Duke Kunshan University recognized long-serving employees and honored staff contributions at a campus-wide staff meeting May 18.
The university presented 10-Year Service Awards to nine employees and 5-Year Service Awards to 65 employees. It also announced this year’s DKU SPIRIT Award recipients, recognizing individuals and teams whose work reflects the university’s core values.
Executive Vice Chancellor John Quelch said no academic institution can be effective without the dedication of its staff, many of whom have served the university longer than some faculty members.
“You are, in a way, the glue that holds the university together from one year to the next,” Quelch said, noting that staff members provide essential institutional memory and continuity.
He thanked staff for their contributions during a busy semester and said the university remains committed to supporting employee growth through training, development programs and collaboration.
Chancellor Yaolin Liu said staff members are part of DKU’s shared mission and encouraged them to continue supporting one another in their personal and professional journeys.
Liu said DKU will continue to build on its liberal arts foundation, strengthen undergraduate education, and further develop graduate programs and research as part of its long-term, sustainable growth.
He also called on staff to keep innovating, adapt to changes brought by artificial intelligence and other technologies, and improve teamwork, service mindset, skills and efficiency.
Pauline Liu, senior director for human resources, shared results from the annual staff engagement survey. She said 76% of staff participated this year, up significantly from the previous two years, and overall employee satisfaction improved from last year.
She said staff cited DKU’s international, diverse and inclusive work environment, work-life balance, employee care, campus facilities and professional colleagues as key strengths. She also said the university will continue to expand training and career development opportunities, including programs that help staff adapt to emerging workplace needs.
The meeting also featured remarks from representatives of the service award recipients.
Danlu Sun, senior accounts payable accountant and a 10-Year Service Award recipient, said DKU has been more than a workplace. She described it as a community and family where she has grown both professionally and personally.
Sun recalled joining DKU as an intern in 2015, when her office was in a room at the conference center. Over the years, she said, she watched the university grow from an ambitious idea into a dynamic international campus, while her own office moved from temporary spaces to the academic building, Kunshan Science and Technology Education Park and eventually the administration building.
Paul Stanley, associate dean of undergraduate studies and senior lecturer in physics, spoke as a representative of the 5-Year Service Award recipients.
He said his five years at DKU began during the pandemic. He described the early years of daily COVID-19 tests, health codes and campus lockdowns, followed by the reopening of campus life, the completion of Phase Two, new student residences and facilities, and the continued growth of the university community.
He said much of the work of faculty and staff happens behind the scenes, but helping students grow remains at the heart of that work.
The DKU SPIRIT Award, short for Service, Professionalism, Integration, Resilience, Innovation and Transformation, was established under Quelch’s leadership to recognize individuals and teams that embody DKU’s core values.
Winners of this year’s SPIRIT Award include:
Individual Award: Connie Chen, associate director of compensation and benefits; Xin Ma, systems engineer IV; Zoe Wei, senior operations specialist; Katrina Zhen, coordinator for research; and Yunkai Yao, administrative assistant for grant management
Volunteer Award: Dan Huang, senior human resources officer of staff relations; Aurora Liu, administrative assistant for divisions of arts and humanities and social sciences; and Xiang Wang, information technology manager
Team Award: Signature Work Team; Registrar Office; Office of China Enrollment Management-Undergraduate Recruitment; Office of Development and Alumni Relations; 2025 Kunshan Audit Project Team; and 2026 Duke International Forum Working Group
Special Award: Manqing Zhu, on-site security manager; and Zhibin Sun, assistant engineer
