Nov. 20, 2006
In July, John Streif, a long-time member of the UI Athletic Department staff who wears two hats – that of an assistant athletic trainer and that of travel coordinator for the UI’s football and men’s basketball programs – was one of two recipients of the 2006 David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award for Public Service. The award is presented annual to individuals who “have made significant contributions and have show exceptional imagination and dedication to improving the University community.”
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“Everyone in the State, the Big Ten Conference, and most basketball programs in the US know John Streif and treasure him as we do here, yet he is personable and oblivious of our admiration,” declares a letter submitted on John’s behalf.
Another one says: “To truly understand how unselfish and thoughtful John is you have to witness him in action. After a football game bowl trips, I have witness John hand-write over 50 thank you letters to everyone who helped the team during the trip. No matter how small the gesture, he makes the effort to make sure their services are recognized.” |
Last week, Mary Greer, the current president of the UI Staff Council and a member of the staff at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, presented UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta – Strief was unable to attend because he was assisting the men’s basketball team prepare for its trip to the Paradise Jam in St. Thomas – with the crystal bowl provided to the recipient of the annual award.
Greer also shared the following with the more than 200 staff of the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics who had assembled at the UI Athletics Hall of Fame for the department’s monthly all-staff meeting:
John Streif, a long-time member of the staff of the UI Athletic Department, was one of two UI staff members to be presented with the David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award for Public Service earlier this year. |
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The David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award for Public Service is given annually to individuals who have made significant contributions and have shown “exceptional imagination and dedication to improving the university community.” Service must include activities of high quality in staff governance, committee work, policy improvement, program creation, etc. and must be outside normal job responsibilities. Today we honor one of the first recipients of this award, John Streif.
In the material submitted to our Council to nominate John, he is said to be “one of the men you hope will grace your life at some point.” John is a loyal friend, true confidant of superior quality. He is unique among the staff, but more importantly, John makes the staff uniquely strong because he brings tremendous cohesion and stability to it.
John is dedicated to his athletes and to all athletes on our campus, our alumni, other teams, coaches, officials, and bus drivers. A quote from the nomination form reads “There is no one that John does not make important to us all.”
John is admired for his insights, working knowledge of the field and command of his trade. It is said that he can be on the phone 20 hours of the day and still have the capacity to visit the ill at the hospital, transport athletes for appointments, prepare for and supervise practices, schedule a trip or two and make all of the plans for football and basketball, talk in private to a needy athlete, advise a young coach and write one more letter to a former player who just had his first child or made his first million.
“Everyone in the State, the Big Ten Conference, and most basketball programs in the US know John Streif and treasure him as we do here, yet he is personable and oblivious of our admiration,” declares a letter submitted on John’s behalf.
Another one says: “To truly understand how unselfish and thoughtful John is you have to witness him in action. After a football game bowl trips, I have witness John hand-write over 50 thank you letters to everyone who helped the team during the trip. No matter how small the gesture, he makes the effort to make sure their services are recognized.”
Although John has been employed at the University of Iowa in the Department of Athletics as an athletic trainer for over 30 years, what he has contributed to the UI is difficult to completely appreciate and value. His commitment to the University is unmatched and he unofficially serves as one of its greatest ambassadors.
Many examples of John’s heart and dedication were submitted, but I’d like to read one I find to be truly indicative of this amazing man:
During a trip, while John was eating dinner with support staff at a restaurant near our hotel, an off-duty bellman from the hotel walked in and sat by himself to eat dinner. John recognized the man from earlier in the day when he helped unload luggage from the team bus. On the way out John told the waitress that he would pay the man’s bill and John left before the man could thank him.
John, on behalf of the University of Iowa Staff Council, I am very pleased to honor you with our David J. Skorton Staff Excellence Award for Public Service.