Madeline St. Clair Earns Board of Regents KUDOS Award

At their recent meeting on April 7, 2023, the University of Nebraska Board of Regents presented Madeline St. Clair with a KUDOS Award for her dedication to her fellow Mavericks through the Maverick Food Pantry, located in the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center on the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO)'s Dodge campus.

Madeline has been recognized by her peers in this nomination for consistently giving her all in her duties of managing the Maverick Food Pantry. She does so because she understands the correlation between meeting an individual’s basic needs and their ability to then be successful in their personal and academic pursuits.

“She always strives to make the pantry a place that feeds stomachs, because she knows that also helps feed student success and wellbeing when their needs are met,” wrote one of her nominators.

Another added, “Prior to the winter break, she went above and beyond all expectations – not only did she arrange for the food pantry guests to have food during the winter closedown, but she also partnered with a community organization to provide fresh produce, bread, and desserts as a special treat for holiday season, all items that the Maverick Food Pantry hasn’t typically been able to provide.”

Madeline understands the power of an engaged community, and such community partnerships are something she specializes in. She does this to ensure that Mavericks, as well as UNMC and College of Saint Mary students, have the resources they need to succeed. She has worked hard to foster partnerships that include organizations such as Whispering Roots, Omaha Farmer’s Market, Big Muddy Urban Farm, Food Bank of the Heartland, and more. The pantry now distributes free diapers to parents and guardians in need through a new partnership with the Nebraska Diaper Bank.

Madeline is also constantly on the lookout for feedback on what items Mavericks want or need. This way the Maverick Food Pantry can provide diverse and culturally appropriate products. There is something for everyone. SNAP application assistance and outreach is on the horizon to expand pantry programming to better feed student’s stomachs, success, and wellbeing.

Her work to ensure that all are included and feel comfortable is a great boon to UNO. She understands there is often a stigma associated with utilizing food pantries, and she intentionally creates a culture of caring with a variety of options based on guest’s comfort levels and needs. On top of all that, she works to combat that stigma through conversations, education, marketing, and social media to help the campus community understand that there is need on the UNO campus, and “just because someone is able to attend a four-year university, does not mean that they do not face barriers like food insecurity.”

Madeline has coined the following motto for the Maverick Food Pantry: “When you need it, take it. When you have it, give it.”

In presenting the Board of Regents KUDOS award to Madeline St. Clair, UNO Student Body President/Regent Tori Sims said, “For her commitment to creating an outstanding resource for the Maverick community and working tirelessly to see it be able to reach farther than ever before, Madeline St. Clair has shown what true Maverick Spirit looks like.”

Congratulations, Madeline!

KUDOS Award Nominations

The University of Nebraska KUDOS award recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding employees and is presented six times a year during NU Board of Regents meetings.

Do you want to submit a nominee for KUDOS? Use the People Are Everything software by clicking on the tile in Firefly under Self Service.