Provost Distinguished Staff Award Winners for Fall, 2024

All universities can function only with the good work of many staff that support students, faculty, grounds, and buildings. Georgetown is blessed with unusually strong staff throughout the university.

After wonderful work of the Main Campus Staff/AAP leadership, we were able to establish new recognition of extraordinary performance among these colleagues we work with every day.

The Provost Distinguished Staff Awards start with nominations from co-workers, to identify those who have demonstrated distinction in going above and beyond for another member of the community or the community at large. The kinds of actions that we sought to recognized were building community engagement, effectively supporting student success, bringing national recognition to Georgetown University, innovation in the university community, promoting inclusive and diverse equitable communities, promoting Jesuit values, generosity to another member of the community, and/or process improvements to the university

It is with great pleasure that we announce the inaugural recipients of the Provost Distinguished Staff/AAP Award, selected from more than 60 nominees who work on Georgetown’s Main Campus.

Briana Green, senior director of career development and alumni engagement at the McCourt School of Public Policy, and Justin Smith, associate dean for strategic initiatives and program development at the McDonough School of Business, will each receive a $2,500 award and a one-year designation as the Provost’s Distinguished Staff Member.

Briana Green has often been one of few African American women in her work groups. She is a strong advocate for increasing, supporting, and promoting diversity and inclusion. Within McCourt, she has served as an unofficial mentor and advocate for many of our National Urban Fellows and other students who do not see themselves represented in leadership roles or in the classroom.

Upon her completion of Georgetown’s Certificate in Leadership Coaching and Georgetown’s DEI Certificate, Briana has become even more effective in helping our students realize their potential. She presented to 250 first year students on Identity & Belonging and on Identifying Bias during orientation.

For the greater Georgetown community, she participates in the Georgetown Women’s Alliance Mentor program, First Generation Student ally, and a Marino Family International Writers’ mentor. Briana is also an integral part of the job readiness aspect of the Georgetown Paralegal Program within the Prisons Justice Initiative. Briana has helped fellows prepare resumes and practice job interviewing.

Justin Smith spearheads research initiatives for undergraduates in the McDonough School of Business (MSB). He has helped nurture the McDonough Undergraduate Research Program into a valuable part of the student experience. He developed a course that taught business students key elements of research and their application to different areas of business. He has also elevated the MSB summer research program with a symposium held during Family Weekend. This symposium has showcased original student research to faculty, other business students, the broader campus community, and their families.

Justin recently moved to a new position in the office where he does not directly advise students. Despite this he voluntarily supported a student who had taken multiple leaves of absence. She needed added support to finish her degree requirements. Justin offered to work with this young woman to help her get over the finish line. When she finally crossed the stage at commencement this spring, she noted how Justin’s support was so helpful in allowing her to achieve her educational goals.

Justin goes out of his way to support initiatives of the School. He helped design and analyze a survey that looked at belonging for McDonough students across programs. Justin is a problem solver who has a tremendous work ethic, and can be counted on to support not only his office’s initiatives, but the university’s initiatives as well.

Please join me in congratulating Brianna and Justin on their being recognized for their professionalism and effectiveness at Georgetown.