Wednesday is Administrative Professionals Day.
Our amazing administrative professionals in the College of Education are the can’t-live-without glue that hold our offices and departments together.
And while we’re all away, unable to thank or five-high them in person, they continue to serve their critical roles from home.
In celebration of our wonderful colleagues, please read these words of admiration and thanks from their supervisors and enjoy some peeks at their home offices.
Chloe Board, LEPF
Chloe has taken on a significant amount of additional work during the last few weeks. I am incredibly thankful for her commitment and dedication to her position and the students she serves. You are such a valuable member of our department, Chloe!
Jamie Colbert, CAHE
Jamie, always considered to be amazing by the personnel of CAHE, has wowed us all with her rapid transition to the remote work environment. She took our paper-heavy administrative processing traditions and moved them online in record time. She’s a whiz at technology and in colleague support and everyone in the department appreciates the professionalism and good humor that she brings to CAHE.
Paula Cowlishaw, SEED
Paula has quickly established herself as a diligent and conscientious worker since her recent start as SEED office manager. Imagine learning about faculty, courses, budget, personnel, and more in less than a month! Paula has done so with integrity and purpose. She is a great addition to SEED!
Jill Draves, SEED
We appreciate Jill’s attention to detail in completing grant-related work for our graduate students in the vision program. In many ways, she ensures that the vision program runs efficiently and smoothly. She always has a smile and a pleasant disposition. We also like her home made tie-dyed shirts!
Sonia Fagan, KNPE
Sonia Fagan just started in the KNPE department and comes to us from Enrollment Management. Recently recognized in NIU Today for her cheerful and always helpful demeanor, we are excited to welcome her into our family!
Amelia Gould, LEPF
Amelia has done a wonderful job responding to student requests and faculty inquiries. She continues to have a positive attitude during these challenging times. I look forward to our daily meetings because of her presence. Thank you, Amelia!
Jeanne Johnston, KNPE
Jeanne answers the question as to if you can service students and have a positive impact while working remotely with an emphatic yes! Serving as our (virtual) front-door, Jeanne hasn’t missed a beat in continuing to make sure graduate admissions are processed, students get the required forms they need, and information for summer courses is ready to go.
Pat Kee, LEPF
Pat has been instrumental in keeping the department running during the past few weeks (and always). She is an incredibly hard worker and immensely dedicated to her position. LEPF is very fortunate to have Pat. Thank you for all you do, Pat!
Brenda Kehm, CI
Brenda is always working to serve students and faculty. She is dedicated to our CI Huskie pack and the glue that hold the department together. Thank you Brenda!
Jonathan Linstrand, Student Services
Jonney’s first day of work at NIU was on March 16 – the same day we were packing up to start working remotely. It was far from an ideal situation but Jonney has been amazing in his role and I have been very impressed with how fast he is learning the job duties especially without physically being in the office. We are very thankful to have him as part of the Student Services team!
Katie O’Brien, ETRA
As a new member of ETRA, Katie quickly demonstrated her grasp of department operations. Katie’s ability to plan and organize and the quality of her work are both superb. All documentation for department operations is accessible in a moment’s notice by both herself and someone else, if she is not available. She seeks counsel when necessary, but remains positive as she works to maintain a healthy work climate for all.
Rebecca Schwantes, SEED
When we interviewed Rebecca a few years ago for our extra help position, we knew she was the one! She has not disappointed. Rebecca is a tremendous support to our advising and clinical office. She takes initiative and has ensured that student supports have continued seamlessly during this challenging time.
Carla Marcuccelli, ETRA
Carla does a tremendous job supporting students and faculty. She is dependable, consistently exercises good judgment, and is sensitive and courteous to those with whom she interacts. Carla skillfully interacts with offices across the College of Education and across the University. She always promotes a positive image for the department in her interactions.
Margaret Thacker, Learning Center
Margaret has been a constant positive presence in our Learning Center for many years. She schedules and organizes the space for curricular and extra-curricular purposes, and effectively manages our student employees to keep the facility cheerful and conducive to completing academic work. We can always count on Margaret to have Huskie spirit and a can-do attitude!
Gail Myers, SEED
Excellent phone etiquette. Patient. Organized. Collaborative. Helpful. Efficient. These are just a few of Gail’s outstanding qualities. Gail is like the glue in SEED. She helps us navigate curriculum and graduate student work with a positive and professional approach!
Mary Kay Soesbe, CAHE
Mary Kay joined CAHE this past year and quickly became the “face of CAHE” as she oversees our front desk operations. She is always ready with a warm smile and support to students, staff, faculty and other visitors. Even from home, Mary Kay exemplifies her high level of empathy with others which makes her a natural at handling questions, concerns and dilemmas. Mary Kay is a student herself, pursuing a degree in Art here at NIU, and it’s apparent that she is an artist of problem-solving and student support!
Vicky Vosburgh, KNPE
Vicky has been a pro’s pro in helping maintain the operations of our department. From updating scheduling and budgets to completing equipment purchases to helping everyone feel connected, she continues to be the hub in our KNPE spoke-and-wheel.
Patricia Wielert,
Dean’s Office
Pat is the backbone of the Dean’s Office in the College of Education – even as she works from home. She is juggling multiple tasks like checking several phone lines, keeping the dean’s calendar up-to-date, processing donor thank you letters and supporting College Council to make sure we meet all required procedures and deadlines. Pat reports that she has enjoyed the new things she’s been learning about Teams and is excited to explore the resources on LinkedIn Learning. We miss seeing her smiling face!
