The Beaver College of Health Sciences Parachute Award
Inspired by Charlie Plumb's book (excerpt below), the Parachute Award is given by the Beaver College of Health Sciences to recognize individuals outside of our college who have played a pivotal role in the success of an event, project, or day to day operation.
Our Parachute Award recipients are:
2023
Dr. John Wiswell, University Libraries
2022
Daniel Jones, IT Support Specialist
2021
Jody Miller, Operations - Holmes Convocation Center
2020
Mary Beth McKee, Learning Technology Services
2019
Tim Burwell, Academic Affairs
Rick Eller, Facilities Operation Administration
2018
Allison Kemp-Sullivan, Design and Construction
2017
Amy Carson, Office of Equity, Diversity and Compliance
Patty Dale, Registrar's Office
Charles Davis, Technology Support Services
Derek Eggers, Center for Academic Excellence
Lisa Houser, Distance Education
2016
Bronwen Sheffield, Distance Education
Sharon Jensen, Career Development
Nancy Crowell, Human Resources
The Staff in the Office of General Counsel
2015
Lida Keber, Catering and Food Services
Charlie Perkins, Mountaineer Printing
Marie Freeman, University Photographer
2014
Brett Scantlin, Physical Plant
Tena Gulliver, Registrar's Office
Danny Moorhead, Information Technology Services
2013
Darrel Farrow, Environmental Services
Tony Grant, Information Technology Services
Charlie Wallin, Food Services
Darlene Risk, Academic Affairs
2012
David Hodges, Physical Plant
Jill Venable, Health Services
Sandi Sanders, Academic Affairs
Joyce Moretz Young, Health Services
Patsy Snyder, McKinney Alumni Center
Charna Howson, Office of Research
2011
Clint Nelson, Technology Support Services
Jane Nicholson, University Communications
Kent Greer, Environmental Services
Kevin Smith, Technology Support Services
Shirley Harris, International Education & Development
Tom McDonnell, Technology Support Services
2010
Lesa Felker, Academic Affairs
Floyd Hicks, Physical Plant
Holly Hirst, Graduate School
Susan McCracken, Chancellor's Office
Michelle Melton, Web Services
Who Packed Your Parachute
by Charlie Plumb, from his book, Insights into Excellence (Executive Books, 1993)
Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'Good morning, how are you?' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor." Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.
Now, Plumb asks his audience, "Who's packing your parachute?" Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute, and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.