Thank You to These Community Members

The following MIT community members have been recognized for going the extra mile. Thank someone today.
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Becky Kjaerbye Demim

Becky is always a pillar of the Maseeh community, but she's been an incredibly calming presence during the past week. She responds to student and GRA issues around the clock and goes the extra mile to make sure everyone feels cared for and heard.
Bianca Datta, Media Lab/ Division of Student Life

Jhon Gonzalez

As the housing manager for Maseeh, Jhon is facing unprecedented challenges under an evolving and difficult timeline, but he has been extremely patient, kind, and responsive throughout the process. Everyone in Maseeh is extremely thankful for Jhon's work ethic and friendliness during this critical time.
Bianca Datta, Media Lab/ Division of Student Life

MIT Libraries leadership

Thank you to the leadership of the Libraries for making thoughtful decisions about how to continue supporting the MIT communities' research and teaching needs while keeping the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff in mind.
Anonymous, MIT Libraries

The Media Lab staff

We've been through some crazy times together over the years, but nothing like this! I'm so grateful to work with admin and ops teams who can pull together, support each other, and keep this ship afloat through everything. You are all astonishing.
Janine Liberty, Media Lab

Peter Fisher and Heather Williams

Peter and Heather have both been tireless in keeping their communities informed -- Peter in the Physics Department and Heather in the School of Science. Each of them writes daily to their constituencies and includes information about keeping ourselves well and sane during this time as well as bulletins about all the MIT-related issues we need to keep up with. Their bulletins have become one of the highlights of my day. I'm proud to be part of the Physics and SoS families.
Cathy Modica, Physics

Libraries

So grateful that our management the made swift decision to close and protect employees while we worked on how to meet the research needs of our community.
Anonymous, Libraries

Kristin Hall

Kristin has been so supportive during this difficult time, from offering to help us move office supplies to checking in via email and Skype. It has been so comforting to know I have someone to turn to :).
Bianca Datta, Media Lab

CARE Team

The crisis and quick response necessitated by COVID-19 and the move-out highlighted the critical work the CARE Team does on a regular basis, as well as the compassion they bring to such work. When some students were asked to self-isolate in early February, I saw the CARE Team working non-stop to help such students feel supported, cared for, and appreciated.
Anonymous, SSAW

MIT Medical Communications Team

Three cheers to the MIT Medical Communications Team for spending a Sunday to create an incredible information graphic that explains what to do if you have had a possible exposure to COVID-19. In less than 24 hours, more than 64K people had viewed it. The number keeps climbing! There's also a full poster to download and print. Check it out at: https://medical.mit.edu/sites/default/files/COVID-19_Flow_Chart.pdf
David Tytell, MIT Medical

Brad Badgley

Brad Badgley is associate dean and director of FSILGs (fraternities, sororities and independent living groups). Brad has distinguished himself in MIT's response to the novel coronavirus, and over the last week has worked for days at a time without sleep to look out for the entire undergraduate population of the FSILGs.
I've never seen such devotion to duty from a university administrator. Brad is an example who we should all strive to emulate.
Eric Cigan, SB II '83, SM II '84; Board member/Treasurer, Association of Independent Living Groups

Suzanne Blake

Thank you to Suzanne and team for enabling the MIT community to respond quickly and swiftly paving the way for many other universities and communities around the country to do the same.
Julie Newman, Office of Sustainability

Akil Middleton, '08, SM '10

Akil serves as Chair of the Association of Independent Living Groups (AILG), the alumni-led corporation that supports MIT's fraternity, sorority and independent living group (FSILG) system. Through the current crisis, Akil has taken many hours from his career and community to provide leadership to AILG and provide timely communications during this insanely hectic period. We've been much better able to advocate for the FSILG community and provide them with support through Akil's ongoing efforts.
Eric Cigan, SB II '83, SM II '84; Board member/Treasurer, Association of Independent Living Groups

Dr Cecilia Stuopis

Dr. Stuopis is the Medical Director for MIT Medical. Over the last two months she has spent countless hours developing and executing MIT's response to the novel coronavirus as part of her position at MIT Medical. What I see firsthand is her involvement with Association of Independent Living Groups (AILG), the alumni-led corporation that supports MIT's fraternity, sorority and independent living group (FSILG) system. Cecilia has been invaluable in her support to AILG, providing information to us that we we can share with our undergrad and alum communities. It's allowed us to be a key resource for our community and helped us understand MIT's response more fully.
Eric Cigan, Alum (SB II '83, SM II '84) and Board Member/Treasurer for AILG

Yolanda Lau ‘02

She jumped to action to mobilize alumni and organized a form to connect students in need to alumni sponsors in during the initial uncertainty of MITs notice of closure. This demonstrates not only compassion in action, but strong leadership and agility. Within hours of MIT announcing closure, while I was still in shock worrying about how quickly everything was devolving, I received the form she had made inviting me to not just sit by and lament, but to take action in helping students in need.

(I do not know her personally)
Brian Yue, Alum

Stephanie Toews-Moeling, Tracy Gabridge, Chris Bourg and the entire Libraries' Emergency Management Team

The Libraries' Emergency Management Team was pulled together early last week and staff worked tirelessly to communicate with our employees, set up services, keep everyone safe, and maintain sanity. Stephanie and Tracy, especially, pulled heavy loads to be sure we were systematically covering all the bases.
Rachael Weisz, Libraries

Libraries Emergency Management Team

This team synthesized input from so many groups on campus - Libraries staff, HR, MIT leadership, the greater MIT community, and more. They made difficult choices amid chaotic time, rolled with the changes, and did everything possible to advocate for the safety of staff and the needs of the MIT community. They were fast acting, tireless in their work, and collaborative in making us all part of the solutions. It was not an easy task but we felt better for their efforts and advocacy. Thank you!
Cassandra Silvia, Libraries

Kim Haberlin

You somehow get so much done for so many people, and you do it with grace, patience, and compassion. Thank you, Kim!
Communications colleagues

Mathew Ganatra

Ganatra has put in an incredible amount of work and time to make sure that the residents of an entire dorm didn't have to worry about storage. He has accommodated the needs of residents to an incredible level, and is truly an incredible person for doing so.
Anonymous

MIT French House alums + GRA

A huge thank you to French House alums and our GRA Rebecca for being nothing short of amazing during this time of crisis. A huge shoutout to Jesse for always checking up on us and helping find housing for those unable to get exemptions, to Emily for helping us pack, feeding us, and volunteering at the New House front desk when all the desk workers were swamped, and to Rebecca and Akito for their on-the-clock support, amazing pod-packing skills, and all the hours dedicated to making sure that we are well-taken care of. Thank you!!
Anonymous, MIT French House

David Elwell

Many thanks to David for the excellence he brings to every part of the vast and complicated position of Dean and Director of the International Student Office. He has done an admirable job of preparing us for the particular demands of the MIT international student population at this time. He spent many hours paying particular attention to each student's needs and responding to it. Thank you David for your conscientiousness and assiduousness.
Sylvia Hiestand, International Student Office, (OVC)

MIT Custodial Staff

SHOUT OUT... THANK YOU! We saw you in our labs keeping us as clean as possible and watched you working in the dorms when the undergrads were leaving over the weekend diligently working in support of the MIT community and putting yourselves at greater risk. You are appreciated... THANK YOU! Good health to you!
Anonymous

Kevin Esvelt

Thank you for your helping to keep our leadership on track during this unprecedented period. Your plain-spoken direction and clarity of what we should expect were essential in preparing our lab to contribute to the greater community's well-being.
Anonymous, MIT Media Lab

Deb Roy

Thank you for taking the bold initiative to prepare the MIT Media Lab to move off campus, to practice improved hygiene and social distancing. Not only to encourage it but ask it of us and remind us of it. You brought us together, you listened to the community's anxious words and supported the groups whose voices aren't as powerful. You empowered your staff to suggest and make decisions with wisdom. Thank you!
Anonymous, MIT Media Lab

Yara Komaiha and Afeefah Khazi-Syed

McCormick House Gov Presidents Yara and Afeefah led an extraordinary effort to support residents through this tough time. They both put the community's needs ahead of their own, ensuring that McCormick residents could prepare to go home in good spirits and minimal inconvenience.

They threw an unforgettable send-off for our seniors complete with (unofficial) diplomas, organized offsite storage for everyone in the dorm, and projected their calm and resolve to our over 200 residents. Yara and Afeefah exemplify the warmth that has shone through the MIT community in this period of great uncertainty. They should be commended for their selfless spirit of service and celebrated for their coolness under pressure.
Diana and Salo, McCormick GRAs

Stefan Helmreich, Heather Paxson, Irene Hartford, and Amberly Steward

Thank you for your tireless work, concern for the entire Department, but most importantly, for your kindness. What I need the most right now is the sense of community, and you have been truly providing it to me over the past few weeks. Thank you.
Ashawari Chaudhuri, Anthropology

Mr. John Gonzalez

Mr. Gonzalez was the primary reason I was able to pack and move out of Maseeh Hall by Sunday. He was extremely accessible, providing his phone number to any undergraduate that had questions and picking up at any time. He promptly and calmly answered all questions, which I had a lot of due to the ever changing policies on moving out. Thank you so much for all your help!
Lilly Edwards, undergrad

Karen Bruce, Justin Francos, Quentin Alexander

Karen, Justin, and Quentin, the AeroAstro department is deeply grateful for the exceptional IT support you continue to provide us. We owe you three so much for keeping us afloat on a daily basis and especially during this unique time, as we all settle into our new routines. Your dedication, patience, and professionalism are commendable!
AeroAstro Community, Aeronautics and Astronautics Department

Security at McGregor sunday 630-700 AM

The two gentlemen working security that morning were great. I had just driven 1000 miles on saturday and would turn around on Sunday and repeat the trip. They were just awesome and took my edge off. When we get back in the fall I would love to take them out for a cold beer or maybe even a Sox game.
Michael Ward, Parent

Ian Waitz and Julia Wang '22

Even as they were dealing with their own challenges — securing campus and getting home safely — both Ian and Julia (associate advisor) reached out to their first-year advisees and made sure that we were okay. Ian and Julia, we're so lucky to have you!!
Anonymous

MIT Ohms

Our last rehearsal was beautiful, and I know I'll miss all of you (especially our seniors so much)! Love you, my Ohmies <3
Anonymous
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