2015 ICYC Recipients
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Card Recipients for January 2015 |
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Dr. Ellice Martin, Middle Grades Education Dr. Martin went above and beyond as my advisor. She even met with a friend of mine who was contemplating joining the education program to discuss possible routes. When we met, she discussed more than school. She also invested time to simply talk and get to know us. She is both a terrific advisor and person. |
Dr. Gerald Merwin, Adult and Military Programs Dr. Merwin has gone out of his way on many occasions to assist me with many problems and has always made himself available. His assistance has had a direct impact on my ability to honor VSU by becoming a recent graduate in Organizational Leadership. I know that many times I was asking Dr. Merwin to assist me with tasks that were not in the purview of his job, but he always helped or got me in touch with the right person who could. I really appreciate his efforts and will only have a fondness towards my time at VSU because of it. Thank you! |
Ms. Margie Thompson, Financial Services With several emails and a telephone call, Mrs. Thompson helped me secure all the documentation I needed to receive my travel reimbursement before winter vacation. I appreciate her patience and professionalism in working to ensure I was reimbursed before Christmas. |
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Dr. Marsha Walden, Office of Centralized Advising Ms. Walden has continued to offer me advice and guidance even after I was assigned a new advisor. She always takes time to answer questions that I have and has shown genuine compassion and concern. |
Dr. E-Ling Hsiao, Department of Curriculum, Leadership, and Technology Dr. Hsiao, took the time to help me with my Action Research Project over the summer when I was at a lost on how to proceed. Not only did she respond in a timely manner through email, but she met with me via Wimba to walk me through one area at a time. I am an online student and could not get there to meet with her face-to-face, but her dedication to student success should not go unmentioned! Hear, hear Dr. Hsiao! |
Dr. Kelly A Heckaman, Advising and Registration Dr. H is my academic advisor, and was an academic instructor for the Fall 2014 semester. She is always there for me; it does not matter if I need assistance with an assignment, advice for courses to take, or a friendly shoulder. |
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Mr. Billy Barker, HVAC |
Ms. Dixie E Milner, Auxiliary Services 1 Card |
Alexis Tucker, Bursary |
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Charles Hutto, Plant Operations |
Dr. Chunlei Liu, Computer Science |
Dr. Blaine Browne, Psychology |
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Dr. Brian Ring, Biology |
Dr. Heather Kelley, Psychology |
Joann Bryant, Procurement |
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Keith Watson, Automation |
Michael Bower, Plant Ops |
Patrick McElwain and Registrar Staff, Registrar's Office |
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Patrick McElwain, Registrar's Office |
Ms. Sage Williams Archer, Event Service |
Shaun Half, Plant Operations |
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Steve Fesler, Plant Ops |
Xavier Cheves, Information Technology |
Jill Ferrell, Parking and Transportation We had a group of prospective students who were scheduled to visit campus. The bus that they were travelling on had mechanical issues and they were unable to get from the hotel where they were staying to campus. I called Jill and she immediately arranged for one of our buses to go and pick them up and bring them to campus for their tour. The Admissions Office truly appreciated her willingness to go the extra mile. It was a wonderful way to show these students how the entire VSU community works together. |
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Scott Piepinburg, Library Scott was very helpful in helping me locate books on the subject matter I was looking for. He made feel very welcome and I look forward to coming back. |
Jessica Deal, Financial Aid Always exceptionally efficient, courteous, and very promptly in addressing any questions or concerns and quick to help with any paperwork that needs processing. |
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Card Recipients for February 2015
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Jamae Flint, Financial Services Jamae Flint was awesome! When I discovered that I had not been paid, she was able to work directly with my payroll supervisor to figure everything out so that I did not have to wait long. She quickly was able to give us the tools we needed and was very friendly in the process. Thank you so much for rocking! |
Leroy Trower, Financial Aid I got kicked out of the computer lab because a class had to take a test and Mr. Leroy saw my frustration and let me use his computer to finish my assignment. |
Samantha Powell, Student Success Center I just wanted to let you guys know about a Student Success employee Samantha Powell! She so great! |
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Jessica Sharp, Creative Services Jessica has been a HUGE help in creating graphics and e- blasts for upcoming events. She is quick, through, and a pleasure to work with! I appreciate her getting my requests done in record time, especially when I have been in a time crunch! |
Yvonne Landers, Office of the Vice President of Finance and Administration Yvonne is always exceptional; but today she called to offer assistance to my Administrative Assistant, Susan Jones, with the new method of Works p-card reconciliation, as we were late in submission because of student traffic at the start of the term. Susan and I are both appreciative of Yvonne's efforts. Yvonne is the greatest! |
Wendy Miller, IT & ACED I was in class late on Tuesday evening and left my flash drive in one of the computers. I sent an email to both members of the staff with hopes that someone would be able to locate the flash drive by the time I came in on Wednesday. By a special grace, both parties checked the room,, and it was found and returned by Mr. Cheeves. Both staff members are extra special and go beyond the job to make sure students are well taken care of. These are special staff members who truly care. Thank you for having the special caring and sharing staff members. |
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Xavier Cheeves , IT & ACED I was in class late on Tuesday evening and left my flash drive in one of the computers. I sent an email to both members of the staff with hopes that someone would be able to locate the flash drive by the time I came in on Wednesday. By a special grace, both parties checked the room,, and it was found and returned by Mr. Cheeves. Both staff members are extra special and go beyond the job to make sure students are well taken care of. These are special staff members who truly care. Thank you for having the special caring and sharing staff members. |
Ms. Marlene Marlow, Physical Plant Ms. Marlene Marlow is one of a kind. I work close to 40 hours a week and I am a full-time student. I sometimes take naps in the library, just to obtain a little bit of rest. She always wakes me up just in time for class. She also gives wonderful advice about life whenever I am overwhelmed or stressed out about things. |
Brittany Jones, Dining Services I teach Anatomy & Physiology. We use toothpicks to stir the agglutination reaction used in blood typing simulations. Ms. Jones was kind enough to go out of her way to supply us with a box of toothpicks when we unexpectedly ran out of them. Thanks Brittany, you saved the lab! |
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Professor Caterina Orr, African American Studies Professor Orr is willing to help students out in any way that she can even though its only a little in the semester. She goes above and beyond to help her students succeed and do whatever it takes and can. She is willing to help students via email, phone, or in person and she ALWAYS gives her best. |
Susan Jones, Modern and Classical Languages Ms. Jones went above and beyond in helping me organizing the field trip of the Modern and Classical Languages students to the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, FL. She volunteered her work day and drove the van with students to the location. It was quite a drive: 4.5 hrs each way the same day! But she did it and we appreciate it enormously. |
Elsie Crane, Housing Warmest thanks for all of your hard work and outstanding contributions as a member of the housing department. We know how much time and energy your position demands, and we deeply appreciate all of your efforts to make it a great success. |
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Florence Williams, Campus Mail Florence has been a student assistant in my office for most of her time spend at VSU. I have heard a lot of comments about the exceptional service she gives to everyone who comes to the service window. Things like about how she is always smiling, friendly and helpful to the customers. They say how nice she looks. Florence has always given 100% to doing her job and I will miss her when she does graduate this May. I can always fill the position she will leave but I can't replace the service she has given to this office. I believe Florence has done a whole lot of caring and deserves being recognized. |
Jamae Flint, Financial Services Jamae Flint was awesome! When I discovered that I had not been paid, she was able to work directly with my payroll supervisor to figure everything out so that I did not have to wait long. She quickly was able to give us the tools we needed and was very friendly in the process. Thank you so much for rocking! |
Dr. David Williams, History I would like to thank Dr. Williams for opening my eyes and my heart to history. I am a junior and took one of Dr. Williams's class my first semester at VSU and that was enough to have me change my major to History. His knowledge of the common man/woman during the 1800s knows no bounds! It is because of his love of wanting to discover more and then teach it to his students, that I learned to love history and all it has to offer. Everyday I look to learn something I have not heard before and then research it to learn all I can. I hope one day I am able to entice a student to love history as much as I do. Thank you Dr. Williams! |
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Elisa Morris, Dining Services She is always very intentional in asking how my day was, and now she even knows my name. She's more than just a lady in the dining hall, and we're more than just random students walking in and out for food. It's nice to know she cares! I hope she knows we care about her, too! |
Dr. Kelly Heckaman, MAT Special Education, Professor & Coordinator Dr. Heckaman is an exceptional professor as she goes above and beyond for the students she teaches and advises. She is always eager to offer assistance and advice when issues occur and she goes out of her way to ensure that her students have a clear understanding of the subject matter being taught. Dr. Heckaman is very knowledgeable in teaching special education, a wonderful mentor and truly a great asset to the university. |
Geraldine Moore, Plant Operations Ms. Moore provides excellent service to the IT department. She is always working hard to ensure her many tasks are completed each day. She goes above and beyond if needed and is always friendly, greeting everyone each morning. I am truly grateful to have her assigned to this building as she consistently does an amazing job! |
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Samantha Powell, Student Success Center I just wanted to let you guys know about a Student Success employee Samantha Powell! I was trying to help one of our professors out by finding out where a PC is located at that. This PC kept locking out her account for the past week or so.I finally located the PC in Langdale hall and I noticed you logged onto it before and I was trying to see if the PC was still there.Samantha helped me out and looked at all the IT #s in the Student Success building and she matched the IT number to a GA assistant PC upstairs. This was extremely helpful in my case and I was able to resolve an issue that was troubling one of our VSU professors for a while. I just wanted to show my appreciation towards Samantha she went above and beyond in helping identify this computer. |
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Card Recipients for March 2015
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John Darity, Procurement March is National Procurement Month. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize John for the experience and expertise he has brought to Procurement at VSU. He has taken great care in pulling together a working Procurement Team. We all have learned a great deal from him and he has effected standardization between the Procurement Office and Information Technology Procurement. |
Tim Brunt, Plant Ops He got a quote to replace the AC compressor which was over $1,700.00. This quote bothered him and he made a trip to the supply house and investigated to determine the unit is a warranty item. This action was above and beyond the call. |
Barney Rickman, History Dr. Rickman has always been very supportive and sensitive to my needs as a student. I started here with some pretty severe injuries and a 2 hour commute. Dr. Rickman took everything into consideration and was able to get a schedule that was easier for me to handle. He's very keen to make sure I am aware of changes to my possible job market that could affect my curriculum. If it weren't for Dr. Rickman I don't think I'd have been able to start much less complete my education. Thank you, Dr. Rickman, for helping a lifelong dream for me and my family come true! |
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Jessica Sharp, Creative Services Jessica is always a pleasure to work with. She is very creative, committed to her job and willing to go the extra mile. When I am in a pinch she comes to the rescue without complaining. We need more dedicated employees like her at VSU! |
Andrew Scott, Media Center Andrew has been very helpful every time I visit the media center with large laminating jobs. |
Barbara Thomas, Communication Disorders Mrs. Thomas is always willing to help and has a smile while helping. She is a great personality for the clinic. |
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Beverly Amio, Purchasing/Procurement March 27 was my last day at VSU, and Beverly went above and beyond the call of duty in helping me finalize my P-Card return. I was having a great deal of difficulty signing off and printing my transaction report, and she patiently walked me through the process. She is always SO helpful and makes my life easier! |
Charlotte Foster, Health Services She is so sweet and has very good manners. She tries her best to make sure you are taken care of. She was patient and explained everything I needed. Thank you. |
DeLois Hargett, Career Opportunities When my school email was not working, Ms. Dee wrote a personal letter with the information I needed to make it to the Sanderson Farms Road Show on time. Afterwards she made several efforts to ensure that I could join the group and have a ride. Very courteous as well. Thank you! |
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Dr. Michael Noll, Physics, Astronomy & Geosciences Dr. Noll did an outstanding job conducting Geoscience Trivia at Science Saturday! Both, children and parents, were excited and very pleased. |
Jarrod Murray, E- Learning Mr. Murray assisted with a time sensitive matter and was able to resolve it quickly. He understands how important students are and does what he can to help. |
Jason Kassel, Political Science I was needing to go home early and needed to take tests early to make sure I could take care of my sister. He understood that I had a five hour drive ahead of me and allowed me to take my tests early. Not a lot of people would have done that. |
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Jenny White, Budget Services/Finance Jenny is an asset to the Budget office. She made the extra effort to get a budget report to me while the system was down. She is always calm and never gets rattled, no matter how panicked I am :) I appreciate her hard work and calming presence! |
Di Mitchell, Speech Communication Mr. Mitchell found a way to help me pay for one of my organizations due. Knowing that it's my last semester and most important he tries to help me in any way possible. |
Kyle Culpepper, Media Services Kyle is always nice and caring when I walk in to the media center. His smile always makes my day. He is a great person to be greeted by. |
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Lorrie Proal, IT Lorrie Proal went above and beyond to help me with a situation with a vendor regarding an annual renewal for software. Even though the situation was outside of ePro, she still took time to help with the situation. She gave me instruction and guidance so that I could do my job task effectively and efficiently. She is always patient and courteous any time I call her. She makes sure I have a full understanding of the answer to my question and is always willing to help. I am very grateful for her continued support and guidance. |
Marie Hart, Financial Aid I would like to thank Marie for ongoing support that has been instrumental in me pursuing my educational goals. Throughout my enrollment at VSU, I've had important questions and situations to occur about my financial aid. Marie never hesitated to step in with answers or resolutions. She always exemplified excellent customer service with genuine concern about my financial needs. I graduate this semester and I wanted to make sure I share this note of sincere appreciation. |
Nikki Moore, E-Learning
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Ted Davis II, Campus Mail Ted made an extra trip to North Campus late Thursday afternoon (in the pouring rain, I might add!) to bring a large number of packages that belonged to our department. Ted is always cheerful and friendly and routinely goes out of his way to make things easier for everyone on his route. I appreciate his willingness to help! |
Wes Duke, Information Technology Wes took the time, even though he didn't have to, to help me receive a quote for an office printer. Due to unforeseen difficulties, it took longer than expected, but he stuck with me the whole way!! Thanks Wes. |
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Card Recipients for April 2015 |
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Becky Gaskins, English Becky realized markers and erasers were going missing from a classroom we share. She sent me a marker and an eraser to use in the classroom. Becky Gaskins has a LONG history of looking out for her colleagues. She is one of the most caring faculty members in our department. We are lucky to have her! |
Bobby Doud, Communication Arts Bobby Doud was my teacher for PR writing in Spring 2015. He inspired me through his enthusiasm and and dedication for us to get the basics. He gave great direction and encouragement and although all the Comm Arts teachers are well educated and well versed, Bobby Doud got me excited about this profession all over again! |
Geraldine Moore, Physical Plant Miss Geraldine does custodial services for our building. Even though she has to do this for several buildings she always provides personalized care, with her caring words and professional demeanor, to us employees as well as an outstanding job in her duties. When she is out her absence is noticed as she really does provide exceptional cleaning services and does so with great attention to detail. We all appreciate her service and attitude and hopes that she has, "a blessed day." |
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Jessica Pope, President of Communications Thank you so much for all you do in handling difficult situations on campus and fielding phone calls and social media. I really appreciate everything you do, and I admire your resilience and strength! Thank you! |
Karl Wildman, Fine Arts Department April 6 of 2015 I was sitting the hall of the Fine Arts Building and was contemplating and issue that happen about 30 minutes prior to me sitting. One of my professor Karl Wildman approached me like he does on a regular bases and asked how were things going. Because he has established trust with me to speak with him on matters concerning my academic advancement as well as personal issues, I was comfortable with sharing with him. I explained to him when my earlier class was dismissed I decided to use that time to run errand before my next class but unfortunately my vehicle stopped working on the corner of Baytree and Oak St. I was discouraged because of my situation and without hesitation, he offered to allow me to use his triple A service to tow my car home after class. We met at the location and he waited in the rain with me and my 10 year old daughter for a tow truck. In my opinion he went beyond the duty of a |
Paul Leavy, Creative Services Paul Leavy tracked down a photo and the permission slips needed for a custom insert. This was work he had already done once, but our department lost the materials. He found it quickly and emailed it to us, going beyond the call of duty. He made a stressful situation much easier. Thanks a ton! |
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Jennifer White, Budget Analyst, Financial Services Ms. White is always expedient, cool, calm, and collected in replying to my budget activity report questions "in detail". I appreciate her, because I'm not a numbers person. |
Dorothy Branham, Custodial Always helpful and has a smile to share and makes us feel welcome. We continue to enjoy and appreciate this training facility as a rental for our healthcare staff training. |
Jenny White, Budget Analyst Mrs. White always expedient, cool, calm, and collected in replying to my budget activity report questions "in detail". I appreciate her because I'm not a numbers person. |
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Micah Downs, IT Micah helped fix an issue with an invitation design in a hurry so it could be sent out. He is a great asset to the LCOBA- IT team. I appreciate him and all the LCOBA- IT team. |
Lorrie Proal, Procurement I appreciate her constant willingness to assist with finding answers to prow to make purchases of software and other technology needed for the Department of LIbrary and Info. studies. |
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Card Recipients for May 2015 |
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Lai Orenduff, Academic Affairs I had a conflict of schedule with a final and a class. I called academic affairs and they passed me along. I ended up speaking with Dr. Orenduff and even though we couldn't fix the problem she emailed my professors and did everything she could. She also emailed me after my final to see how I did. She was top notch. |
Jessica Sharp, Graphic Design Jessica has always been helpful with any questions I have had! She does a lot of extra work that I do no think gets enough credit. Keep up the good work! |
Jenny White, Budget Analyst Ms. White is always calm, cool, expedient, and collected when dealing with my budget activity report emails. I appreciate her because she is not a numbers person. |
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Michael Holt, Library Mike was very gracious when I needed help moving a very heavy bookcase. THANK YOU!!! |
Julia McKissack, GOML
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Keith Warburg, Social Media |
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Laura Wright, Library |
Rudy K. Prine, Criminal Justice |
Brittany Hewitt, Career Opportunities I had some questions about what I wanted to do career-wise, and Brittany directed me to the counselor I needed to speak to.. even gave me some suggestions of her own! I'll definitely be coming back to the office to take advantage of what they have to offer. |
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Vonnie Griffin, Housekeeping |
Sandra J. Delk, College of Nursing and Health Sciences |
Marci Marshall, Nursing and Health Science Advising I emailed Ms. Marshall for a little direction as to what I might need to do to apply to the nursing program from out of state. She replied to my email almost instantly and many more since then. She has answered every question I have ever posed clearly and directly. I have never been left with any confusion. If she is a reflection of how this program is run, I am very excited to have transferred to this school. Ms. Marshall, Thank you for your kind, patient, organized and efficient responses. Thanks for always making me feel like my inquiries were welcome and not bothersome! I have been to many schools due to many moves with my military husband, and was actually very surprised and grateful for your adept assistance... Best advisor ever!! |
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Megan Slator, Mathematics and Computer Science Megan Slator is the most caring and responsible secretary I have ever worked with. She not only helped me obtain hardware quotes for my class with a very short notice, but also took extra steps in identifying needed accessory and redundant parts. When a battery arrived damaged, she immediately helped me contact the company to get a replacement. I want to thank Megan for going above and beyond the call of duty in helping me and other faculty and students in our department. |
Cliff Giddens, IT EIS Infrastructure Cliff took time out of his busy day to drop what he was doing and repurpose 40 desktops into different class labs and did it very quickly and efficiently. His willingness to help with this project insured its completion. |
AC Braswell, Campus Services/Custodial Services Always keeps the media center clean and welcoming to our patrons/ Willing to undertake requests at any time (clean carpet out). Always friendly and demonstrates great customer service. |
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Deborah Briihl, Psychology Dr Briihl was one of the most caring and knowledgeable teachers I took here at VSU. I had to take her class along with another one in order to graduate and it was one of the best classes I took as an undergrad here. She helped us understand key topics by pairing them with great stories and creating an unique classroom environment. I did not know much about Cognitive Psychology before, but I learned a whole lot in her class and I wanted to let her know I appreciate her as a teacher and the class would have not been the same without here. All the time and effort she put into this class needs to be recognized.I felt inspired this semester to continue to Grad School and continue pursuing Psychology. She made VSU shine with her one of a kind personality! |
Larry Wiley, Psychology Where do I start with Dr Wiley? He is an exceptional teacher that changed my mentality about how psychology can be used this semester. When I sat in his class, I had no idea of the journey we were gonna take not what the class was about. I think I finally found the perfect niche between Psychology and Computer Science and your class was it! I absolutely loved Human Factors and how it related to everything we do in our daily lives. It grabbed my interest to the point where I am applying to grad school to take more classes to learn more about it. Your unique examples and open classroom conversation made this semester quite unique and it was one of my favorite classes I took as an undergrad. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your time and effort! You made VSU shine this semester and I hope I can take more classes that you teach. |
Marie Hart, Financial Aid I sent Ms. Hart an email about how stressed I was and that I needed to speak to someone at financial aid and without even asking she managed to basically solve all my problems with one email. Her kindness will not be forgotten because I sincerely needed it. |
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Michael Smith, Human Resources I would like to applaud Michael for his continued patience and willingness to help me when I need assistance on People Admin. His sacrifice of walking me through processes over the telephone or coming to the department to assist me, is beyond the norm. I am truly grateful for the extraordinary service he provides from his heart, and he provides it without a second thought. Thank you, Michael! I appreciate your time and effort more than you know. |
Melissa Moore, Chemistry Incredible office manager, helps students and faculty all the time - has a great attitude & work ethic - the best. |
Sydney Plummer, Chemistry Hard working, detail oriented, bright and articulate young woman that is making great contributions to NSF-TB project. |
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James LaPlant, Graduate School Jim has helped us negotiate some new situations in international research. He also does a great job with research symposiums. |
Ocie Lundy & Charlyn Atkinson, Starbucks The two baristas in Starbucks on May 21st, 2015 at 11:30 made me a mocha at no charge, because I'd inadvertently ordered a frappaccino flavor when I really wanted something hot. I just tossed the frap and went back to the counter, but they didn't charge me for the coffee I really, really wanted, even though it was my mistake. Completely my fault. I hope you can check the schedule and see who was working that morning, because I didn't get their names at that moment, but they are the best. It's little moments like this that lift a person on a tough day. Thank you so much! |
Julia McKissack, College of Education Always available to help out with registration issues and overall program advice. |
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Card Recipients for June 2015 |
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Jacqueline Morrison, Starbucks Ms. Jacqueline always has a smile and a "good morning" waiting for you when you walk in. She is such a sweet person and gives great service. I really appreciate her |
Patrick Smith, Physical Plant The catering kitchen had no power on the wall where all our ovens, fryers, steamer is located. Patrick responded quickly to our work order, we had a large catering event that evening. He came by the office to let me know that he was headed to look at the schematic for the catering kitchen & would let us know when he found the problem. The problem turned out to be a simple fix a emergency button controlling the power had accidentally been pushed shutting the kitchen appliances down. Patrick returned quickly to find our chef packing the first load of raw food product in the van, he quickly stopped her & assisted her in getting all that food back to the kitchen. Patrick went above & beyond what the job called for to get our kitchen back online, our chef was so grateful that she did not have to make 4 trips with all that food for 300 guests & so appreciated the help getting the cold food back to the kitchen. |
Albert Miller, Physical Plant Albert responded quickly to our work order regarding no power to the wall where all our ovens, fryers, & steamer is located. We had a dinner for 300 that evening & all the raw food would have to be transported to an another location if the power could not be restored. Albert checked the schematic for the kitchen & found our problem was an emergency button was accidentally pushed which cut the power to the appliances. He quickly returned to get the power back on & found our chef at our van with first load of 4 to be taken to another location to prepare. Albert let her know the problem was taken care of & assisted her in getting all the cold food back to the kitchen, we had no other staff available on this day. The chef & catering so appreciated the assistance & the quick response in getting the power restored. Albert went above & beyond his work duties in helping our chef which assured the dinner was on time |
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Holly Lustfeldt, Financial Aid Holly went out of her way to take on an issue that had fallen through the cracks. I had spoken to five people in the financial aid office over two weeks to get financial aid set up for summer. They needed a copy of my SSC to verify data. They lost it. When I called back about it, another person said "just keep checking banner." This was not okay with Holly, who took upon herself to check the file, contact me within the hour, and fix the problem. Financial aid restored within two days! Thank you Holly for your quick and friendly service! |
Donna Corbitt, Nursing I was close to failing med surg and Miss Corbitt believed in me and helped me to identify my weaknesses. We discussed strategies and I can say without a doubt that she was instrumental in helping me pass the course. She is one of those professors that gives it to you straight, without sugarcoating it, and I appreciate that. She truly cares about her students. |
Debra Ryals, President's Office Debra very graciously helped me with some complicated paperwork even though I appeared at her desk without an appointment or prior notice. I was already frustrated, and chatting with Debra while she handled the paperwork lifted my spirits. I was very impressed with her professionalism and courtesy. |
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Blaine Browne, Psychology Dr. Browne is an exceptional professor. He goes above and beyond to make sure that his students get as much practice and knowledge as possible. I went into one of his classes not having the first clue of which parts of the brain are which and came out being able to label each lobe, their functions, and more. I am so excited to learn more. His enthusiasm for psychology is inspiring and I feel that he should be recognized as one of the best instructors here at VSU. |
Margaret Duncan, Access Office for Students w/ Disabilities I recently had knee surgery and Ms. Margaret helped coordinate with the housing office to make sure I was accommodated. |
Karen Pickles, Dept. of Adult and Career Educ She has went over and beyond the call of duty to help me get enrolled in this institution and I am forever grateful for that. She is now my professor and even now she still has the same attitude of making sure that we understand everything and the steps we can take to make sure we have a successful semester. |
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Katie Rowland, Library Very professional and well-mannered! |
Joann Bryant, Procurement I was looking for a NIGP code and called JoAnn. She explained to me has that category changed and where it was located and helped me expedite some time sensitive orders. Without her knowledge and efficiently we would have not met the dead line. Thanks for taking the extra mile to ensure things went well. |
Laura's professionalism and knowledge of ADP and Leave have sure helped us figure out why we where not balancing - Not sure about ADP but she sure knew how to fix it! God Bless her. Thank you for helping us and encouraging us. You definitely exemplify and personify what an Excellent VSU Professional is. |
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Shameka Cooley, Social Work Mrs. Cooley was very supportive, informative and professional. She made my Web-Hybrid practicum experience much better. She always listened and made herself available for guidance. I will never forget and I am grateful that she was a part of my overall learning experience at VSU. Thank you so much! |
Richard Gannon, Biology For someone who probably doesn't get the recognition he deserves, Dr. Gannon is one of the people who helped me most in the biology department. Not only has he given me advice my three years here, but recently he listened to me freak out about potentially not getting into medical school and even went out of his way to look up some programs, schools, and professors for me. Without his guidance, I would not have accomplished nearly as much as I have, and I could never thank him enough for going above and beyond his role as department head. |
Matthew Russ Wall, Procurement Russ is an exceptional staff member. He continuously has a positive attitude and goes above and beyond to help others. He has patiently helped me understand contracting as well as state and vsu policies and still keeps a good attitude no matter how many times i pester him. It is very rare to run across staff members with this kind of upbeat attitude and he is greatly appreciated. |
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Julienne Jackson, Public Administration Ms. Jackson has helped me a number of times with figuring out my school schedule in order to graduate. She is not my advisor but has helped me countless times. She always call me back and has a friendly tone. She is efficient with replying back to emails. Ms. Jackson has been my rock since attending Valdosta States University Public of Administration program. She goes over and beyond in order to help assist students. Ms. Julienne Jackson is the true definition of a start faculty member. |
Billy Barker, Building Maintenance Billy was called in to see if he could troubleshoot the main freezer that had went down earlier and Dining Services were not able to get their vendor to respond. Billy stayed over 3 hours to work on the freezer and was able to make temporary repairs to keep the freezer working. This went beyond the call of duty and helped the University saved money from outside vendor calls. |
Christia Williams, College of Education As an adjunct, I often have to check with Christia Williams, the coordinator of the Interpreting Program, on VSU policies, procedures, and good practices. She is always professional, timely, and helpful. This semester was a difficult one with the student cohort and, at the end of the semester, Ms Williams took a moment to check in, thank me for teaching again |
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Wesley Cameron, Building Maintenance Wesley received a call from Palms Dining that their main freezer was down and had over $50,000 of frozen food in jeopardy. Dining Services had called their service company in Albany but they were not able to respond until Friday. Wesley stayed late and was able to troubleshoot the system and get the freezer working. This went beyond the call of duty and possibly saved Dining Services thousands of dollars. |
Jan Fackler, Financial Services Helping me with exceptional budget information in a timely manner (i.e. year-end budget help) |
Keith Baker, Campus Rec Helped a patron out! |
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Marie Hart, Financial Aid Marie Hart has assisted me with financial aid questions, issues, and concerns for several semesters while I have completed my Master's and EdS programs and now with my EdD program. She is always willing to help and does so with a smile. She is punctual and dependable. I appreciate what she does for VSU and helping students fulfill their dream of higher education. Kudos to Marie!! :) |
Catherine Wills, Human Resources |
Brett Williams, Library |
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Bob Cutlip, Plant Services Bob has been very patient with me and always helps me understand things every time I call. He goes above and beyond and pays attention to details, which make my job much easier. His quality of work and exceptional personality is very appreciated! Thanks Bob! |
Monica Haynes & Ground Crew, Plant Operations Monica and her staff have done a wonderful job taking care of the soccer field at the fieldhouse. Their countless hours and investment into the field is very apparent. The soccer field looks AMAZING! Thank you all for your continued work and commitment. |
Laura Pitts, Human Resources Thanks to Laura for always having a wonderful, positive attitude! And for always having all the information we need in order to process everything - she is a great joy to work with! |
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Dr. Karen Pickles, Adult & Career Education Dr. Pickles is in the hospital recovering from surgery and went above and beyond to make sure I was able to do my work for this week. Thanks so much!! |
Dr. Kelley Heckaman, Early Childhood Education Dr. Heckaman is the most caring instructor that I have had during my educational career at VSU. She was very patient and kind with me during all interactions. Her attitude towards me has prompted me to be a better teacher towards my students. I could not have been successful without her help. |
Matthew Francis, IT Division ADMI Matt worked with me 2 days over the phone to help setup my new Iphone. There were some issues and he had a slow learner - me! He was so patient and clear with instructions. He is the BEST! |
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Card Recipients for July 2015 |
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Pam Lesane, Off Campus, Base Programs Please describe the exceptional service that was performed: Mrs. Pam provides excellent customer service to the men & women of our armed services at Moody AFB. She goes above and beyond to ensure they have their passes and all pertinent information to attend classes at the base. She also prepares applications for admission. She is a huge asset to the operation at Moody. |
Jonathan Klotz, Library Please describe the exceptional service that was performed: Jon has implemented a fantastic system to ensure that students are aware when workshops and other uses will make a labs unavailable through the use of the library's electronic notification boards (tv screens). Prior to this, I would often need to clear a room before a workshop and students would be upset because "they didn't know it was going to be used". I believe there used to be paper notes on the door, but these were often ignored and hard to see. Now, Jon has implemented the use of electronic notification above the doors and this has seemed to grab their attention. The last time I had a workshop in the lab, there were no students in the lab, yet students were at the computers outside of the lab. I can only assume the system is working perfectly. This means both a quicker setup time for me and, more importantly, a clear line of communication to the students so they do not feel as if they are being kicked out of a room or hold a negative impression of the person holding the workshop or the library. Jon has really helped the situation through his efforts, which in turn, has caused him more work (as he must update these notices now). For this, I wanted to thank him for improving the situation and caring about the university, its staff, and most importantly, its students. |
Marci Marshall, Nursing Mrs. Marshall is an exceptional performer for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Many of our active duty military members desire to participate in the Nursing Enlisted Commissioning Program (NECP) and Mrs. Marshall has provided excellent customer service to these airman. Several have contacted me and relayed how professional and how helpful Mrs. Marshall has been in their efforts to become a nurse. They sense that she really cares about their success. |
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Jessica Pope, Office of Communications Prompt attention to email concerning my son's Deans List announcement. |
Glenn Blount, Building Maintenance Glenn was instrumental in coming up with an integrated LED light fixture to replace existing fluorescent bulbs with a new integrated LED light. The fixture was tested and is now approved to replace fluorescent bulbs throughout campus. We estimate this will save 30% on each bulb replaced. This is dedicated service beyond. Glenn is an outstanding employee and has shown his willingness to go the extra mile to find a solution to complicated problems. This is "caring". |
Elaine Darity, Campus Recreation Mrs. Elaine always gives 100% to her job, staff, and patrons. She is a prime example of a hard working, caring employee. She holds us together and is a major catalyst for the SRCs daily operations. We will always appreciate the snacks she brings. |
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Laverne Gaskins, Legal Affairs I realize that Attorney Gaskins needs no endorsement; her professionalism and candor, as well as the respect she is accorded by her peers in Georgia’s legal community, speak for themselves. I would, however, take this opportunity to express my deep appreciation for all her contributions both to my department specifically and to the University as a whole. During her time here, she has proven herself to be a constant source of counsel and assistance that we have all benefited from and have come to lean on. I wish her well in her new position and send her off with the knowledge that she will be missed. Good luck and thank you for your service, Attorney Gaskins! |
Keith Warburg and Web Team, Web Design Keith and his team did an excellent job of getting our new scheduler system up and running and accessible through the MyVSU Portal. He worked with me against our deadline and helped us have a successful transition. Thank you for all of your support and help! |
Na Ding, Information Technology Despite a host of obstacles from inept consultants to conversions to key personnel transfers Na has persisted and gotten the BI Tool ready to deliver PSFinancials information to the campus in a timely and user friendly format. She has spent countless hours in development and learning the database processes to be able to roll this out. She has worked holidays, weekends and overnight to establish connections and refine reports. The BI Tool will provide timely, accurate information to Budget Managers when they choose to view it - a huge support for fiscal stewardship at VSU. Woohoo Na |
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Tim Brunt, Building Maintenance UPD dispatch often calls upon many of the personnel who respond for all manner of after-hours issues. Tim always responds cheerfully, no matter the time and is a pleasure to work with. |
Alexis Marshall, Communication Sciences & Disorders I dropped my phone, books, and therapy bag in the hallway and Alexis was kind enough to stop what she was doing to help me pick my stuff up! Such a nice young lady. |
Lauren Williams, Communication Sciences & Disorders I watch Lauren help the CSD students with a smile and caring heart ever day. She is an excellent example of what a caring, hard worker looks like and I am grateful to work with her! |
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Julianna Westray, Parking & Transportation Julianna provided excellent service excellence when an employee had some difficulties with her parking permit. She was very clam while we were freaking out. Thank you so much! |
Landon Lamb, IT North Campus Always willing to lend a helping hand and is always patient and pleasant. |
Tobias Barrett, Building Maintenance Going out of his way (during his free time) to help me during a short-term move for the Office of Legal Affairs. |
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Jonathan Klotz, Library Jonathan consistently provides a quick turnaround whenever we ask for rooms in the Library. He is pleasant, always willing to come up with solutions and demonstrates a willingness to serve. On behalf of the EOD office, we thank you! |
Jessica Sharp, Creative Design Very patient with helping me to design and admissions brochure piece!! |
Ernest Smith, Human Resources |
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Nancee Storey, Admissions Going above and beyond the call of duty running the front office while we were short staffed. |
Katrina Hogan, Housing Katrina was extremely helpful with my daughter obtaining housing. Her professionalism and caring manner helped us validate that the decision to attend VSU was the correct one. She is a valuable member to your organization. |
Barbara Graham, Bldg. Services Going out of her way (during her free time) to help me during a short-term move for the Office of Legal Affairs |
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Jeanie Patterson, Bldg. Services |
Entire Media Center I've had so many questions and other oddities for my class and the entire staff has been more than helpful! They are doing an outstanding job of helping the students! |
Michael Schmidt, Fine Arts Please describe the exceptional service that was performed: Professor Michael Schmidt wears many hats. He not only teaches, he oversees the inner and outer workings of the Fine Arts Department as Department Head. In class, he engages his students in meaningful conversations ranging anywhere from ceramic techniques to social change. He is a motivating leader, an educator, and most of all, a kind person. |
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Debbie Wisenbaker, Mary Frances, & Angie Colbert, Athletic Operations Debbie, Mary Frances and Angie are always available when I need help and guidance. They are very patient and polite women and I am very thankful to have them available at all times throughout the week. I would be a hot mess without their help :0) Thank you, Ladies! |
Nikki Moore, eLearning Once I decided to change my major to a completely online major, it took many many phone calls to get it all sorted out. Today, I was transferred to Nikki Moore and received the absolute best help possible. Until today, I had yet to get clear answers on what classes I need to register for, but with Nikki's help, I now have no worries! Thank you so much to her for all of her help! |
Bus drivers All of the bus drivers (Ms. Parrish, Mr. Foster, Mr. Wiley, and others whose names I do not know) are exceptionally friendly, professional, and go above and beyond to help students reach their destinations swiftly and safely. I am graduating and will miss them all!!! |
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Grazyna Walczak, Modern& Classical Languages I have known Prof. Walczak to always be very kind and helpful since I've been at VSU. She has given of her time to organize writing groups, always encouraging members and believing in us. In addition, she has been willing to share her experience and work in her courses with me (and I'm sure others) in a truly collaborative spirit. She always has a cheerful attitude and it is a pleasure to work with her! |
Xavier Cheevers, Information Technology Xavier worked with Joe and myself till the very end on getting the Axis TV Media Players up and fully operational. He was here from 11 am - 2 pm and again from 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm. Joe and I learned a lot working together with Xavier on how to handle problems that the display units had. We all were able to supply input to make the TVs work again. The thing that makes Xavier deserving of this recognition is the fact that he was extremely responsive and focused on this urgent request. Without Xavier's expertise and commitment, we would not have been able to resolve the various issues that occurred as we did. I feel more confident in resolving the issues that will occur with the AxisTV system thanks to the collaborative experience with everyone and for the shadowing experience that Xavier guided us through. We cannot thank him enough for his hard work and knowledge. Xavier represented exceptional customer service to the highest degree today and I know that he continues this high level of support for many of the other patrons he works with. |
Susan Leigh Jones, Modern & Classical Languages Ms. Susan helped me with my Spanish Klep credits that I have been trying to get on my transcripts for almost a year. She was very kind and very helpful. Thank you!! |
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Colette Drouillard, Master of Library and Information Science I had some family hardships that unexpectedly took much of my time during summer semester just before several assignments were due. You gave me great advice, complete understanding, and positive encouragement. I really appreciate your help and support and can't thank you enough for easing my mind during some rough times. |
Tim Brunt, Building Services Tim did some tricky HVAC work for us in the 1Card Services building over the last two days. He is a very kind and patient person, and it is very clear that he loves his job. VSU is quite lucky to have someone like Tim, as he truly cares about the faculty, staff, and students. A wonderful ambassador for all of us. Thank you, Tim! |
Chris Griggs, Central Warehouse Chris Griggs is a rockstar! Griggs has a very hard job that seemingly never ends. He works daily in the elements of South Georgia, with a smile on his face. Exemplifying what it means to be a Blazer. Whenever I need anything from surplus Griggs will bend over backwards to make it happen. He is a veteran, A Blazer and a huge assets to the VSU Campus. |
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Rebecca Taylor, Office of Testing She's not only a great advisor to our student organization, but she has also served as a mother away from home. She is continuously selfless and often times doesn't realize it. I definitely know that I can go to her with any issue, regardless of the subject matter .A very resourceful and brilliant woman. |
Landon Lamb, Information Technology, North Campus Landon helped to get the computer in the dean's conference room set-up to do a skype session and showed me how touse skype. He went above and beyond and was patient and understanding while showing me. |
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Card Recipients for August 2015 |
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Honey Coppage, Assistant to the Provost My thanks for sticking with all the paperwork needed to get out part time instructors hired on time during a summer full of challenges and changes. Your work is appreciated. |
Sterlin Sanders, IT Mr. Sanders came to the rescue after a long battle with my computer. He assessed the situation and got me up and running again without a blinking eye, Mr. Sanders' dedication is admirable and he is a valuable asset to VSU. |
Shanika Hezekiah, Accounting and Procurement Shanika was very helpful when I really needed assistance with a report that I had never completed before. She stopped what she was doing to setup a query for me and show me how to setup the spreadsheet also. She doesn't realize how much I appreciate her help that day! Thank you Shanika! |
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Laura Pitts, Human Resources The PeopleAdmin software is not one that I consider intuitive. In the process of hiring, Laura has been right there to walk me through the hiring steps and assist me in transitioning applicants. Throughout the process she has been both positive and reassuring. Laura provided the type of service that made me feel as though my needs were her top priority. Laura is Blazer strong! |
Jennifer Crane, Account Clerk Jennifer has helped me several times in the past, but at the end of spring semester she gave me outstanding service! The bookstore was in the process of changing companies and she was eyeball deep in orders. She stopped what she was doing and helped me solve the problem I had created. She is always friendly and willing to help in any way she can regardless of her circumstances. |
Dr. John Elder, Biology Dr. Elder is a caring instructor who will give a helping hand to students that need additional help in understanding the concepts of his course. Thank you for your time, patience and being a caring professor. Even though you are in Biology, you are truly a great teacher of history.... |
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Michael McGee, Chartwells Catering They were the Chartwell staff who served the New Faculty Reception at the IDEA Center. They were terrific -- polite, engaged with faculty, talked with them, and just were terrific about cleaning up. Send them back any time to the IDEA Center -- thank you to all three for helping make the evening a great success. |
Clinton Cauley, Chartwells Catering They were the Chartwell staff who served the New Faculty Reception at the IDEA Center. They were terrific -- polite, engaged with faculty, talked with them, and just were terrific about cleaning up. Send them back any time to the IDEA Center -- thank you to all three for helping make the evening a great success. |
LaRonia Burnett, Chartwells Catering They were the Chartwell staff who served the New Faculty Reception at the IDEA Center. They were terrific -- polite, engaged with faculty, talked with them, and just were terrific about cleaning up. Send them back any time to the IDEA Center -- thank you to all three for helping make the evening a great success. |
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Leroy Trower, Financial Aid He knows how to delegate and got everything done in a timely manner. He is also very friendly |
John "Wes" Cameron, Physical Plant Wes was checking the library opening hours for upcoming events and noticed that our MLIS orientation was scheduled to start before the doors unlock. He verified the start time and asked his supervisor to verify what time the doors need to open. Thank you! |
David Golden, IT David is always there to assist with phone issues and he is very plesant to work with. His prompt attention to fixing issues is above the norm! A great employee. |
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Dr. Gerald Merwin, Adult and Military Programs I requested a class override and he quickly and efficiently helped me register for an eMajor class! Exceptional assistance in comparison to other administrative departments! Well done! Thank you, again! |
Brenda Johnson, Counseling Center Brenda has had such a positive attitude lately. She is motivated to learn and grow in her position. She has been on top of any assignments that I have given her. I ask her to do something and she is quick to process the assignment and has amazing follow-up. She is such a help to me and takes a huge load of work off my plate. I am very thankful to have her on our team. She is an integral part of our team and the Counseling Center would not function as well as it does now without her. |
Dr. Shannon Lowe, Music Shannon Lowe exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding faculty member. She is always willing to lend a helping hand in the department and serve for the greater good of Valdosta State University. |
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Terrie Adrian, Psychology I am a non-traditional student coming back after 20 years! I had an issue with advising and I was very discouraged. Mrs. Terrie was so helpful. She went above and beyond to help me! Thanks to her I brushed it off and I kept on moving. We need more people like her and her door is always open! Thanks so much! |
Terrie Adrian, Psychology |
Debra Holley, Political Science Ms. Holley was very helpful and friendly while I was trying to get all of my class scheduling situated. |
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Lori Rastegar, eLearning |
James Jenkins, Campus Services-Summary |
James Jenkins, Campus Services-Summary As most people know, Nevins Hall is very confusing, especially for first semester freshmen. But luckily Mr. James is always there to help. I've seen him approach students who look completely lost and ask them what they need. I've watched him stand in the corridor at the end of the 2nd floor to usher students in the correct direction. I've also watched as he briskly walked with a student all the way to their classroom when they are running late. Of all the staff and faculty in Nevins Hall Mr. James is one of the best and he deserves a huge thank you for all that he does for those poor lost souls who enter this building. |
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Stanley Jones, Registrar Stanley is an exceptional person. He spent a great deal of time on one single student, helping him iron out a sticky problem. We so appreciate Stanley Jones. |
Linnie Kinard, IT I am a part-time instructor at VSU, on-campus and off-campus locations. I entered the wrong account numbers for my travel report but Linnie bent over backwards and made sure the problem was quickly resolved. |
Leroy Trower, Financial Aid I went to see Mr. Leroy on the first day of classes to see if he could help me find a work study job. He made a few phone calls while I was standing there in his office and got me a job. With his help, I began my first day of work only 2 days later. I greatly appreciate the efforts made in helping me with my job search. Mr. Leroy has definitely become one of my favorite people on campus! |
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Jennifer Crane, Kings Bay Bookstore Jennifer has been a great colleague and has worked so hard to track the progress of my students' books and their arrival in the store. As they were coming from France (and had to go through customs), this was no easy task! Beginning even in the summer, she has remained in communication with me and my students regarding the arrival of the books in a very detailed manner. Her hard work is very much appreciated! |
Dylan Volpintesta, Campus Recreation Dylan did an excellent job this year of leading the Blazer 5K Dash committee. His dedication and hard work towards this event made it a great success this year. Dylan displayed outstanding leadership skills to the entire 5K committee. |
Katie Rickard, Campus Recreation Katie did an outstanding job organizing the student volunteers for the Blazer 5K Dash. Her high energy and dedication to the event- including the Youth Splash made the event a fun time for all. |
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Greg Knaus, Campus Recreation Greg was a great assist to the Blazer 5K Dash. He is new to the University and the event this year and he stepped right and did his part. His dedication and hard work helped make the event a success. |
Kyle Culpepper, Media Center I have been in here several times with a lot of problems concerning Word 2013, Kyle has answered all of them in a polite and efficient manner. |
Johnny Lamb, Financial Aid Heard I was having problems and stepped in to save the day. Went over the problem and my solutions also brought in Mr. DJ for additional assistance. Both helped a lot. Really great at their jobs and customer service skills. Definitely made my Friday better! :) |
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Donnell Davis Jr., Financial Aid I had recently received an email stating that I owed VSU Fall tuition and Mr. Donnell & Mr. Johnny 100% helped me. I was about to break down and they explained everything step by step to me and ended up with a solutions fixing the problem.. They're doggone awesome!! Really good service and help! |
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Card Recipients for September 2015 |
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Sydney Beckmann, Math/Computer Science Sydney is an exceptional lab monitor who always works very hard and diligently to make sure the lab is very clean and orderly. |
Nikki Moore,eLearning Ms. Nikki went above and beyond in explaining the concepts of the ecore program. She took the time and effort to answer all questions in addition to clarifying possible future concerns about online classes. She was pleasant and joyful as she lessened our frustrations, which made the process so much easier and simple. She was extremely helpful!! Thank you so much Ms. Moore for all you do. |
Meagan Ellis, College of the Arts Ms. Ellis has always been a great supervisor the lab monitors. She is reliable, efficient, and understanding. You can't find a better supervisor! |
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Greg Brown, Mass Media Mr. Brown has always cared about the success and future of his students. If you need help, he's always happy to help you, even on media projects and jobs that aren't related to his classes. Thank you, Mr. Brown! |
Michael Kitchens, Career Opportunities Mr. Kitchens provided the absolute most professional, courteous, and informative advising session i have ever had since being a student at VSU. He answered all of my questions with an enthusiastic and charismatic attitude that made me feel very comfortable and relaxed during a stressful time. Absolutely cannot say enough! |
Matthew Waters, Biology He is my advisor and one of the best professors at VSU! He is always striving to better his students in the classroom as well as in life. He is always willing to help and devotes much of his time to teaching the students the subjects he teaches so that the students can get the most out of it. He is a very nice person and a great professor! He has helped me |
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Katrina Hogan, Housing I was having problems with my freshman exemption forms and I had been dropped from my classes due to not being able to pay for my tuition/fees and Ms. Katrina stepped up to the plate and really helped me out to get everything taken care of, I couldn't have done it without her! |
JoAnn Danna, Cirriculum-Leadership and Technology Joann Danna has been a source of encouragement from day one. She has given me a great deal of guidance and has gone above and beyond in her online communications to facilitate my learning. I value her support and she is an asset to our school. |
Susan Leigh Jones, Modern and Classical Languages Ms. Jones helped me finding the best Spanish course for me and offered me helpful options to continue my Spanish studies. Gracias, Ms. Jones! |
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Jennifer Crane, VSU Bookstore Jennifer has been very patient with both Pearson publishing and me in trying to resolve a problem with access to the Pearson product "Mastering Geology." We are still struggling with the issue, but the problems have never been on her end this semester. |
Nikki Moore, eLearning Ms. Moore gave me a wealth of information along with phone numbers for reaching Dr. Soady, who also gave me more information and a further contact: Mr. Lovelace in the Admissions department. |
Meagan Ellis, College of Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
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Carl Cates, College of Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
Mark Borzi, Communication Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
Michael Schmidt, College of Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
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Craig Hawkins, College of Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
Tommy Crane, College of Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
Shirley Serini, Communication Arts The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
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Duke Guthrie, Theatre Productions The past month, the COA Executive Committee has had to add meetings to its schedule. These extra meetings oftentimes went well over the official allotted time. Regardless, every member went above and beyond by putting in many extra hours of time helping to edit important documents for the Department of Music and providing much needed insight during the drafting process. I am proud to work with colleagues who truly care about the success of a fellow department! Thank you all! |
Heidi Bertsch, University Police Sgt. Bertsch provided outstanding service on investigating a fight that took place in the SRC. Her hard work makes the SRC and all of campus safer. |
Westgarth Emmah, Math and Computer Sciences West is a great person to work with. He is reliable and hardworking. His strong work ethic is an asset to the lab. In addition, his caring nature drives him to assist anyone who needs help. |
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Benjamin Webster, Math and Computer Sciences Ben is a wonderful worker whose positive attitude creates a welcoming and happy atmosphere felt by all who enter the computer lab. In addition, he works diligently to keep the lab clean and orderly. |
Yekaterina Solomkina, Library This student was willing to assist me in hanging signs on north campus to make everyone aware of a situation that was serious. It needed immediate attention and she jumped to assist. |
Farham Salahuddin, Library This student was willing to assist me in hanging signs on north campus to make everyone aware of a situation that was serious. It needed immediate attention and he jumped to assist. |
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Melissa Nolley, Chemistry s. Melissa helped me solve a time-sensitive ADP issue for one of our new student workers. Her generous help meant that the student was not only paid on time but our department was saved a good deal of stress and additional paperwork. Thanks again! |
Morgan Sant, Auxiliary Services Morgan is a student worker with the Auxiliary department who has been helping the VSU 1Card office. She always goes above and beyond to help. For example, today as I was entrenched in another task I mentioned how I needed to clean the student computers. A couple minutes later I look up from my task and she is out front cleaning all the student computers |
Ben McCraine, Building Services A filing cabinet was delivered to English but the key to lock the cabinet went missing. I contacted Ben to see if there was anything the Key Shop could do. He stated he would check and call me back. Ben located a key for the cabinet and delivered the key to the professor. This is awesome customer service. Ben is always very helpful and I appreciate his assistance. |
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Jessica Bowen Deal, Financial Aid I sent an email to the Financial Aid office requesting the status of my account. It was near the deadline and I was worried that my paperwork would not be finished in time to enroll in classes. Ms. Bowen answered my initial email promptly and responded to a couple more emails during the following two weeks. She reassured me that everything was moving along and that my classes would not be dropped. She was very helpful and very courteous and displayed excellent customer service skills. |
Alicia Roberson, Centralized Advising I saw Alicia Roberson take time out of her day to anser questions from a potential student regarding course requirements atr VSU, as well as a myriad of other questions that came up when a non-traditional student is ocnsidering to return to school full-time. With a better understanding of what to expect, that student is now ready to take the next steps necessary to apply to VSU. Thank you, Alicia. |
Beverly Amiot, Accounting & Procurement Beverly is always patient when I need her service. After she was finished with assisting me on the phone. She sent an email with the instructions for how to solve my problem and in the email, she stated that if I have any problems to give her a call. Excellent customer service! |
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Eric Callaway, Admissions |
Michael Smith Jr., Human Resources I would like to extend thanks on behalf of the division to Michael Smith for the support and guidance in making the necessary student hires for our campus wireless network deployment. As a result of his help, we were able to complete the deployment process in the residence halls without negatively impacting our ability to provide support for other critical campus technologies. |
Debbie Wisenbaker, Athletics As a new employee, Debbie took a half-hour from her day to ensure that I properly learned the process of submitting an expense report. She provided a great example and also was very kind during the process. |
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Michelle Jordan, Graduate School As this semester was my first time supervising a graduate assistant, I knew I had a lot to learn. However, the Graduate Assistant Supervisor training course gave me a great starting point, and Michelle offered her patience, knowledgeability, and professionalism at every step of the way through the hiring process. Our new graduate assistant is doing a great job, and we are really appreciative of all of Michelle's assistance. Thank you again, Michelle! |
Terrie Adrian, Psychology I came to Terrie to obtain contact info on a day I received serious news regarding my matriculation into my grad program. She not only provided factual, actual info, serving as a one-stop source for my next steps, but also, lent an empathetic ear and support to encourage me to not give up. Thank you, Terri, for your understanding and compassion! |
Na Ding, IT Na is always exceptionally polite and friendly over the phone, and it is a delight to help our clients with her. She is always incredibly well-mannered and awesome! |
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Ryan Hogan, Admissions Ryan has always been willing to help and is a pleasure to work with. He is very much appreciated! |
Brenda Lipscomb, Registrar Brenda was very patient in helping me track down information for all of my student assistants, even though my requests were choppy and incomplete. She was a pleasure to work with, and was happy to spend 20 minutes helping me track down tedious information. |
Dr. Cy Mott, Biology I took Dr. Cy L Mott's Biology 1107 lab this while I was still undecided. Dr. Mott is the biggest reason that I decided on majoring biology. He has a genuine passion for each one of his students, and his love for the subject is evident every time he teaches or talks about it. In short, he sparks and inspires excitement about learning the subject. Since 1107, I have taken one other class with him, and I will take as many of his classes that I can. Dr. Mott is the epitome of the perfect professor. He is an expert in his subject, but he can bring it down to the level of the students. Dr. Mott's exceptional service was him being himself, I owe part of my academic success to him and the impact that he had on me and every student who has ever sat in his one of his classes. |
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Dr. Joshua Reece, Biology Late on the evening of Sept 22, around 1030pm, my car broke down. I was scheduled to take my MCAT the next day at an out of town testing center. I emailed my advisors, Dr. Reece and Dr. Uyeno, to ask them for advice. Despite it being late in the evening, they both contacted everyone in our lab group to try and find transportation for me. One of the graduate students, Austin Haney, was kind enough to drive me to my testing center at 4am the next morning. I am so grateful that we have faculty and graduate students here at VSU who care about our success and are so willing to go above and beyond to help students. |
Dr. Theodore Uyeno, Biology Late on the evening of Sept 22, around 1030pm, my car broke down. I was scheduled to take my MCAT the next day at an out of town testing center. I emailed my advisors, Dr. Reece and Dr. Uyeno, to ask them for advice. Despite it being late in the evening, they both contacted everyone in our lab group to try and find transportation for me. One of the graduate students, Austin Haney, was kind enough to drive me to my testing center at 4am the next morning. I am so grateful that we have faculty and graduate students here at VSU who care about our success and are so willing to go above and beyond to help students. |
Joyce Gates, Building Services Joyce went far above the call of duty to assist Catering in cleaning up the Ballroom and a meeting room following very important breakfast and lunch meetings for Leadership Lowndes and the Valdosta Lowndes Co. Banking Symposium. Joyce always performs at a very high level, and we appreciate her greatly, but this was particularly exceptional work! |
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Elnora Hunter, Building Services Elnora went above and beyond the call of duty to assist Catering in cleaning up the Ballroom and a meeting room following very important breakfast and lunch meetings for Leadership Lowndes and the Valdosta Lowndes Co. Banking Symposium. We were short-handed and Elnora stepped right in to assist in a matter she was certainly not required to, but did so because of her kindness, caring and work ethic. We appreciate you! |
Kyle Culpepper, Media Services Kyle has provided exemplary customer service and proven leadership during his tenure with the Media Center. He has been tireless in developing a workshop portfolio for the center as well as an extensive student technician training program utilizing current online technologies. As the Director of Media Services, I would like to acknowledge his hard work and enthusiasm in making the Media Center a place where students, faculty and staff can receive exceptional customer service and technical know how. Thank you Kyle!! |
Occie Lundy, Student Union Starbucks |
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Catherine Citta, Campus Recreation
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Tim Brunt, Plant Operations
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John Corbett, Math & Sciences |
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Teddi Cunningham, Psychology
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Ann Farmer, University Police
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Arthur Rinberger, Information Technology
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Card Recipients for October 2015 |
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Janet Foster, Early Childhood & Special Education Janet has stepped up as Interim Department Head since July. Our Department has made incredible progress in program revision, morale building, and student relationships since she took over. We are all appreciative of this leadership. Thank you. |
Quintin Reed, Student Union We truly appreciate Quintin Reed for his exceptional service and willingness to make sure our event succeeded. His assistance with the technology for the event enabled us to have a great event. We truly appreciate it and wanted him to know that his efforts did not go unnoticed. Thanks again! |
Cynthia Godfrey, Building Services Mrs. Godfrey always goes out of her way to be kind and caring. Treats all students and faculty like family. She is a valued addition to the VSU community and deserves a raise! |
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Joel Chisholm, Campus Rec Joel received an incorrect check for his grad assistantship and immediately reported the discrepancy to the payroll office. Joel was extremely polite, honest and understanding regarding the situation. Thank you again Joel! |
Benjamin Li, IT Benjamin and his help desk team created numerous work orders on the behalf of our department, as we navigated an across-campus move. They were always patient, courteous, and knowledgeable in helping us to meet our IT needs. Thanks guys! |
Matthew Flannigan, IT Matt went above and beyond his duties to ensure that everyone in Human Resources was taken care of. He may have came more than 5 times in two days, just to ensure that all desktops were functional and that they all had printing capabilities. He is an exceptional employee! |
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Teresa Williams, Graduate School Ms. Williams was so helpful with my signature page for my dissertation! She responded in less than 12 hours (and I emailed her in the middle of the night), and she followed up with additional advice and tips that I used to help with other formatting concerns. She does not have to go out of her way to help graduate students with this task, but her efforts made all of the difference for me. |
Dr. Richard Schmertzing, CLT Dr. Richard Schmertzing is quite simply the best of the best. Dr. Schmertzing has been patient with me, encourages me, and cares about my success. He challenges me, but he never belittles me. He is also accessible during vacations and breaks, on weekends, and late into the evening by phone and text. He sends sources and articles to keep us all thinking, and he always sends his regards to my spouse! It's a small thing, but it really shows that he cares about me and my family, which makes all the difference to me. |
Dr. Lorraine Schmertzing, CLT For the last several semesters, Dr. Schmertzing has done everything in her power to ensure that I would be successful in my dissertation process. She has gone above and beyond to assist me with paperwork, respond to my emails faster than anyone else on campus, and give me incredible feedback on my drafts. She has done more than a faculty member is expected to do, and she has given me the confidence to keep going when I wanted to quit. Thank you for caring about me as a person, as a student, and as a potential scholar, Dr. Schmertzing! |
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Courtney Wilkes, Central Warehouse Courtney and the moving team went above and beyond their duties to accommodate HR employees as we moved offices. They were more than willing to move items numerous times until everything was perfect. They were also willing to accommodate numerous schedule changes. They are all awesome! |
Keith Washington, Central Warehouse Keith and the moving team went above and beyond their duties to accommodate HR employees as we moved offices. They were more than willing to move items numerous times until everything was perfect. They were also willing to accommodate numerous schedule changes. They are all awesome! |
Marcus Frazier, Central Warehouse Marcus and the moving team went above and beyond their duties to accommodate HR employees as we moved offices. They were more than willing to move items numerous times until everything was perfect. They were also willing to accommodate numerous schedule changes. They are all awesome! |
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Dexter Brown, Central Warehouse Dexter and the moving team went above and beyond their duties to accommodate HR employees as we moved offices. They were more than willing to move items numerous times until everything was perfect. They were also willing to accommodate numerous schedule changes. They are all awesome! |
James Boyd, Central Warehouse James and the moving team went above and beyond their duties to accommodate HR employees as we moved offices. They were more than willing to move items numerous times until everything was perfect. They were also willing to accommodate numerous schedule changes. They are all awesome! |
Douglas Tanner, Financial Aid I so appreciate Mr. Tanner, as well as his entire staff. They have always been so willing to help students. Mr. Tanner is a huge asset to VSU. |
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Leroy Trower, Financial Aid Very professional and went above and beyond to take care of me. |
Blanche Thomas, Copy Center Ms. Thomas has been an invaluable help to me (and my Department) on numerous occasions. She is extremely prompt in completing copy jobs and they are always done meticulously well. Additionally, Ms. Thomas has always been extremely kind and courteous, even in difficult situations (e.g., last minute copies needed on my part). She is unfailingly pleasant |
Ronald Butler, Campus Mail I had a flat tire and was sitting on the side of the road with my flasher on. Ron was the only one that stopped to see if I need help. He offered to change my tire for me, but my husband was already on the way so I did not want him to be late for work also. I just feel like he went above and beyond to help. Thanks Ron! |
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Robin Smith, English On a difficult day with so many things to do, Robin helped me tremendously with every little task I had to complete: she helped get me the keys to the room where I held a department meeting, responded right away to an administrative request, showed me how to scan and e-mail me pdf. files (probably for the 100th time..). For all this, thank you, thank you, thank you, Robin. |
Ryan Hogan, Admissions Ryan and his staff did an outstanding job to make the VSU Open House a great success. He and his staff not only made sure all our visitors were taken care of but they also made sure the staff and faculty that participated in the Open House had everything we needed. The feedback I got from our visitors was very positive. The energy level on campus was wonderful. Thanks Ryan to you and your staff for a successful Open House Event! |
Dustin Watson, Information Technology During Open House on Saturday 10/17/2015 I required assistance from Networking. Dustin, although not on call came into work and assisted us with a last minute project. Great Job. |
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Trisha Taylor, Student Life Trisha went above and beyond helping me figure out and correct a student employee's timecard - A student that we share - Her willingness to provide instruction and help to me was amazing and above expectations. |
Shirley Hardin, AFAM studies Dr. Hardin was exceptionally helpful in helping me place an order. She went above and beyond in making it a smooth process for me and making sure that everything was taken care of. I appreciate her time and positive attitude in helping me. She is an amazing asset to VSU! |
Charlotte Foster, Student Health She is just so sweet! I love when I have to chech out and she is there. She's so helpful and I'm glad you have employees like her! |
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Adrian Taylor, IT We were in the process of finalizing things for a car show fundraiser. Adrian noticed that we had not requested a PA system like we did the year before. He asked my wife about it and called me personally to see if we needed one. I shared with him that I scheduled one from Media Services. He replied that he has a better system specifically for the purpose we needed. He showed me the system and scheduled with me to set the system up for us on the day of the event. I cannot be anymore please with his assistance to our cause! Thank you very much!!!!! |
Dr. Gerald Williams, Career Opportunities Helped me with an exceptional recommendation letter in a short period of time. |
Christine James, Philosophy and Religious Studies Dr. James has made special efforts to help prepare ads appearing in the Spectator to spread the word about upcoming Philosophy and Religious Studies courses. |
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Aimee Napier, The Spectator Aimee Napier and her staff really helped our department during registration for the Spring 2016 semester by creating wonderful ads and spreading the word about our classes! Thank you! |
Gregg Register, University Police I was hosting a Halloween Party for 35 children with Autism along with their families. The clinic doors were not unlocked by another agency as promised. I called the police dept. and they sent this WONDERFUL man to unlock the doors. He made 35 kids VERY HAPPY (as well as this faculty member)!!! |
Kyle Culpepper, Media Center The level of customer service, knowledge, and hard work by Kyle Culpepper is near unmatched. Going to Media Services is a pleasant thing, not something you have to do. Keep up the amazing work, it is appreciated. |
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Alfred Reed, Information Technology Alfred went above and beyond to make sure 10 laptops had generic accounts for wireless access. These laptops will serve as lab machines. Thanks Alfred! |
Zonnya Lane, Financial Services Regardless of Zonnya's workload, she always returns emails and phone calls in a timely manner. She has also displayed patience and understanding when an employee's paperwork is incomplete. She is a tremendous person. |
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Card Recipients for November 2015 |
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Gerald Williams, Career Opportunities Dr. Williams excelled at helping me build an effective cover letter and resume in order to find a career. He also went over my graduate program requirements with me so that I can better prepare myself. His positive attitude and knowledge of resources has helped build my confidence of finding a career. |
Christy Grimes, Registrar An advisee was just reassigned to me with her degree application completed and her funding for school ending in the Spring. However, as a as a transfer student, her folder was very complicated and it took me quite a while to figure out how she was supposed to graduate next semester. After filling out several needed course substitutions, I was still rather nervous that I might have missed something that would imperil her path to graduation. However, even during the very busy time of Spring advising, Christy volunteered to re-audit this student's transcript; she then confirmed with me what courses this student would need to graduate. Thank you, Christy, on behalf of myself and the student you made sure would be able to walk across the stage this Spring! |
Ted Davis, Campus Mail Ted is always willing to go the extra mile to accommodate the needs of our department. In addition, he always has a smile on his face and is genuinely a pleasure and wonderful asset to Valdosta State University. |
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Rocky Rothwell, Information Technology On Wednesday 11/4 I was in need of a teleconferencing unit to be installed in the President's board room for an upcoming meeting. I was going to personally retrieve the unit but I was occupied with meetings throughout the day. When I got out of the meeting, I was extremely surprised to see Rocky in the conference room personally conducting the setup. His line of responsibility is primarily networking/server maintenance. For him to step into another area of IT and assist with an A/V setup was awesome! |
Alan Bernstein, Odum Library Alan Bernstein was a wonderful host during our Honor Society induction ceremony, and has been a wonderful supporter of Philosophy and Religious Studies as one of our Outstanding Alumni. Thank you so much for everything! |
Cecil Stanton, Office of the President President Staton became a member of Phi Sigma Tau and Theta Alpha Kappa, the Honor Societies for Philosophy and Religious Studies, because his degrees are in Religious Studies and Philosophy (including his doctoral work in Religion at Oxford University.) He was our guest speaker during our induction ceremony. We appreciated that you were able to be with us for this special event, and we are very happy to know we have a great deal in common with you. Thank you so much! |
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Joseph Newton, Information Technology Joseph Newton helped us with our Honor Society induction ceremony, and is a wonderful example of the value of a degree in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Thank you so much for everything! |
Antolina Pilgrim, Accounting & Procurement Ms. Pilgrim showed exceptional understanding and leadership in helping to resolve a sticky accounting situation. This is to thank her publicly for her ability to resolve the situation to best accommodate the needs of our department and the students and constituents we serve. |
Kyle Culpepper, Media Center I requested Media Services to provide a workshop for my class. The times I had available did not match up with their normal working hours and typical procedures. However and without hesitation, these gentlemen modified their normal routine to ensure my students would have the information needed to complete their final projects for this semester. These guys have done this more than once for me and my students and I are very appreciative! |
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Rex Devane, Media Center I requested Media Services to provide a workshop for my class. The times I had available did not match up with their normal working hours and typical procedures. However and without hesitation, these gentlemen modified their normal routine to ensure my students would have the information needed to complete their final projects for this semester. These guys have done this more than once for me and my students and I are very appreciative! |
Angela Uyeno, Internal Audit Mrs. Uyeno took the time out of her day to help me with submission of my first expense report as a graduate student. It is a very confusing process and I would have been lost without her help and expertise. She was extremely helpful and taught me how to do things so I wouldn't be so lost in the future. Thank you and I appreciate everything you have done for me. |
Officer Philip Calkins, University Police Department I was walking home after I received an email about a robbery nearby, and the officer drove me home even though I stayed off campus! I felt like he truly cared about my safety! He was excellent and friendly. |
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Shani "Nikki" Moore, eMajor I had an issue with a grade error from an eCore class and Nikki was amazing in helping me getting the grade fixed. She worked with the professor and the school to get my transcript corrected. She keep in touch with me and updated through the whole process. She is a real asset to VSU. |
Arthur "Art" Rinberger, IT Art is always there to lend a helping hand when it comes to our training application. If we ever have any issues with training application, Art is a quick email or call away. He is always making our office smile and is great at anticipating any future assistance we may need, Art is a wonderful asset to have at VSU! Thank you for all of your continued assistance! |
Michael Brown, Plant Operations Mike Brown assisted with the installation of lights on the front lawn along with installation of lights at north campus on the new Health Sciences Building. Both of these jobs were done in a professional manner and with enthusiasm. I congratulate Mike for a job well done! |
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Marci Marshall, College of Nursing and Health Sciences Counseling on core courses |
Wes Cameron, Building Services Plant had a quote to install a dashboard to read and show electricity made by the new solar installation in the amount of $4000+. Wes took on the project and wired the system into the campus energy management system for total cost of $950.00. Great job, great savings and going beyond the call of duty. And really caring! |
Patrick Smith, Building Services Pat Smith was in charge of installing lights on the palms in front of West Hall. He took on this task and completed it in record time and professionally. He came in early all week to have extra time to complete the lighting. Pat also installed lights on trees on both entrances to the new Health Sciences Building on North campus. These two jobs were done professionally and with pride. Here is a hearty thank you for work well done! |
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Patricio Vargas, Information Technology Dean Flumly was having computer issues and Patricio cam right away and fixed the issue within a few minutes. He was very helpful and had a smile doing it. Our LCOBA IT Division is the best! Great job Patricio.. :) |
Patrick Smith, Building Services Pat assisted me and my mom in getting the Nursing Tent up for the Alumni Tailgating. Pat also carried a cooler full of ice for us to our tailgating area. He went above and beyond to make sure we had the help we needed. |
Bobby Elston, Jr., Building Services |
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Steve Fesler, Building Services Steve has just completed installing two door windows in the Media Center, located in Odum Library. Steve has done numerous request over the years and has always provided exemplary customer service and technical know how. It is always a pleasure to work with Steve and I know that the job will be done professionally and within a timely manner. Thank you Steve! |
Catherine Wills, Physical Plant During a recent extreme medical emergency that resulted that resulted in my being incapacitated for some time Ms. Wills took care of making all the necessary HR arrangements on my behalf. At a time when I was not able to cope with these details, Ms. Wills took excellent and professional, top notch care of my medical leave arrangements. She made a really difficult time as painless as possible because she cared. Thank you Ms. Wills! |
Lai Orenduff, Academic Affairs Dr. Orenduff is very helpful when needed. She understands and listens to you when you need to talk. She makes sure all her students and those she advises understands, does what it needed to do, and to pass. She is also caring. Dr. Orenduff is an outstanding individual. |
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Brian Roberts, Student Life Brian is always willing to help. On this particular day, he assisted out group by getting us connected for a webinar. It was close to the event time and Brian came to the rescue. His cheerful attitude and helping hands are appreciated! |
Jewel Suddeth, College of Education Mrs. Suddeth has experienced multiple losses in her immediate family this semester, but still made an exceptional effort to assist students (while moving on from traumatic events in her life). I feel she went beyond the call of duty, and wish her the best. |
Michelle Jordan, Graduate School My husband was in the process of applying for his Leadership degree and we ran into some issues during the application process. I reached out to Michelle Jordan for assistance and she went above and beyond to ensure we were assisted and his application was complete for him. |
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Matthew Lovelace, Graduate School My husband applied for his educational leadership degree and since he is in the classroom all day and doesn't have a break during the day to speak to Matt he gave him permission to speak to me to handle everything he needed. I would email or call Matt with tons of questions and he would respond as fast as possible. This made the process so much easier for my husband who is always so busy with school and coaching. |
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Card Recipients for December 2015 |
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Brandi Wright, Employee & Organizational Development Thank you Brandi for being so awesome and patient helping me with my training. |
Robert Spires, Middle Grades I had a difficult situation affecting my ability to continue coursework. Dr. Spires listened, encouraged me, and worked with me. His support was invaluable. |
Barbara Radcliffe, Middle Grades I had a difficult situation threatening my progression in my studies. Dr. Radcliffe spent time listening to me and explaining options to help me craft a plan. Her compassion, professionalism, and knowledge of my options helped tremendously. |
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Debbie Paine, Middle Grades I spoke with her today with a severe and complex situation. I was in real trouble and needed help. She listened, asked questions, and helped me develop a plan. She made calls to clarify requirements and helped me navigate through. |
Lindsay Neff, Einstien's COE While everyone at Einstein's is always wonderful and the customer service is outstanding, on November 24 I accidentally left my debit card on the counter there and Lindsay found it and returned it to me. I was so grateful that she went out of her way to get that card to me. If she hadn't I could have spent untold hours trying to locate it or even replace it. |
Johnny Lamb, Financial Aid I came in panicking about my VA status. Mr. Lamb was very patient. He listened to my situation and offered me several options; all of them well beyond my expectations. Thanks for listening and knowing your job so well. |
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Jeffery Cox, Middle Grades I encountered a desperate academic situation and felt I had nowhere to turn. Dr. Cox called me after hours and talked with me at length. His support and encouragement meant the world and helped me go forward. |
Yvonne Leroy-Landers, VPFA & Budget Services I was at the financial aid office to learn about any aid I would receive as an out of state student. While trying to find my way around the building I was stopped by this woman who asked me if I knew anything about the graduate assistantships at VSU. I told her I didn't and she took me up to her office and explained the benefits of a graduate assistantship, showed my how to apply for one. After giving her my email she sent me a list of links about campus life at VSU, as well as employment opportunities, and more information about assistantships. Because of her kind hospitality and willingness to help me I knew I made the right decision to continue my graduate education at Valdosta State University. |
Richard Schmertzing, Curriculum-Leadership and Tech Dr. Richard Schmertzing encouraged me to think critically about race and education in a Race, Culture, and Schooling course that I took from him the Summer of 2013. The conversations we had in this course along with the books and resources that we studied caused me to reflect deeply on my own biases, thoughts, and ideas regarding race. After this course, I wanted to take additional courses from Dr. Schmertzing who was passionate about his work. I was honored that he served as the chair of my dissertation committee. He genuinely cared about my research and would discuss the work I was doing with me whenever I had questions or wanted his advice. He was willing to talk with me during the afternoons, evenings, and weekends. He also continued to encourage critical thought by sending news articles to myself and other students in the graduate program. I am thankful for a professor who cares about my research, my work, and me as a person. I am grateful that I not only earned my doctorate degree from VSU, but also that I gained a fabulous lifelong mentor. |
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Lorraine Schmertzing, Curriculum-Leadership and Tech Dr. Lorraine Schmertzing’s organizational skills, attention to detail, and editing abilities enabled me to keep my dissertation writing on track and graduate this semester. She spent hours reading and re-reading my dissertation to hone my writing and research ideas. Dr. Lorraine spent the majority of her beach vacation reading my dissertation along with the dissertations of my peers. Her feedback was thorough and her turnaround time was incredible. She would return drafts within a few days. It was obvious that Dr. Lorraine knew my research well and was able to speak about my participants whenever we conversed on the phone. I was impressed with the many hours that she spent on my behalf and how much she cared that I accomplished my goal. I am fortunate to have had someone who worked diligently and painstakingly on my dissertation committee. Her commitment serves as my inspiration to give back to my current and future students. |
James Archibald, Interim VP/Student Affairs Dr. Archibald is an amazing person. He works endless hours to support our students. I have seen the impact he makes on students. He has helped the divisopn and VSU retain students and develop students. Thank you for your amazing work and dedication to VSU. I can only hope the new VPSA will do a similar job! |
Elaine Darity, Dean of Students Office Elaine has a positive attitude and has done an amazing job. I greatly value her service to VSU, Campus Recreation, and our students. Thank you. |
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Jan Fackler, Budget Services For taking time to help me with the Campus Recreation budget. She has been amazingly helpful. Thank you for helping us and the students. |
Kathleen Lowney, Sociology Having taken an extended leave from school, I was returning to college. Introduction to Social Problems was required and honestly, I had no interest in the subject. Soon into the class, I found myself looking forward to the daily meeting. Dr. Lowney was so engaging! Unlike many educators, Dr. Lowney had a genuine care for the students. Ironically, Dr. Lowney's class remains my favorite, even 14 years later. I never had the chance to thank her, but she was instrumental in my education. I plan to return to college in January and finish the BS I've worked on so many years. I hope Dr. Lowney will be a part of my endeavors. |
Ernest Smith, Human Resources For going above and beyond. Helping Campus Recreation post jobs and getting us through some difficult times. Ernest is outstanding, Thank you. |
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Marty Spells, Campus Recreation Marty has been a rock of support. He has accepted new duties and supported the department in a challenging period. Thank you. |
WT Taylor, Campus Recreation WT haas been very supportive and helpful with all the transitions this semester. Thank you. |
Jennifer White, Budget Services Jenny has spent countless hours helping me with our budget. This has allowed me to help more students. Her aid has been critical during this time. Thank you. |
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Chelsea Holcombe, Health Promotions Going above and beyond to serve our students during mental wellness week. Chelsea took on the chair of the committee and her great organizational skills made De-Stress Fest successful. She attended all events during this busy week and did it with a smile. Thank you! |
Ryan Waller, IT Ryan was professional, helpful and went the extra 3 miles to fix my issue. |
Wade Bugby, IT Wade went above and beyond to help acquire necessary research software. Not only did he get the best quotes so that the research funds went further, he spent days troubleshooting an error when the software did not work. He demonstrated advanced knowledge about Windows and was always friendly and cheerful, even when it seemed like no solution was available. Thanks Wade! |
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Heidi O'Connor, Counseling Center Thank you for the exceptional service by the awesome job you did during Mental Wellness Week. You went above and beyond to help organize and work at the DeStress Fest, which was a huge success. All while seeing clients and handling crisis at the end of the semester. Your dedication to students is amazing! Thank You! |
Michael Kitchens, Career Opportunities Having been out of school for 20+ years, I was overwhelmed with Registration, Advising and all processes required. Mr. Kitchens was exceptional in guiding me through the processes! He was very patient and made me feel as though I was his only student. Mr. Kitchens is exemplary! Thank you both for your time and patience. |
James Taylor, Career Opportunities Mr. Taylor helped my son make a big decision with his major and with his future at VSU. My son walked out of his office as if a big weight had been lifted off his shoulders and for that I thank you Mr. Taylor. I know my son is now ready to start the Spring semester on a positive note. |
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James Taylor, Career Opportunities Mr. Taylor was of tremendous help to me in giving me options and helping me make a big decision with my major. He was so helpful and I wish I would have seen him when I first came to VSU. |
Mike Brown, Plant Operations Thank you, Mike Brown, for taking time to make sure the lights on the palms were perfect for the annual "Lighting of the Palms" event on December 3rd. A lot of people look forward to this special occasion. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!! |
Patrick Smith, Plant Operations Thank you, Patrick Smith, for taking time to make sure the lights on the palms were perfect for the annual "Lighting of the Palms" event on December 3rd. A lot of people look forward to this special occasion. Your efforts are greatly appreciated!! |
| Cheri Tillman, Centralized Advising
Having been out of school for 20+ years, I was overwhelmed with Registration, Advising and all processes required. Ms. Tillman was exceptional in guiding me through the processes! She was very patient and made me feel as though I was her only student. Ms. Tillman is exemplary! Thank you both for your time and patience. |
Laura Wright, Odum Library
I called Laura out of frustration with a project I had to complete. I was working and would not be able to get to the library before she left. She UNSELFISHLY volunteered to wait for me to arrive or come back later! Rare quality in today's work force...thanks Laura! |
Timothy Yorkey, Employee & Organizational Development Mr. Yorkey saw an individual who had a medical crisis while driving on Patterson Street who pulled over to the side of the roadway needing help. He was first to arrive, called the VSU PD for assistance and assisted the woman while police and EMS responded. He demonstrated how to be observant of others who may need help and how to help in a medical emergency. His actions were noteworthy of a VSU employee and human being. |
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Nicole Mitchell, Accounting & Procurement Nicole helped me complete the transfers of two PO's between departments the last thing before going on Christmas break - it was quiet and a good time to do this type of transaction and I really appreciated her helping us finish it before we came back in January and will be trying to close the month. She went over and above to complete the transfer of the expenses before we left on Christmas break rather than leave the transaction split between the departments |
Catherine Storey, Accounting & Procurement Catherine helped me transfer two PO's to a different department - these transactions get messy because you have to do them in steps and if other transactions intervene you can get "caught" in the middle of them - the Monday before Christmas break was quiet and a good time to do this and she was great about getting her part of it done. I realized it was quiet and a good time to do this transaction - but it was the last day before Christmas break also and meant coordinating with moving the budgets and expenses as well - it takes everyone! and Catherine was great- even though it was half an hour before she should be heading out - I appreciate it so much knowing we have this one out of the way! |
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Employee & Organizational Development
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University Center Entrance 3
1500 N. Patterson St.
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 -
Mailing Address
1500 N. Patterson St.
Valdosta, GA 31698 - Main
- Phone: 229.259.5105