Higher Education HR Awards

Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award

Congratulations to our 2026 Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award recipients, Emily Donnelly, Carl Miron and Arnaldo Andre Molina!

Leaders do not need to have decades of service to have an impact! This award recognizes a CUPA-HR member who is serving in the first five years of a higher education HR career who has already made a significant impact.

The recipient of the HR Rock Star Award will be acknowledged during a virtual awards presentation. The award recipient will be encouraged to give back to and engage with CUPA-HR.

Criteria

To be nominated, the individual must have:

• 1-5 years of higher education HR experience but no more than 10 years of total HR experience.
• Supervisor’s support (either through a nomination submitted by the supervisor or a letter of support included with a nomination).
• Clearly impacted the institution in the following ways:
  • Engagement, inspiration and positive impact to department and/or institution
  • Contribution of proactive, innovative ideas
  • Thinking outside the box for solutions
  • Emerging leadership skills
  • Passion for higher education HR

All nominees must be employed by a CUPA-HR member institution.

Eligibility Note: Individuals who are employed by the association, individuals who serve on the CUPA-HR national board of directors, and the institutions of those directors are not eligible to be nominated or selected for awards during their terms of service.

2026 Higher Ed HR Rock Star Awards

Emily Donnelly, Talent Development Specialist at Rutgers University-Camden, has received a 2026 CUPA-HR Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award. 

Carl Miron, HR Operations Strategist for UNT Health, has received a 2026 CUPA-HR Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award. 

Arnaldo Andre Molina, Business Analyst, HRIS at the University of Tampa, has received a 2026 CUPA-HR Higher Ed HR Rock Star Award.