Peggy Tirrell Receives the Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Staff Award |
Warmth. Empathy. Open door policy.
Those are just a few of the words people use when describing Peggy Tirrell and the way she interacts with others on campus. She says her dad taught her early on that “actions speak louder than words.”
Tirrell received the prestigious 2025-2026 Isaac L. Jordan Sr. Staff Award last month. She is the senior associate director of Graduate Business Programs and Admissions at Saunders College of Business and has been a part of the RIT landscape for close to fifty years.
She says receiving this award is deeply humbling.
“Having served on the selection committee myself, I have seen the incredible work being done across campus to promote a strong sense of community, belonging and focus on the success of our students. To be recognized as part of that living legacy and to know that my 'behind-the-scenes' efforts have made a difference is an honor I don’t take lightly. I am incredibly touched and honored to receive this recognition.”
She works to ensure others feel a sense of belonging and empowerment. Here are just a few examples: she was asked to serve on the President’s Commission for Promoting Pluralism and to chair the Diversity Leadership Committee at Saunders College of Business. One of the goals is to help students, faculty, and staff in their understanding of what inclusivity means. As a Professional Mentor in RIT’s Global Leadership Certificate Program and coach in the Partners in Pluralism Program, she has helped shape multicultural awareness and leadership skills, promoting access, engagement, and success.
She works with program directors on making admissions decisions and notes “These decisions have potentially life-changing consequences and as a result, are not something I take lightly.” One former student shared how Tirrell impacted her life. She stated this in a letter sent to the RIT committee reviewing nominees for this award.
“When I applied for admission to USBSP (which used to be the RIT MBA program in Prague), I did not only get a written acceptance letter, there was also a call from an American lady, who introduced herself as Peggy Tirrell and talked to me about a scholarship I could receive if I was to come and do my MBA studies at RIT directly. That was always the ultimate dream, and this was a voice inviting me to live it.”
The former student goes on to say when she and other international students first arrived on campus, Tirrell was there to welcome and embrace them and ultimately make them feel at home. There were even invitations to join in Thanksgiving dinners.
“Peggy took on the role of my American mum.”
Tirrell’s strong commitment to making a difference in the lives others can be traced back to a personal experience she had when she was a 20-year-old newlywed and moved to the Netherlands.
“To this day, I remember landing at the airport and realizing how totally unprepared I was for the experience. I didn’t know the language, the culture, the currency, and more. The Dutch people were amazing, embracing us and assisting us in assimilating. Upon my return to the U.S. I made the commitment to seek a position where I could assist others in adjusting to new environments and feel part of a community. I was blessed to have RIT take a chance on me and allow me to find ways to make a difference in the lives of students as well as my peers and others throughout campus.”