Staff Employee of the Month 2023
Full-Time
A Talent Acquisition partner and a laboratory specialist were named the Employees of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday in Mitchell Hall.
Full-time Staff Employee of the Month Kris Strange started with the College just as the pandemic closed our campuses in March 2020. As a Talent Acquisition partner, he was nominated by Amanda Gradisek, English Department chair. In her nomination form, Gradisek said, “It’s hard to articulate how time-intensive it is to partner on faculty searches when hiring multiple positions.”
“When things become busy, Kris goes the extra mile, often working late and getting it done. Most of his work is time sensitive, so he manages many high-pressure situations all at once.”
A coordinator in Retention Support Services, who started at the College early in the pandemic, has been named the new Staff Employee of the Month.
Andrew Filippi, Retention Support Services coordinator, started at Columbus State in April 2020. At First Wednesday, his supervisor, Allen Parsons, Retention Support Services manager, called Filippi “the man behind the curtain” of the Starfish system. Starfish is a retention software program used by Columbus State.
In his nomination form, Parsons said, “Filippi worked through the weekend ahead of Autumn Semester classes to set up tutoring schedules to ensure all tutoring services would be ready on day one. He worked long hours and partnered closely with staff and administration to clarify and update details to ensure students had assess to Tutoring Services the first day of Autumn Semester.”
Parsons also says Filippi had a great deal of manual data entry within Starfish, and that he accepted last-minute updates and changes with professionalism and courtesy.
Two people nominated Brayden Bousquet as the full-time Staff Employee of the Month. Bousquet is an instructional designer in Orientation and started with the college last year. Shana Sankey, Orientation specialist, nominated Bousquet for performing “double duty” when 60% of their colleagues left in a short time span. Sankey said, “Instead of freaking out because he was fairly new himself, he embraced the challenge in every sense of the word. Conducting MAPS, new student workshops, new student orientation, sitting on the hiring panel for new College Transition Designers and essentially training them during peak (time).”
Bousquet’s training abilities led to his second nomination from Kevin Szukala, a new instructional designer in Orientation. “Brayden was my training during my onboarding,” said Szukala. “He is the reason I am confident in my job.”
Kyle Strohecker, a Conference Center technician with audio and visual skills that are vital for public events on campus, was named the Staff Employee of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday. He came to the college in 2017.
In her nomination form, Laura Wittle, Institutional Effectiveness analyst, said Strohecker was “incredibly” helpful during an event she hosted in Mitchell Hall. “Kyle was very supportive of our presenters throughout the event. He was able to suggest solutions that made the day flow better…and helped us figure out our PowerPoints for the main room.” Strohecker had taken multiple PowerPoints and organized it into one.
An advisor in Advising and Career Services was named the new Staff Employee of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday.
Scott Rombauer, who has been with Columbus State just shy of a quarter century, was nominated by Shelley Casbarro, director of Strategic Initiatives and Assessment.
Casbarro’s nomination form began with this direct statement: Scott has changed the lives of countless students. “There would be days,” Casbarro said, “when Scott would be welcoming students into an advising lobby while providing advising via chat, and assisting colleagues with complicated questions, all at the same time. This is customer service at its best.”
“Once students met Scott and experienced his care and expertise, they would come back again and again and request to work with him,” said Casbarro, who also called him “the Most Valuable Player to all of us in Advising.”
A Student Advocacy Center staff member who has been with Columbus State for 32 years was named the full-time Staff Employee of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday. Melissa Helpman, who came to the college in 1991, joined the Center as a specialist last year. She was nominated by Lisa Phillips, Student Advocacy Center director.
One of Helpman’s mottos is “serenity now,” Phillips said before the award was presented. In her nomination, Phillips said, “As we operate with a short staff, Melissa has jumped right in to keep the Mid-Oho Market at Columbus State open so it can continue serving students and community members.”
Helpman’s other responsibilities beyond the Market include connecting students to emergency rental assistance funds. “(Since) Melissa has been a part of the Student Advocacy Team, she has never once uttered the words, ‘That isn’t my job.’ Often what I hear is, ‘What can I do?’ This is the hallmark of a team player.”
A 25-year employee was awarded the Staff Employee of the Month for July at last week’s First Wednesday. Laura Shady, program coordinator in the Biological & Physical Sciences Department, started at Columbus State in 1998. She was nominated by three department colleagues: Professor Merideth Sellars, Associate Professor Julie Posey, and Teaching Assistant Jill Keefer.
In the nomination form, Sellars said, “When it comes to facilitating cross-campus and community programs, Laura is not afraid to forge and establish lasting partnerships. Laura’s leadership and critical role in the creation of the student STEM Club, STEM Summer Bridge Program, as well as the First Year Experience – COLS 1100 course – showcases her never-ending commitment to student success.”
“Laura never shies away from taking on extra challenges; her leadership is undeniably beneficial for her students and fellow staff,” said Keefer. “We are so lucky to have her in our department, and the students are lucky to have a mentor such as herself: she sets the standard for future leadership.”
Posey added, “She knows every student by name, by major, and by personality. Every area of the college should have a ‘Laura Shady.’”
Specialist Justin Mulinex, who started at Columbus State in 2015, was nominated as the full-time SEOM by Design, Construction & Trades Professor Dean Bortz and Associate Professor William Highley. In his nomination, Bortz said, “Justin consistently performs above and beyond – that is his normal. He provides exemplary service to our program, department, division, and the college.”
Highley, in his nomination, added, “Justin always wants to help the students, faculty, and staff in any way he can. He is there for students to help them get the information they need. Justin looks for ways to make department funds go just a little bit further so that the student can receive more for their education.”
Jazmin Melvin, student services specialist in Student Central, was named September’s full-time Staff Employee of the Month. “The exceptional work Jazmin has done in helping new global students understand the enrollment process is just one of her many achievements,” said her two nominators, Jo'Yin Tang, International Student Services supervisor, and Misty Mahefkey, Student Central director. “She participated in an outreach event and helped ESL Spanish-speaking high school juniors, seniors, and their families complete FAFSA applications. She takes the time to truly understand what students need and assists them, even staying after hours to do so at times.”
Danielle Sanborn, a campus recruitment coordinator in Admissions, earned October’s full-time Staff Employee of the Month award. She was nominated by Amanda Talbott, Admissions supervisor. “Danielle recognizes that we all work better together, and she continuously strives to unite folks from all departments across the college for the greater good of students,” said Talbott in her nomination form. “Her commitment to excellence extends beyond her individual work. Danielle’s compassion and expertise make her an invaluable resource for incoming students, and her contributions have made a significant impact on the department as a whole.”
A program coordinator in Retention Support Services who’s been with the college for two years was named the Staff Employee of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday. Shenna Drugan came to Columbus State in November 2021. She was nominated by four colleagues: Lauren Jones, Sherry Minton, Martine Stephens, and Teddi Lewis-Hotopp.
Drugan serves as the Supplemental Instruction coordinator for the AEP Credits Count grant, working with high school students.
Her nomination form says, “Drugan elevated the success of Columbus State’s College Credit Plus and Supplemental Instruction programs and contributed to the achievement of Columbus State students overall. She went above and beyond by being so thoughtful about tailoring the supplemental instruction framework to the needs of high school students. This program is the first of its kind where supplemental instruction is implemented at a high school for both CCP and traditional courses that feed into the CCP pathways.”
Liz Rose-Cohen is the full-time SEOM. She came to Columbus State in 2021, where she worked first worked in Marketing and Communications. She later transitioned into a new position in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as manager of the Employee Resource Groups. “Liz has enthusiastically and professionally embraced her new position as ERG manager,” said Primrose Igonor, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the nominator. “She has not only revitalized the ERGS but also has been eager to assist them in brainstorming event ideas and helping execute the events. She has ensured their overall success.”
Part-Time
The Part-time Staff Employee of the Month is Peggy Lucas, laboratory specialist in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE). She has been with Columbus State for almost 12 years and was nominated by Christine Creagh, professor of Human Services. Creagh’s nomination stated, “During the early part of the pandemic, Peggy was creative as she made sure students had all of the materials they needed to be successful. She was in the parking lot doing an open-air exchange of materials as students drove up.”
“(In addition) she moves her schedule around to accommodate the needs of busy students and faculty who ask her to provide lessons in the ECDE Lab.”
The part-time Staff Employee of the Month is Risa Owen, a learning specialist and mathematics tutor for the Delaware Campus and the Regional Learning Centers. She has been with the college since 2014.
Her nomination form stresses Owen’s dedication and spirit in working with faculty, staff, and students. Specifically, with students, the nominators said, “Risa strives to bring out the Columbus State spirit in the students she tutors by believing in them and helping them gain match confidence, which in turn, helps them stay the course. Owen was nominated by Tim Davis, Delaware Student Support and Engagement supervisor, and Kristine Kinzer, Reference & Instruction coordinator.
Sage Bottger, a senior integrated support specialist in Student Central, was named the part-time Staff Employee of the Month. She has been with the college for four years.
Bottger’s nomination form states that she has worked closely with the Continuous Improvement and Learning Manager to help develop multiple training markets, not just for Student Central, but for all employees and students. She was nominated by Misty Mahefkey, Jessica Plannick, and Jessica Tomasek. The nomination says, “Sage uses the experience as a Columbus State graduate to create content with a ‘student-centered’ focus, and she approaches everyone with care, patience, concern, and respect.”
Mary Hooker-Myers, Digital Education and Instructional Services (DEIS) developer, was named the part-time SEOM. She originally came to the college in 2002 and retired in 2017. Hooker-Myers then returned in 2021 on a part-time basis. She was nominated by Gene Strickland, Art, Media & Design professor and coordinator of Digital Design & Graphics and Photography.
Strickland says Hooker-Myers loves what she does, and it shows. In his nomination, he said, “Mary has had a significant impact on the Columbus State community by providing exceptional one-on-one support to faculty members utilizing Blackboard. She is a problem-solver who is always willing to provide one-on-one assistance to colleagues to help them overcome challenges and achieve their goals.”
Advisor Allison deVerteuil came to Columbus State in 2012 and is the part-time SEOM for December. “It doesn’t seem possible she is only part-time,” said her nominator, Doug House. As an advisor, deVerteuil works directly with students. In his nomination, House said she went to respective faculty members to do a “deep dive” on each course and plan of study. “deVerteuil didn’t want to simply get an answer, she wanted to truly understand the programs and how the classes fit into the plans of study and industry.”
Nominate a Colleague
Staff employees can be nominated for Staff Employee of the Month for making a difference to Columbus State, going above and beyond expectations, excelling as a team player, or striving to bring out the Columbus State “spirit” in others. To nominate a colleague, click on the forms below.
STAFF EMPLOYEE NOMINATION FORM
Staff Employee of the Month Program Guidelines
Previous SEOM Award Winners
2022 Staff Employee of the Month page
2021 Staff Empoyee of the Month page
2020 Staff Empoyee of the Month page
2019 Staff Employee of the Month page
2018 Staff Employee of the Month page