Kelly McCann, assistant director of special events in Alumni Relations, has received the university’s 2017 President’s Award for Excellence.

The President’s Award for Excellence is presented annually to up to five Virginia Tech employees who have made extraordinary contributions by consistent excellence in the performance of their job or a single incident, contribution, or heroic act. Each recipient is awarded a $2,000 cash prize.

McCann facilitates the recovery, education, and outreach efforts of the Office of Recovery and Support through a variety of projects with the support of grants awarded to Virginia Tech by the Office for Victims of Crime in the U.S. Department of Justice. She serves as the operational director for the university-sponsored events remembering the victims of the April 16 tragedy, working closely with university and community departments as well as many families.

In order to prepare for the 10th anniversary of April 16, 2007, she traveled to other cities to understand their responses to tragedy and molded those lessons into Day of Remembrance activities that honor the lives of those lost. She has met with countless university partners and stakeholders, as well as maintained relationships with the families to ensure open communication and consideration.

“In true Hokie fashion, Kelly has embodied the spirit of our university motto, Ut Prosim, by assuming a servant leadership role in every aspect of her work. In her time serving Virginia Tech, our survivors, and the 4/16 families, Kelly has become as commonly known to those she serves as the Hokie Stone that adorns our buildings. In my opinion, she is just as important as the foundations that support that stone,” George Jackson, lieutenant in the Virginia Tech Police Department, wrote in a letter of nomination.

McCann has assisted with the Presidential Inauguration and commencement and has served in the Command Center for other major university events. She is certified in many emergency management programs, such as the FEMA Emergency Management Institute, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Campus Community Emergency Response Team, Threat Assessment, and American Red Cross.

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