In case you missed it, at the end of October, an announcement was published on UMployee about ‘fifty years UM’ with a list of important dates and a message that there would be no separate New Year’s reception in 2026. According to the post, “following the Dies Natalis, there will a festive reception to ring in the new year”. Spokesperson Koen Augustijn said that presenting the employee prize is “usually attached to the New Year’s reception, the most suitable moment for this prize”, but as this year, there will be no party on 5 January, there will also be no presentation.
The prize is generally awarded to two members of staff who were nominated by their colleagues for their commitment and special efforts. For the last few years, they were presented with a certificate, a bunch of flowers and a gift card by the vice-president – last year was Jan-Tjitte Meindersma’s debut, before that it was Nick Bos.
In January 2025, HR professional Petra Suurmond was the (sole) lucky recipient. She played an important role in the creation of a game for new employees, Unlocking the UM DNA. There was also only one winner in 2024, Kevin Fuchs. He is the field study coordinator for the bachelor’s of Global Studies. Nearly three years ago was also a memorable occasion, as it was the first time since the start of the pandemic that the reception could be held in person. Five people were rewarded for their commitment to the university: two had won earlier, but due to the pandemic had been unable to be celebrated properly.