The Office of Financial Affairs created a financial innovators award known as the Financial Affairs Service and Innovation Award (FASI) to recognize those throughout the university who make significant and lasting contributions to the university through bold, innovative and creative approaches to common, everyday university problems.

The award is open to any university faculty, non-faculty, academic, administrative or skilled crafts/service/maintenance employees who bring forward fresh ideas that lead to process efficiencies, cost savings and/or increased productivity. Each quarter, one employee will be selected to receive the award, and then at the end of the calendar year, an annual award winner will be selected from the four quarterly winners.

We are pleased to announce the 2024 Q4 award winner as:

• Jennika Smith, Workday training coordinator

Smith has been an integral part of the Workday User Solutions team since 2022, serving as the Workday training coordinator. Through online and in-person training sessions, she makes Workday's complex features accessible and understandable for the university community.

When the Controller's Office needed to improve their Annual Financial Statement development process, Smith stepped forward with an innovative solution. She created and implemented a sustainable workflow system that empowered the Controller's Office to manage their document directly, enabling real-time edits and design decisions. Her approach enabled designers and editors to collaborate simultaneously, significantly accelerating document production while optimizing the report's presentation.

James Morrison, senior director of user solutions, said, "Jennika consistently puts the campus community first, whether by leading the 2024 Making Your Day Work carnival or redesigning the financial statement for long-term efficiency. Her collaborative spirit and innovative thinking drive meaningful improvements that benefit both Financial Affairs and the broader university. This award is a well-earned recognition of her dedication and impact."

This initiative showcases Smith's talent for turning challenges into opportunities and her dedication to improving university operations. You can view Smith's design work on the 2024 Annual Financial Report.