Neelima Tummala is the assistant director of systems for the Office of Student Financial Aid. She is one of four staff members to receive a 2020 Excellence in University Service Award.
If you ask Neelima what inspires her in her career, she will say it’s the way in which her team exudes professionalism and comes together to tackle challenges — especially now during the coronavirus pandemic.
Her colleagues, though, will say Neelima is the one who really shines bright and plays an integral role in making the office run smoothly and promoting a positive outlook that extends beyond OSFA.
Words such as caring, dedicated, enthusiastic and responsible are commonly used to describe Neelima’s character. Her work ethic and strong ability to relate to others make her a model colleague, a valuable resource for students, and a representation of the university’s mission and values, particularly cura personalis — the Ignatian principle of caring for the whole person.
An individual who nominated Neelima for the award wrote: “Neelima is one of the most invested colleagues on campus because she cares that our students and her coworkers have a good experience. Her touch on the university is far reaching. She wears multiple hats and does them all well. Personally, I can rely on Neelima to be an engaged partner whether working on data queries, website updates, financial literacy, regulatory implementation and so much more.”
Neelima is also known for her unique ability take large projects, easily break them down into definable goals and attainable tasks, and effectively communicate it to all. Moreover, during tough times when it would be easiest to stay out of the spotlight, Neelima demonstrates her powerful leadership skills by stepping up and eagerly taking on additional responsibilities.
As someone with a true passion for helping others, solving problems and offering her expertise to support people in achieving their goals, Neelima proves day in and day out she could not be more fitting for her role from which the campus community greatly benefits.
Congratulations to Marquette University’s faculty and staff award recipients for the 2019–20 academic year. Marquette is blessed to have some of the most dedicated and talented faculty and staff members in higher education. And the university holds in high esteem its tradition to honor these remarkable individuals at awards and recognition ceremonies throughout each spring semester.
Aligned with our mission, these recipients display the search for truth, the discovery and sharing of knowledge, the fostering of personal and professional excellence, the promotion of a life of faith, and the development of leadership expressed in service to others.
Please read on, and enjoy profiles of the deserving women and men who were recognized this spring.