The University of Colorado Staff Council (UCSC) recently honored two exceptional employees from UCCS with the 2025 Staff Excellence Awards.
They received the honor, presented annually, to recognize those who go above and beyond their job duties and consistently surpass expectations. The criteria were based on the University of Colorado’s Guiding Principles: Integrity and Respect, Responsibility, Discovery and Excellence and Community. Each received a $250 award presented at the April 25 ceremony at the Lone Tree Golf Club and Hotel.
This year's recipients are Michaela Steen, Coordinator of the Visual Resource Center in the UCCS Department of Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA), and Noelle San Souci, Director of Student Engagement in Student Life & Leadership.
Michaela received her BA in film and electronic arts from Cal State Long Beach, then moved to Colorado Springs from Venice/Santa Monica, California, to finish her graduate degree in history with a focus on art history. She has worked at UCCS since January 2011. In her role, Michaela rents equipment to students, manages the department website and social media, creates graphic design for program events, helps students with printing services for class projects and events such as the Colorado Springs Undergraduate Research Forum and Mountain Lion Research Day and acts as the VAPA Department IT Liaison.
Michaela is also a lecturer at UCCS. Her art history courses cover a range of periods from the Bronze Age Aegean to contemporary. As a science fiction aficionado, her humanities courses often focus on visual expressions of futurist dystopias and transhuman technologies in modern visual culture. In her spare time, Michaela is a perpetual servant to two foster fail felines and a senior mill dog rescue who contribute not one penny to the household income and lie around sleeping all day.
Noelle oversees many student engagement and leadership programs designed to enrich the co-curricular experience. A dedicated advocate for student involvement, she works to create meaningful opportunities that foster leadership, community and personal growth.
Noelle has played a key role in enhancing campus traditions, supporting student-led initiatives and building collaborative partnerships. She helped establish the Engagement Leader Program, which connects current and new students to increase campus engagement. Her leadership in significant projects, including the successful Student Activities Fee referendum, has significantly enriched the student experience by expanding funding for clubs and events. Her leadership and dedication were recognized when she was named UCCS Employee of the Quarter in Fall 2024. Noelle earned her graduate degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education from UCCS. Originally from California, she lives with her wife and daughter in Colorado Springs.
About the UCSC Staff Excellence Award
All members of staff, including classified and university staff across the four campuses and at the system offices, may be nominated for this prestigious award. Two winners from each campus will be chosen, totaling 10 winners. Each winner will receive a $250 award presented by a member of each campus’ leadership team at the UCSC Staff Excellence Awards Ceremony. Learn more about the Staff Excellence Award online.