In praise of the Institute’s unsung heroes
People who regularly go above and beyond the requirements of their jobs — providing exceptional service, help, and encouragement to their colleagues and community — often receive little formal recognition for their outstanding efforts. MIT annually presents a series of Excellence Awards to honor such dedicated work; this year, for the first time, the awards expanded to include the Collier Medal, in memory of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier, who was killed in the line of duty last April 18. This award will be given annually to an individual or group that embodies the character and qualities that Collier exhibited as a member of the MIT community.Fittingly, the first Collier Medal went to the 56 volunteers, mostly students, who operate MIT Emergency Medical Services (MIT EMS), a student-run ambulance service. Many MIT EMS members were close friends of Collier, and some were called upon to transport the wounded officer to...