Carolina Wilmington Staff Award for Excellence for his service to the local Hispanic community and his commitment to diversity.

As the senior assistant director of admissions, Moreno has significantly increased the number of minority students at UNC Wilmington, especially those from Hispanic backgrounds, and he has helped with the retention of those students once they arrive.

Moreno has forfeited his lunch hour to teach two sections of Spanish each semester. He stays after work to instruct UNCW students in his native language, works closely with UNCW's Centro Hispano and devotes his free time to helping the Hispanic community in Wilmington succeed. Under his leadership as advisor to Mi Gente, the Hispanic student organization has become one of the most socially active student organizations on the campus.

"His service to others, commitment to equality and public service, and willingness to give so freely of himself make him a role model for all who have met him," said nominator Amanda Boomershine, assistant professor of Spanish.

UNCW annually recognizes the exemplary contributions of employees with the Staff Award for Excellence. The recipient receives a $1,500 cash award presented by the UNCW Board of Trustees, a reserved parking space for one year, three days of vacation leave, a framed certificate, a presentation clock and their name on a perpetual plaque in Chancellor's Office. The recipient is also nominated for the Governor's Award of Excellence.

Media Contact:

Joy Davis, UNCW Marketing and Communications, 910.962.3616 or davisjc@uncw.edu

Other nominees for the award included:
Carolyn Farley, Student Affairs
Carol Russell, Department of Biology and Marine Biology
Keryn Vickers, Admissions
Dana Ward, Information Technology Systems Division
William Vereen, Telecommunications
Rebecca Stevens, University Police
Elizabeth Grimes, Human Resources
Robb Mann, Information Technology Systems Division

In addition to the Staff Award for Excellence, the university recognized employees who achieved five-year anniversary levels of state service and retiring employees:

5 YEARS
Regina Anderson
Sheri Lyn Anderson
Julia Beer
Mary Bradford
Patrick Carroll
Tony Copeland
Elma Cosley
Suzanne Daughtridge
Jason Davis
Freddie Dingle
Christie Eakins
Andrew Fletcher
Rogelio Garcia
Laketa Hammonds
Russell Hatchett
Laree Hendricks
Stephanie Herring
Laurie Howell
George Huggins
Anita Jones
Sue Kezios
Kenneth Lapen
Robert Leitch
Jeffrey Lesley
Robert Mann
Desiree Mapson
Bonnie Mattis
Julia McCombs
Larry McCroskey
Catherine McFadden
Shannon Miles
Edmon Minton
Betty (Boop) Moore
Kelly Moore
Glenda Pate
James Pue-Gilchrist
Timothy Richard
Brenda Riegel
Amanda Rose
Charles Ruch
Jodie Ruskin
Jonia Smith
Steven Smith
Sandra Stinson
Cheryl Sutton
Walter Tenney
Gregory Tucker
David Wells
Debra Whiting
Sarah Whittington
Michael Wolfe
Christopher Wrede

10 YEARS
Mary Louise Andrison
Virginia Baysden
Toni Bellingrath
Robert Brickels
Yvonne Brown
Betty Clark
Deborah Cronin
William DiNome
Kimberly Fisher
Thomas Greer
Carol Harris
Elizabeth Lee
Zella Lee
Sandra Marlow
James Richardson
Sandra Rowell
Steven Sharpe
Priscilla Sykes
Karen Tobiassen
Tamara Violette
Gloria Willis

15 YEARS
Lynn Aycock
Jane Bailey
Sherri Batson
Michael Bradley
Nadine Brimage
Judith Carter
Matilda Eason
Angelia Edwards
Lesia Heltzel
Melvin Jackson
Nancy Jones
Melanie Kelley
Juanita McDuffie
Elizabeth Schaffer
Daniel Suits
Cecil Sutton

20 YEARS
Daniel Aten
Tammie Bangert
Marquita Brown
Mark Gay
Billy Graves
Cynthia Kaiser
Metta King
Martha MacLennan
Jocelyn Medley
Charles Mills
Robert Morris
Carol Porter
Judith Siko
Edwina Slane
Julie Teague
Emma Kay Thornton
Sophie Williams

25 YEARS
Melvin Brown
Patricia Deanes
Daniel Geddie
Marcia James
Fermond Parson
John Ragins
Cassandra Ward
Sandra Williams

30 YEARS
Gayle Cook
Greg Dalton
Betty Smith

RETIREES
Annie Aldrich
Geneva Bacik
Perri Bomar
Frances Brown
Ron Core
Stephen Crandall
Mimi Cunningham
Janet Davis
Charlotte Durbino
Lawrence Everette
John Garris
Neil Hadley
Jeff Jolly
Donald Kapraun
Caryl Lamb
Donna Lamont
Veneta Mahler
Alice Maile
Margaret Micheli
Evie Odom
Colon Roberts
Sandra Rogers
Peggy Roggenstein
Peggy Segars
Jo Ann Seiple
Lucille Tomas
Ralena Wicker