Faculty and staff members are being honored starting this week for all the work they do on campus or in the classroom.

Student Community Service, New Student Programs and the University Board Homecoming committee are having “Difference Makers/Random Acts of Blue” throughout the month of October.

Rachel Fisher, the director of Student Community Service, said in an email that the event is a good way to recognize the faculty and staff on campus.

Students can nominate Eastern employees for the work they do on campus.

“This is a nice way to take a moment this fall and say ‘thank you’ to the faculty and staff that make EIU such a wonderful university,” Fisher said.

Fisher said this is the second year the event has taken place, but it was incorporated with Homecoming last year.

“This year, we have expanded it to be a monthlong opportunity, and it ties really well into National Make a Difference Day, which takes place on Oct. 20th,” Fisher said.

National Make a Difference Day is a national movement created by USA WEEKEND Magazine to encourage people to help in their community.

The National Make a Difference Day takes place on the fourth Saturday of October, but at Eastern it will be on Oct. 20.

“We are hoping that people take a moment to recognize all the variety of faculty and staff here working on campus,” Fisher said. “This is a great way to recognize and thank the people that make your day successful from everyone, including a smart faculty member to a very helpful staff member.”

Fisher said Homecoming is a great time to start the program because it is a time for school spirit.

“Homecoming is a great platform for this program as this program takes a moment to recognize what makes EIU great — our hard-working staff and faculty,” Fisher said. “For me, this is a way for me to say thank you for the many simple great encounters and colleagues I have here on campus.”

Students can nominate someone by going to the Homecoming webpage, clicking on the Random Acts of Blue link and filling out the nomination form.

The forms include name, department, office number and a paragraph on why the person is being nominated.

Nominations are open from Oct. 5 to Oct. 23.

Nominees will receive a gift basket with small thank you gifts and a card with the details from the nomination form.

The gift baskets will be sent out on Oct. 11, 18 and 25.

“It’s a fun way to learn that your hard work really does matter,” Fisher said.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].