A sweet award honors Marilyn Wood

MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry is handing out a sweet new award — and rewards — this academic year to faculty and staff who help inspire students and colleagues. In honor of recording industry Professor Emerita Marilyn Wood, who retired last year after 20 years at the university, new department chair Beverly Keel created the Marilyn Wood Award for Outstanding Department Contributions.

Marilyn Wood

One deserving faculty member, secretary, adviser or technology staffer will receive $1,000 each April in gratitude for his or her positive contributions to the department. Throughout the year, faculty and staff will receive Hershey’s Kisses for “mini-Marilyns,” when they make a difference with a small gesture, or a large Hershey Bar for “major Marilyns,” when they make a significant contribution to the department. A supersized candy bar will accompany the $1,000 annual award.

Keel noted that the award is called “the Marilyn” in much in the same way that the Academy Awards are called the Oscars. Wood was known for bringing bags of chocolate to faculty meetings — even dividing the treats into milk and dark chocolate according to her colleagues’ preferences — so Keel incorporated chocolate into this award.

“I think it’s important that we ensure that Marilyn’s spirit and positive personality are carried on in the department,” Keel said. “Let’s find the inner Marilyn in all of us and help make this a department that always puts students first.”