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UIS Employee of the Month Program
December EOM is Steve Chrans
As assistant vice chancellor for student affairs, Steve Chrans goes to a lot of meetings. So it was fairly easy to lure him to the party celebrating his selection as December Employee of the Month. Chris Miller, vice chancellor for student and administrative services and dean of students, brought Steve up the hill after spinning a tale about a meeting, a reception, and a side trip to the PAC Restaurant. "He didn’t have a clue," said Miller. Steve walked full speed in to the restaurant until the applause broke out, then was so taken aback that he actually spun in circles for a second. "What the heck is going on?" he cried. Miller congratulated Steve on being chosen EOM, saying, "Steve has been on campus for 24-and-a-half years, and it's been my good fortune to work with him for five of those years. He is completely and totally committed to his work and it's an honor and a privilege to work with him." Accepting the award, Steve said, "I'm glad I didn't know about this in advance because I'd have been totally nervous. You really caught me off-guard. "I have this old speech," he continued, "but I'm going to say it again. I think people are like flowers – all shapes, sizes, colors – and I've enjoyed working in the garden at SSU/UIS." |
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Sherri Boner got a big bouquet of roses and a kiss from her husband at her EOM party. |
Sherri Boner, staff secretary in the Office of International Student Services, was not a bit surprised by her Employee of the Month party. On Thursday morning she calmly entered the Student Center with Jonathan GoldbergBelle and merely gave him a questioning look.
"Yes, Sherri," he nodded, and the event was underway.
But the lack of shock and awe didn't change the mood, and Jonathan proceeded to explain why Sherri deserved the recognition.
"When I started here a few years ago," he said, "I spent a semester without any staff. The office was already far behind when Sherri got there. But when I saw how she waded right in, how she went out into the commons area and started throwing things around to get them organized – I knew right then that she was banned from my office and I explained to her that I have my own filing system."
Joking aside, he went on to describe how in many ways the campus' effort to serve international students has grown from "a sleepy little office to one that never sleeps. And Sherri keeps it going. Her customer service skills are superb. She's really a mother to these students, and they refer to her that way.
"Not only that, she's now holding together an office in transition." (UIS' Office of International Affairs recently split into two new, separate offices -- International Programs, which GoldbergBelle directs, and International Student Services, which has yet to name a director.)
In light of the situation, Chris Miller, vice chancellor for student and administrative services, echoed GoldbergBelle's praise of Sherri, adding that Jonathan and Sherri are "two people doing the work of ten."
But perhaps one of the international students put it all in perspective and summed it up best: "We'll be leaving here soon," he said, "but the good memories will last forever."
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October EOM Kemy Brown is congratulated by Larry Stonecipher. It took her a moment to realize that she'd walked in to her own party. |
Kemy Brown was talking when she entered the PAC restaurant on Tuesday afternoon and it took her a second to realize that the room was full of people and they were applauding.
Then she caught sight of her family sitting at a table and reality sank in – she was Employee of the Month for October.
"I'm shaking," she cried.
Then Larry Stonecipher, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, observed, "I think it worked" -- "it" being the effort to keep the party a surprise. "Kemy watches over what happens on the third floor of Brookens," Stonecipher explained. "We nearly had to hold this off-campus."
Loretta Meeks, professor in the Teacher Education program where Kemy is a program adviser, noted that she had worked with Kemy for 15 years. "I've often thought of her as a silent partner with the university," said Meeks. "She's done so much for so many.
"When I see people coming out of her office, especially students, I know they feel better because she has that knack. People like Kemy are one in a million."
Kemy's mother, Ruby Smith; sister, Yolanda Smith; and uncle, Orville Ewing, were all on hand to help her celebrate.
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Cynthia Thompson realized that even she can be fooled sometimes after Jeff Maras brought her to the September EOM party. |
Most times, Director of Student Life Cynthia Thompson knows what's going on around campus. But on Wednesday morning when she walked in to the Student Center she didn't have a clue that she was going to an Employee of the Month party that her colleagues had been planning behind her back for days.
In fact, her first words as September EOM were, "I always thought I'd be savvy enough to figure it out!" and she admitted to being embarrassed thinking she'd stumbled into someone else's party.
Once the confusion was cleared up and the applause had died down, Jeffrey Maras, associate dean of students, made the official presentation, saying, "It was a real honor to learn of Cynthia’s nomination and selection. I can tell you there’s not a finer candidate anywhere on campus.
"This is a testament to her stellar service and commitment to students and to the university," he added. "Cynthia is one of my hardest-working colleagues and very deserving of this recognition."
Accepting the award, Cynthia thanked her friends and co-workers, saying, "Almost everyone here has helped pull me through at some point."
As proof of Cynthia's dedication to the students, many of them joined the crowd that turned out to honor her.
Cynthia has been at UIS since 2002.
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Mike Bloechle is congratulated by Sharon Norris as she presents him with the official perks of being an Employee of the Month. It took two phony meetings to lure Mike to his party. |
Mike Bloechle, contract coordinator in the Purchasing Office, was the victim of a double whammy as he was summoned to not one but two fake meetings in order to lure him into the party honoring him as Employee of the Month for August.
It started with a request from Ed Wojcicki in the Chancellor’s Office, asking Mike and Mike Bohl, assistant vice president for Business and Finance, to come to a meeting in Ed's office in the Public Affairs Center. On the way to the first meeting, however, Bohl told Bloechle that Steve Chrans was having another meeting in the PAC restaurant that he needed to attend for a minute to answer some questions. You know what happened next.
Sharon Norris, director of purchasing, made the official presentation, saying, "Mike is a great employee, and I'm so proud to have one of my staff named employee of the month.
"Mike is an asset to the office. He is very knowledgeable in the purchasing and the contract area and he is well liked and respected by his peers on the other two campuses. I'm proud of the image he projects of UIS in his interactions with peers on all three campuses, as well as his professionalism in dealing with internal and external customers. It's a privilege to be able to present Mike with this honor."
Mike was completely surprised and said for once he was speechless, a claim that drew rounds of laughter.
His wife, Lois, his daughter, Anne, and his brother, Don, were on hand to help celebrate. Mike has been employed on campus since January 2001.
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Teresa Szabo's husband and three daughters helped her celebrate being chosen Employee of the Month for July. The blue feathered tiara was Teresa's first perk as EOM. |
As gift stewardship/business coordinator in the Development Office, Teresa Szabo knows about dressing professionally.
However, Vicki Megginson noted that though Teresa looked lovely as she entered the PAC Atrium on Monday afternoon, she was missing something. And so Teresa’s first perk as July Employee of the Month was a blue feathered tiara and scepter.
Once that was in place, Megginson, associate chancellor for development at UIS and vice president of the U of I Foundation, continued, “We’re proud of you and what you do.”
Said Megginson, “When Teresa came here almost six years ago we needed good business and stewardship systems, and she built those for us from scratch. But she also used her talents in research and development, and she gave us more.
“That was an effort of 120 percent, but it wasn’t enough for Teresa,” said Megginson. “Any time someone called and asked for advice, she did the homework to get them the best information. That was a 220 percent effort, but it still wasn’t enough. Every step of the way, Teresa provides ideas to make things better. She’s proactive; she spends a lot of time and caring. And that’s why I can’t think of a person more deserving of this honor.”
“This is quite a surprise,” replied Teresa. “I’m excited to work here; I have strong feelings for the campus. The Development Office is three times bigger than it was when I started. I’ve learned so much and I really love working here. Thank you all.”
Teresa’s husband, David, their three daughters – Chelsea, Nicole, and Emily – and her parents were among those gathered to help her celebrate.
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Marque Haupert was a "great" choice for Employee of the Month. |
If she were the suspicious type, Marque Haupert, assistant director of housing and residential life, might have wondered about the hushed conversations among her coworkers lately. But then, if Marque were truly suspicious, it would have been impossible to surprise her as guest of honor at an Employee of the Month party held out in the open and just around the corner – and she was truly surprised.
Entering the Housing Commons great room after a “staff meeting” late Thursday morning, she stopped cold as those gathered to celebrate burst into applause. “I’m embarrassed!” she laughed.
Making the presentation, John Ringle, director of housing and residential life, said, “Since Marque was promoted to assistant director, she’s been great. Well, she was great before. She’s sort of the ‘Tony the Tiger’ of housing (g-r-r-r-eat). She’s established great relationships, especially with our international students. She’s the queen of diversity. What I hear from a lot of folks is that she’s great to work with. So basically I want to say thanks for a great job!”
Marque responded. “It’s been both challenging and interesting being at UIS. There are so many opportunities to influence, and to be influenced. We work as a team and collaborate. …Thank you all.”
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AD Rodger Jehlika, right, got May EOM Paul MacDonna out of the way so the party could be set up. |
What do you do when you need to throw an EOM party and the space you have to do it is just a few doors down from the honoree's office? Chances are you get him out of the way for a couple of hours, then hope he comes back on time.
It's good when a plan comes together. Paul MacDonna, assistant athletic director, works no more than 30 feet from the Student Center lounge, where his selection as May Employee of the Month was to be celebrated on Tuesday morning. So Athletic Director Rodger Jehlicka obligingly took him somewhere off campus and managed to get Paul back only a few minutes late.
"That wasn't easy," Rodger said as he and Paul walked in to a round of applause.
Making the official presentation, Rodger continued, "I've only been at UIS six months, and haven't known Paul that long, but I do have a few words to say about him. One of the first days I was here we went to an EOM party, and later I found out that no one from athletics had ever been chosen. I couldn't believe it.
"So this is well-deserved," he said. "Paul does a lot for our department and for the university. Whether it's a wheelchair basketball game or arranging for some commencement week activities, he's always there helping out. Congratulations."
"Wow," replied Paul. "What a surprise! It's great being in a place where people really care. I appreciate this. Thanks."
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Carolyn Cerven would clearly have preferred her "jungle-like" office to the Student Center lounge once she realized she'd been chosen Employee of the Month. |
Carolyn Cerven probably wondered why she was being walked around campus on Thursday morning and why she ended up in the Student Center lounge. But when she noticed that it was full of people and a table loaded with food and flowers, she refused to come inside.
Carolyn was being celebrated as Employee of the Month for April.
Carolyn is an account technician in University Accounting and Financial Reporting.
Brent Rasmuss, her supervisor, drove in from Urbana to make the official presentation, which he did after first explaining that he was not “a lost student.”
Calling Carolyn “one of the most dedicated workers I've ever seen,” he continued, “Everybody gets along with her. There are no errors in her work and no complaints. She is an excellent resource for this campus and for the university as a whole. This honor is very well deserved.”
For her part, Carolyn declined to make a speech but did say, “This is a good place to work. I’ve enjoyed my six years here…and maybe one more. Thank you.”
In his job as interim director of Records and Registration/Registrar, Brian Clevenger is “everywhere, all the time,” and that made it especially difficult for the staff in Records and Registration to plan his Employee of the Month party. When they finally pulled it off, Marya Leatherwood, director of Enrollment Management, even claimed that it’d been necessary to enlist Mother Nature’s help.
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A freak snowstorm meant that Marya Leatherwood had to wait an extra day to present Brian Clevenger with his EOM certificate. |
Once Brian got to the PAC restaurant on Wednesday morning and figured out what was going on, Marya explained, “This surprise was supposed to be yesterday, but we had to arrange a little snowstorm to throw you off. In fact,” she added, “you unknowingly broke up the staff meeting where they were talking about what food to bring.
“But you deserve this recognition for many reasons, including the fact that you're energetic and enthusiastic, and you have a wicked sense of humor. You do your job well and you brought to the campus something we all love (pause) to hate -- Banner.” There was a big laugh as Brian looked suitably sheepish.
“I really appreciate this,” he said. “It truly means a great deal to me. I'm speechless.”
And then his “wicked” sense of humor took over: “You are all truly fantastic to work with...except for a few of you, and you know who you are!"
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Julian, left, and Ian helped their dad celebrate being chosen February EOM. Mom, Janice, got stuck in the back of the crowd. |
Steve Marvel’s new boss, Tim Ritzo, walked him around the PAC on February 10, talking about Building Services issues -- until they came to the restaurant, when Tim suggested they step inside.
Exactly what happened next isn’t too clear, since the restaurant was crowded and the noise level was pretty high. The one sure thing is that Steve was being honored as Employee of the Month for February.
“Tim said lots of nice things about Steve,” reported Steve’s wife, Janice. “Only I couldn't hear because I was in the back. After Tim gave Steve a framed EOM certificate and a coffee cup, our two boys, Julian and Ian, ran to the front yelling ‘DADDY!’
“Steve said that this is the best job he’s ever had and the people are wonderful to work with…He also said he was at a loss for words.”
Steve received a ceremonial plunger from co-worker Johnny Jones as well as a display from the children at Cox House thanking Steve for the times when he played Bob the Builder for them. The children made posters with pictures of Steve dressed as Bob and the display included some of their sayings and hand prints.
Then everyone’s attention turned to the food, which featured a cake with a piano on it in recognition of Steve’s musical talent. Janice noted, “The receiving line went on forever and Steve ended up getting only a small piece of cake because all the food was gobbled up.”
In addition to Janice and the boys, Steve’s father, Tom, was there to help celebrate. Steve has been a building service worker on campus for seven years.
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