Jennifer Anderson, coordinator for the Collaboration for InterProfessional Health Education Research & Scholarship (CIPHERS) in the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, has received a 2025 WSU President’s Employee Excellence Award.
The honor is awarded annually to recognize outstanding contributions to the university by administrative professional and classified employees statewide.
“Not a week goes by without someone reaching out to express how much they appreciate Jennifer’s extraordinary work,” said nominator Dawn DeWitt, MD, MACP, senior associate dean of CIPHERS and professor in the WSU College of Medicine. “She is the ultimate WSU ambassador locally and internationally.”
Contributors to the nomination praised Anderson’s professional and interpersonal skills as well as her essential contributions to the College of Medicine’s work to foster an interprofessional environment for innovative medical education and research.
“A true asset to Washington State University, Jennifer leads with a rare combination of professionalism, emotional intelligence, and ethical responsibility. Her contributions elevate the institution and inspire those around her to strive for excellence,” said Skye McKennon, PHARMD, BCPS, College of Medicine associate professor and thread director of pharmacology and interprofessional education. “Jennifer is a relationship-builder at heart. She fosters strong, meaningful connections both within the university and with external partners, strengthening collaboration and advancing shared goals with a keen sense of emotional intelligence and diplomacy. Her follow-through ensures that initiatives not only take off but thrive, making a lasting impact on the university and its stakeholders.”
Anderson’s dedication, organization, and passion for supporting educators and students have catalyzed instructional innovations at the college that have been presented at national meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals. She has also supported numerous interprofessional research and scholarship initiatives in the health sciences.
“Jennifer has been a key partner on a number of projects focused on improving outcomes for people with pain and reducing substance use risks. She is efficient, thoughtful and always willing to contribute artistic and creative ideas that make our projects shine,” said Marian Wilson, PHD, MPH, RN, associate professor and chair of the Department of Nursing and Systems Science in the WSU College of Nursing.
“Jennifer is an amazing colleague,” echoed Jennifer Miller, PharmD, assistant professor in the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “There is no limit to her commitment to WSU and the teams with whom she works. I know that I can count on her to always show up with a smile on her face and a positive attitude. She is quick to provide solutions to challenges we face. I have truly enjoyed working with her over the years.”
Anderson has been an involved member of the WSU community since transferring to the university as an undergraduate student. A Panhellenic system member and Athletic Association representative, she tutored students at the WSU Undergraduate Writing Center and explored her interests in English, history, and secondary education.
“To be a recipient of the WSU President’s Excellence Award is a full circle honor considering all the opportunities that I feel WSU has given me to advance my academic and professional development,” Anderson said. “These cumulative experiences ultimately positioned me to return to the WSU College of Medicine, where I help faculty advance their scholarly aspirations related to health professions education and support the coordination of interprofessional education sessions for students representing varied health profession programs.”
She cited the College of Medicine’s selection to host the 2023 Consortium of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (CLIC) Conference, coordinated by the CIPHERS team in collaboration with multiple other offices across the college and health sciences, as one of her proudest accomplishments. Reflecting on the award, she noted the importance of multiple teams’ work to enabling interprofessional initiatives like the conference.
“I wish to thank the Interprofessional Opioid Curriculum (IPOC) team for nominating me for the WSU President’s Excellence Award! I am grateful for their unwavering support, inspired by their dynamic partnership approach to interprofessional education, scholarship, and research, awed by their productivity, and humbled to be a contributor on this team,” she said. “I also wish to thank the CIPHERS initiative, the WSU College of Medicine IT and Virtual Clinical Center teams, and WSU Spokane IT, without whom none of this work would be possible!”
This year’s five Employee Excellence awardees will be recognized in a March 28 ceremony in Pullman.