The Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award is given to business officers who have made extraordinary contributions to their schools and exemplify exceptional integrity, knowledge and motivation. At the end of each school year, new Unsung Heroes receive their award from their head of school, often at a significant school occasion such as a board meeting or an all-school ceremony. What makes these Unsung Heroes so special? The highlights below come straight from their colleagues' nominations.
Title: Business Manager/CFO
School: Evergreen School, Silver Spring, Maryland
Years in Position: 8
Years in an independent school business office: 20
Superpower: Cool head, warm heart: “Thanks to Vipada’s well known care and concern for the employees of Evergreen School, especially for her work in HR, there was a high degree of trust between the faculty and administrative team [which smoothed] the implementation of our COVID health and safety protocols and reopening plan,” explained Head of School John DeMarchi. By securing resources for tents, air filtration, PPE and other safety equipment, Musick “reassured our faculty that everything possible was being done for their safety and the safety of their students, [so that] our faculty felt comfortable returning to the school in September.”
Audit pro: Musick receives clean audits every year, and “she is often cited by our auditor for her precision and the quality of her work,” according to DeMarchi. “She is always willing to take the time to design and develop custom financial reports that our board needs for strategic decision making.”
HR specialist: Last year, Musick led an initiative to review and update the Evergreen School employee handbook, “in order to ensure that our HR policies were fair, easy to understand, and met approval from a legal review. When reviewing any expense, contract or agreement, we can count on Vipada to scrutinize it carefully to ensure that it is accurate and fair.”
Role model: “For nearly a decade, Vipada has filled the role of mentor and role model to the entire faculty and staff at Evergreen School while carefully stewarding the school’s finance and operations. Her integrity, kindness to others and commitment to fairness are the essence of her personality and identity.”
After school: In her spare time, Vipada serves as treasurer for the regional chapter of her university’s alumni association, which raises $10,000 each year for a scholarship program that enables students in rural areas of Thailand to attend university in Bangkok.
See a full list of the 2021 recipients and read more about the Will J. Hancock Unsung Hero Award. NetAssets.org will post additional profiles of Unsung Heroes throughout the fall — check in to learn more about other recipients.
