Lauren Ball Receives 2022 Provost Unit Awards for Excellence

The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost has recognized five outstanding staff members as recipients of the 2022 Provost’s Unit Awards for Excellence.

Lauren Ball, assistant director for programs, Office of International Services, was honored in the category “customer service.”

The University Awards for Excellence represent NC State’s highest honor for non-faculty members. Each nominee demonstrated excellence in one of the following areas: customer service, efficiency and innovation, human relations, outstanding state government service, public service, safety and heroism, and the spirit of North Carolina.

Along with this year’s winners, the recipients of the 2021 and 2020 Provost’s Unit Awards for Excellence were honored at an in-person ceremony held Thursday, March 24.

The following text includes excerpts from her nomination material.

Since a substantial focus of the Office of International Services (OIS) is compliance due to constantly changing regulations and governmental guidance, colleagues consider Lauren Ball, assistant director for programs, their “true north” compass in keeping their work compassionate and centered on the needs of students and scholars. During her 12-year tenure, the many programs and events that Lauren has put together evidence her remarkable and incredible capacity for human connection. From anti-immigration policies, rising xenophobia, COVID-19 impacts, and currently, a major new international conflict, OIS has been directly impacted, swiftly adapting to changing circumstances and at the forefront, finding ways to support our student and scholar population through every new crisis. Despite these challenges before her, Lauren’s commitment to customer service to international students, scholars and their dependents is exceptional.

This article was originally published by Emily Pickard on March 30.