Rhodes employees Charles Gatewood, Laura Jacobsen, Danielle Donze, and Ed Trouy were honored with the college’s 2026 Outstanding Staff Awards at the annual Service Recognition Brunch held on May 22. During the event, which took place in the McCallum Ballroom, staff members with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 35, and 40 years of service were also recognized.
The Outstanding Staff Awards are given based on nominations and honor employees who consistently strive for excellence while keeping the college's mission in focus.
The Outstanding Administrative Services Staff Award was presented to Charles Gatewood, campus safety officer, and the Outstanding Administrative Staff Award was presented to Laura Jacobsen, departmental assistant in the Department of History. Outstanding Administrator Awards were presented to Danielle Donze, director of student life operations and strategic initiatives, and Ed Trouy, network computer engineer.
Here is what nominators had to say about recipients of the Outstanding Staff Awards:
Charles Gatewood
“Officer Gatewood exemplifies what it means to be an Outstanding officer. He was the first responder on the scene of a residence hall fire and an unfortunate loss of a dear Rhodes student. On both scenes, Officer Gatewood rushed into action and utilized his extensive training to extinguish the fire and provide aid to the Rhodes student until emergency services arrived.”
“Campus Safety Officer Charles Gatewood has demonstrated heroism and courage this year. He alertly took quick action to obtain a fire extinguisher and put out a fire in a residence hall room. Without his prompt and decisive action, a catastrophe could have occurred. Separately, he and one of our other officers performed CPR and used a defibrillator in a critical situation on campus.”
Laura Jacobsen
“Laura Jacobsen defines excellence in all that she does . . . Very few have the skills or disposition to manage so many moving parts and personalities. Laura does so with incredible aplomb, adroitness, and grace. How deftly she handles her many responsibilities is outright impressive. Her dedication extends well beyond just serving the faculty to include students, staff, and community members. Laura is deeply committed to the mission of the college, as her strong work ethic and readiness to assist wherever assistance is needed on campus show. She can take the lead on planning and programming, and with her meticulous attention to detail, events run smoothly. Everything runs smoothly when Laura takes charge. Simply put, she is amazing.”
“Laura is a bright light on our campus. She makes everyone feel important when they stop in at the history office. She is easy to collaborate with and is a smooth bridge between her faculty and other areas of campus. I am always delighted to work with her.”
Danielle Donze
“Danielle Donze is highly deserving of recognition as an Outstanding Administrator. She consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership, deep commitment to students, and a collaborative spirit that strengthens the Rhodes community. Danielle’s work is grounded in service to students. Through her leadership of operations and strategic initiatives, she helps ensure that the systems, processes, and support structures behind the student experience are thoughtful, responsive, and effective. She understands that strong administration is not separate from student success; it is essential to it.”
“Most students –and many faculty—have no idea how much behind-the-scenes work it takes to keep the Rhodes engine running smoothly. Danielle is among the best of these unsung workers, always doing whatever it takes to not just get the job done . . . but done right. Having the skill to work with so many personalities of new students who cross through the gates each year—each with their own needs—is an invaluable benefit to the student life team.”
Ed Trouy
“For more than 30 years, Ed Trouy has kept the data network at Rhodes humming. As busy as this keeps him, Ed always has time to help a student configure their laptop or answer a question a faculty member has about the network. He routinely stays as long as it takes to complete an important task. Beyond his work ethic and helpful nature, Ed also contributes to the campus community, playing a major role in making CajunFest a success for more than a decade.”
“During the last year, all network equipment throughout campus was replaced with new, better equipment provided by a single vendor. Even as a newly short-staffed department of one, Ed worked evenings and weekends to honor his original promise of completing the campus-wide project by spring break. Overcoming technical hurdles, wiring problems, nervous users, heights on ladders, and grubby, bulging closets, Ed powered through and completed the job with a few days to spare. Ed exemplifies a lot about what makes Rhodes a special place. Truth, loyalty, and service come naturally to him, and he quietly lives those values, all while putting people first in our digital world.”
At the student-run Campus Life Awards ceremony held in April, two Rhodes staff who are critical to housing operations were honored by students Kurt Fleming was recognized as the Loretta Watkins Outstanding Housekeeper and Fred Garrett was recognized as Campus Safety Officer of the Year.