Alicia Herrera, the undergraduate and graduate administrator for the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MECH), and a 19-year employee of Rice University, has received the 2020 Rice MILE Award.
Reginald DesRoches, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering, presented the award to Herrera on Feb. 18 before the staff appreciation lunch. It is given annually to employees who “demonstrate a commitment to making their departments, division or school and Rice better through their work.”
The MECH faculty members who nominated Herrera for the Rice MILE wrote: “Taking everything into account, we rank Alicia at the very top among all of those outstanding people we have known. Alicia has an outstanding personality, motivation, professionalism and dedication to Rice.”
Rice MILE is an acronym for responsibility, integrity, community, excellence, mission driven, impact, leadership and entrepreneurial.
Herrera joined MECH in 2004 and served for two years as staff assistant. She then spent eight years as department coordinator, and six years in her current position.
Herrera was nominated for the award by Laura Schaefer, the Burton J. and Ann M. McMurtry Professor of MECH and department chair, and three former department chairs: Andrew Meade, professor; Tayfun Tezduyar, the James F. Barbour Professor; and John E. Akin, professor.