The votes are in, and 10 NIU faculty and staff members received awards Monday for their hard work and dedication, as chosen by the students.

The Student’s Choice Awards started earlier this year to honor and recognize faculty and staff who do not always receive the recognition they deserve.

The Student Association executive board chose to honor three additional people who had been supportive of the SA throughout the year.

About 30 people showed up for the awards ceremony.

“We would have liked a bigger turnout,” said Craig Marcus, SA president.

The SA allocated $1,500 for the event, which also included the costs for room rental and plaques.

The SA plans to discuss potential changes to the voting process of the awards ceremony starting this summer, said DuJuan Smith, SA president-elect.

“I see it expanding,” Smith said.

William Harrison, who won an award for best faculty, said he might have to continue working for another 38 years now, joking about his nearly 55-year career in teaching.

“I have to trick myself into believing I am going to do real work,” Harrison said.

Student trustee Eric Johnson presented Brian Hemphill, vice president of student affairs, with an award for best faculty in Student Affairs.

“One of my first actions on the board was to vote on approving Brian Hemphill as vice president for student affairs,” Johnson said. “It was the best vote I ever made.”

Hemphill accepted the award by half-jokingly saying that on other campuses he had worked on “students were requesting my resignation” by this time of the year.

“I have worked with many student associations in my years and many lose sight of keeping the students interests first,” Hemphill said.

Rachel Powe, SA director of cultural affairs, presented an award for best faculty to Derrick Smith, academic counselor and instructor for black studies.

“He is always willing to help the students if it is 10 a.m. or 10 p.m.,” Powe said.

Mark Canaday, Grant Hall Director, was always extremely nice for no particular reason at all, said Jarquetta Egeston, who presented Canaday with an award for best faculty in Student Affairs.

“It helps keep me young and [DeKalb] is a great place to live and raise a family,” Canaday said.