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Pat on the Back Awards 2013-14

The Ferris State University Pride Committee continues to recognize and reward the small ways that we show our FSU pride.  The Pat-On-The-Back Award is a quick, easy, fun way to let someone know that they did a good thing and someone noticed.

This award is an easy and excellent way to thank a FSU employee or student for exhibiting pride and doing something good for others through their actions.  

To nominate someone, email [email protected] with your name and address, the nominee's name and address, and the reason you have chosen this faculty, staff, or student for a Pat-on-the-Back award.  

Congratulations to the following individuals for receiving a Pat-On-The Back recognition.  Each of candidates will receive a Pat-On-The Back Certificate and their names will be entered into a drawing at the end of the semester for some fun prizes.

Thank you for the great participation for this fun and important award!

Awardees for June 2014:

Angela Morris and Cynthia Kaan: They are new to their social media responsibilities for Ferris Statewide and Online programs. Last Friday, a gentleman posted a comment that his granddaughter was graduating, but he lives 400 miles away and wasn't able to attend. He didn't ask for anything, but Cynthia and Angela responded to him within an hour after 10:00 p.m. on a Friday night to share the link to view ceremonies online. Their excellent customer service and quick response gave a man an opportunity to watch his granddaughter graduate who otherwise would have missed that moment. Cynthia and Angela, way to be attentive and responsive!

Awardees for May 2014:

Melanie Mulder: I would like to nominate Melanie Mulder to be recognized as a pat-on-the-back recipient. Melanie has such a great “can do” attitude and is ALWAYS willing to do whatever she can to help a student. Recently she spear-headed the “Get Real!” event in collaboration with Scott Garrison of FLITE and various university and community partners, the event was a HUGE success. Although this is a recent, large scale event it is representative of her commitment to helping students. Melanie also contributes daily to student success as a financial aid advisor and, in many cases, as a mentor to students and family’s that she meets. She is also an ideal “team player” when it comes to helping out co-workers and participating on university committees. I am SO PROUD and lucky to be able to call her a colleague and friend.

I would like to give a Pat-On-The-Back to several people who made a difference in an event we held in the Granger Atrium – the Honors Senior Send-off Banquet – on April 24.
Shari Wessels:  To Shari Wessels who helped us figure out how to hold a banquet in that area (we’ve always used the Dome Room) by giving us access to all the furniture and equipment, suggested how the tables could be arranged, and answered any other questions we had about having a banquet in that location.
Bob Horner and Travis Scott: To Bob Horner and Travis Scott - who at the very last minute supplied us (rescued us) with a podium and mic within 15 minutes of the request and at 5:00.
Tom Morris: To one of Granger’s custodians, Tom Morris, who stopped what he was doing to help us locate coat racks and bring them down to the atrium for our guests.
Larrey Eberts and Mark Schuelke: Also to Larrey Eberts and Mark Schuelke who have been accommodating us with our set up for banquets and events during the transformation of the David L. Eisler Center.
Margo Burke, Catering & Staff: And finally, the great job Catering & staff does at each of our events – big thank you to Margo Burke for always picking out a delicious meal and making sure everything perfect.
We do appreciate all of you in helping make our events successful!

Awardees for March 2014:

Therese Aldrich: Terry recently complete a certificate of completion titled Improving SEO Using Accessibility Techniques. The Web and Media Accessibility Committee appreciates Terry's can-do attitude.
 
Bob Griffith: The Web and Media Accessibility Committee recognizes Bob Griffith's dedication to helping Ferris create a more accessible website. Nice job Bob for identifying all the housing and dining forms that need to be changed to improve accessibility for all users.
 
Tom Behler: Many thanks to Tom Behler for helping Ferris become a more accessible university. Tom works quietly behind the scenes to improve accessibility for low vision or blind individuals. He is a member of the Web and Media Accessibility Committee -we appreciate your assistance and cheerful attitude as we move forward with helping all individuals have full access to Ferris' website. High Five, Tom.
 
Curtis Earl, Ethan Wagner and Deric Proos: In the Technology Assistance Center (TAC), with very short notice, Curtis Earl, Ethan Wagner, and Deric Proos helped setup second monitors in FLITE for the Office 365 training.
 
Leeann O’Neal: A special thank you to Leeann O’Neal for knowing where the extra monitors were located. This helped the overall experience for all of the 365 training participants.
 
Matt Sigmund: Matt Sigmund of TAC stayed over his normal work shift to accommodate the College of Engineering Technology Michigan Construction Hall of Fame. Matt helped with A/V related equipment so the event organizers could focus on other important details.
 
All Dining Services Staff at the Rock Cafe: (Including the AFSCME members & Melody Armstrong, Beth Pacholka, Amy Byrnes and Gary Schneider) I would like to nominate the Dining Services staff at the Rock Cafe for always being the heart behind the service and for going above and beyond to help one another. They truly are team players and I just wanted to let them know that I appreciate their effort. You truly are Rock Stars!
 

Awardees for February 2014:

Tom Liszewski: I would like to nominate Tom Liszewski, University Counselor, Second Floor Birkam Health Center.  Tom is super friendly and willing to share his wealth of knowledge from his many years of experience to support my transition into my new role.  He consistently makes the time in his day, despite his busy schedule, to ask if I have questions or to share helpful information.  Tom also demonstrates concern for my professional development by drawing from his own experience and learning to support my learning process, e.g. tenure track, etc.  I am thankful for co-workers like Tom and my other colleagues as they make a positive difference in the workplace!
 
Amy Truong: I nominate Amy Truong for the Pat-on-the Back Award for the first week of Spring 2014 semester. Amy has unofficially volunteered to help many people in Arts & Sciences to learn more about using social media in classrooms and courses. She has spent lunch hours surfing the net with me to introduce me to emerging media sites and tools and help me to better understand how my students use social media as a core communication skill. She's also been an informal technical support helper for our hallway and has a lot of people "pop" into her office to pull her away for a minute or two to solve a quick glitch in a computer program or demonstrate how to use a new FSU application. Most of all, I know that Amy has taken home social media projects to work on and investigate them and then return to me and others with new ideas and demonstrations about how to implement applications we've discussed. She is always willing to help. Amy has "sparky" ideas that have inspired me to continually integrate social media content into my courses on communication because she is close enough in age to understand students' needs and patterns of communications and also mature enough to see use emerging technologies blend into the classroom.  Plus, she does everything with a smile. She has had a lot of people "pat her on the back," but she certainly warrants an official "Pat on the back."

Angela Ososki: I would like to nominate Angela Ososki for the Pat On The Back Award. She is currently working on the second floor of Timme. I believe Angie deserves this award not for one specific act, but for consistently being a mentor and teacher. She has the ability learn and utilize computer programs such as Excel. No matter how many times I would ask "How do I do this?" she would show me, until I knew it also. I learned a lot during my 8 months as a colleague with her. For kindness, tact, and making the workplace a better place, she deserves a Pat On the Back!

All Secretaries & Support Staff in College of Health Professions: Nominating all the secretaries & support staff in the CHP: Linda Morris, Kathy Hotz, Tina Smith, Kim Kleeves, Richelle Williams, Cindi Donley...all the advisors & support staff: Linda Kuk, Debbie Buck Nancy Alles... They all go above & beyond to make our college the best it can be!

Karen Ottobre: I would like to nominate Mrs. Karen Ottobre (COB Bus 212) for a Pat-on-the-Back award. I have been teaching for Ferris as an Adjunct for the past 7 yrs and working with Karen has been an absolutely OUTSTANDING pleasure!   Karen is my primary contact and she is always friendly and very helpful, and always willing to bend over backwards for me...and she answers all my questions very promptly and does everything possible to satisfy all my needs so I can be successful with my students. And it not about just servicing my needs, but often my students have questions and needs that I can't accommodate so I will refer them to Karen, and she always takes care of them as well in a prompt, professional, and very friendly fashion! I am also certain that Karen also takes wonderful care of her manager and others in the COB Management Dept. office, as well as countless other COB students! Karen is a true gift from 'the man upstairs" and the entire Ferris community ought to feel very honored and privileged that she gives of herself.

Awardees for December 2013:

Scott Ruiter and Tom Lokers: I have been remiss in recognizing Scott Ruiter (HVAC) and Tom Lokers (Electrician) for their service beyond the call, when the College of Health Professions (and West Campus) experienced the recent power failure. Tom was extremely helpful in securing and delivering a portable generator to our college so that we could provide backup power to critical equipment in our laboratories; Scott, as usual, was very timely in his response to repair refrigerator compressors damaged during the power failure. He analyzed the problem and installed a solution to prevent future damage to our units. With so many calls for assistance coming into Physical Plant offices, these two Ferris professionals responded in our hour of need without fail. Thanks very much for your help Tom and Scott!

Janet Romanowski-Newberry: I would like to nominate Janet Romanowski-Newberry. She is always very patient with students and takes all the time they need to answer all their questions. She is never in a rush to move to the next person and even stays late if she is helping a customer. Thanks Janet for all you do!!

Kiefer Morse and Timothy Killian: I would like to nominate Kiefer Morse and Timothy Killian for a Pat on the Back Award. They both work for TAC-West Pod and are always so helpful and professional. No matter what the original call/work order is for they manage to get my computer working. They also offer additional information if they believe it will help me. I believe they are both deserving of a Pat on the Back.

Josh Cochran, Jim Furstenberg, Scott Claerhout, and Lee Weaver: During the week of November 11th, a new variant of the Houdini virus was encountered in the Granger Building and was causing problems for academics in those related programs. Also, it was beginning to spread to other areas of campus as well. Due to the quick reaction of staff in IT, what could have been a much bigger problem was minimized.

Initially, identifying the virus and what it did exactly to USB flash drives and computers had to be detailed and submitted to Symantec so they could begin writing a new signature definition file. This was accomplished by Josh Cochran, Jim Furstenberg, Scott Claerhout, and Lee Weaver. Josh worked on writing the flash drive script and helped in the remediation of the infected Granger computers. Jim worked with the virus to determine what it was doing, submitted all technical information to Symantec for an updated signature definition file, and worked with the network team to make sure that data traffic generated by this virus was managed properly. Scott worked on entering specific virus information and exclusions into the console to help with identifying infected files and for the support of specialty services. Lee worked on writing a computer cleansing script, helped with the Symantec tool, and assisted with the remediation of the virus for Granger computers.

Kyle Colby, Tim Cooley, Steve Homant, John Monahan, Kiefer Morse, and Leeann O'Neal: Assisting with the two student flash drive cleansing sessions held in Granger were Kyle Colby, Tim Cooley, Steve Homant, John Monahan, Kiefer Morse, and Leeann O'Neal, These sessions had over 50 students visit with their USB flash drive for eradication of the virus. Without this important step, this virus would have continued to infect computers and other USB flash drives. Some USB flash drives took a few minutes to repair and others close to 30 minutes depending on the amount of data stored. The time and effort spent by these people to lessen the inconvenience to our faculty and staff was awesome!

Susan Cherry: Susan Cherry worked closely with the staff to communicate to customers and other IT staff the virus situation, timelines, and the opportunities available to customers who were infected. She sent out university wide notices, kept communication flowing, and assisted with the posting of signs in Granger. As a result of this team effort, Ferris was one of the first if not the first to work with Symantec towards the updating of the definition file and minimized the spread of this virus to other campus areas. Watching these people work together the way they did was truly amazing and they deserve a big thank you!

Awardees for November 2013:

Josie VanAvery: I'd like to commend Josie VanAvery for her untiring assistance with helping to find FLITE meeting spaces when I needed to get them scheduled immediately and with several times needed on the same days in different weeks. Josie worked with me until we were able to get the rooms I needed, and she did it very quickly and efficiently and always with a great attitude and smile--even when she followed up to make sure that everything was done correctly. Thanks for your help, Josie! Your great attitude and assistance are appreciated!

Laurie Wernette: I would like to take this opportunity to thank Laurie Wernette for going over and above in ensuring that a room was open and available for a meeting, doing everything she could to make sure people were comfortable and well taken care of and also for following up with me. Thanks again for the great assistance.

Janel Depew: I would like to nominate Janel Depew for all of her hard work. She made time to help me while I was out on maternity leave, even though she was extremely busy with her own work. She is always willing to help out when she can. Janel always takes the time to get all the work done, and done accurately, even if that means she has to work late.

Arik Eastling, Mike Johnson, Will Long, Russell Mishler, Leeann O’Neal, Chuck Rathbun and Joe Strohkirch: The extra effort by Technology Assistance Center employees Arik Eastling, Mike Johnson, Will Long, Russ Mishler, Leeann O'Neal, Chuck Rathbun, & Joe Strohkirch. During the first week of October, the university experienced some short and long term power outages on the main campus. Prolonged power outage occured on the west side of campus. This team went through the academic buildings on the west side of the main campus and performed classroom readiness checks to make sure that students and faculty would experience less issue the next day. Power was restored later on Thursday evening and they worked diligently to the midnight hour with some staying into the early morning hours of Friday. Thank you Arik, Mike, Will, Russ, Leeann, Chuck, and Joe for your extra effort and taking care of our students and faculty! Their efforts certainly eliminated problems in the classroom.

Lyle Mourer: I would like to recommend Lyle Mourer for the Pat on the Back award. Lyle often times goes the extra mile for so many people. Recently he worked a late night shift at FLITE and then when another worker could not get to work for a midnight to 7:00 A.M. shift, Lyle stayed to cover the shift. Wow. Thanks Lyle for all that you do. You do a great job.

Bruce Gilchrist: I would like to nominate Bruce Gilchrist in Enrollment Services for a Pat-on-the-Back. Bruce continuously finds innovative ways to improve and expand processes. This allows staff in several areas to work faster and smarter using the tools and technology Bruce has researched and developed. Thank you Bruce, please know your knowledge and hard work is recognized and appreciated!

Awardees for October 2013:

Gary Lutz: I wanted to bring to light on the finer points of Ferris about an individual that I think should be recognized in some way for his outstanding work ethic and customer service. About two weeks ago I lost my phone which is critical for me to perform my job here at Ferris. The next day I contacted Gary Lutz to let him know that I had lost the phone in which he asked me if I had Lotus notes capability in which I do; at that point I kind of fell backwards because I thought now someone has my phone with that capability and I'm in big trouble; automatically Gary was right on phone getting a hold of the carrier to disable the device. A co-worker ended up finding the phone and this was on a Friday in which I was not here but it was quitting time for Gary, At this time he called me at home to let me know this and I explained to him that it was critical in my job expectations that I have the phone because of the number of fte's that I have to manage and that I was on call for the weekend. I want to let you know he went above and beyond to reactivate the phone and got it too me that day working past his quitting time by like 3-4 hours getting this to me and I know for a fact he just did it and didn't even ask for compensation for it, that's how Gary is, every time I've dealt with Gary he has treated me like I was his only customer and I know very well he has them backed up to the door, I've seen it before but he'll never say that to you. I just thought you should know that if Ferris ever has a modeling platform for customer service, Gary should teach it, you will never find a more qualified individual!!
We wish to express our gratitude to Gary Lutz from Telecomm. Gary is a true professional who is always dedicated to assisting others. He came to our office to add Lotus Notes Traveler to our off-campus staff mobile devises even though he was feeling very ill. Gary knew that this was the best opportunity to get the off-campus staff set up, because he knew that if he called in there would be no one else available to assist.

 
Heather Stewart and Angelica Dickinson: At the beginning of this summer I was going to a meeting in CSS. My blood sugar dropped to a dangerous level and the two ladies at the CSS-101 reception desk recognized the problem and reacted quickly. They gave me some almonds and juice from their own snacks to bring it back up. I am eternally grateful to them.
 
Devon Chopp: I personally wish to express on behalf of the Charter Schools Office our deepest gratitude to Devon Chopp from TAC for going above and beyond dedicating his entire workday setting up our off-campus staff, he even worked through his lunch hour to be sure they were completed before the staff had to leave to go back across the state.
 
Arik Eastling, Russell Mishler and IT Department: From the IT Department, Arik and Russ have been working tirelessly for hours and days to help resolve issues that we have encountered since our dental software has been placed behind a firewall for security reasons. All of the dental hygiene staff realize that they have been working hard to assist us in getting all of the MANY issues from the dental reception office issues with our software, to the clinical problems and log in difficulties for all of our students, to the dental radiography issues we have been experiencing. Please also, commend those that are working behind the scenes in the IT Department that we don't see to help make all of the systems function for us. Very much appreciated. We are not problem free, yet, but each day we get a little closer to being able to operate as we expect the systems to function. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you
 
Melanie Mulder, Nancy Walcutt & Brenda White: I would like to nominate Melanie Mulder, Nancy Walcutt and Brenda White for a Pat On The Back award. These ladies are always there to help me no matter how many times I call for help. They do so with a positive attitude and a smile in their voice. Thank you ladies you are greatly appreciated!!!!!!

Awardees for September 2013:

 JILL GREGORY:    Jill has helped with the College of Engineering Technology Grad Fair and Commencement check-in for many years. Each semester she is always there to volunteer to help with these hectic events. She deserves a BIG thank you many times over!

LYNN BOWEN:
Lynn is our go to person in Admissions. No matter what the question or how many times she is asked, she handles it all with grace, kindness and honesty. She truly exemplfies what it means to be service oriented.

APRIL GUSTAFSON:
She is always willing to do anything to help me out and always takes it one step further, going above and beyond what I asked. She has been a tremendous help to me and does it with a huge smile on her face. She is an excellent employee and co-worker and she deserves a huge pat on the back!

KASEY DEPEW:
As always her detail oriented customer service and positive attitude keep the admission processes running smoothly.  As I usually do for summer,  I had several last minute admissions and re-admits that wanted or needed to take class this summer to obtain or maintain their teacher certification. With Kasey's help we managed to get all on my list admitted and registered before May 21 for Summer semester.  I know that sometimes my requests are short notice and Kasey always helps where she can.

SHARON GOSS:
I would like to nominate Sharon Goss, part-time clerical for the Honors Program, to receive a Pat-on-the-Back Award for her positive attitude and enthusiasm for her job. She welcomes new challenges and is not afraid to tackle new assignments. Her customer service skills are top-notch!  We are very lucky to have her in our office.

HEATHER STEWART:
Heather greets current and prospective students, parents and other visitors on the front desk of the Financial Aid Office. Heather's upbeat, friendly and compassionate personality combined with her growing knowledge of financial aid make her the perfect front desk person for the Financial Aid Office. Heather is a true asset to the office and to the University.

DALE HOBART:
Dale has worked on training me to maintain our web page, and has always been available for help when I get stuck, and has been very patient through the whole process. He is greatly appreciated.

LAURA MCKINESS:
While some of this may be part of the "job"... I felt like I got exceptional attention. Early in my process of assisting my son on what school to go to and what it would take, I somehow was transferred to her desk. Instead of transferring me, she first answered a few questions and told me that while you are a university you still like to offer that personal service when it comes to contacts, and building a relationship was important. As parents of a student attending this fall we appreciated the attention and answers provided, as it eased our concerns.

SHARI WESSELS:
Shari Wessels truly exemplifies a team-player.  For the past two years, we have hosted a large Ferris event at the Granger Center.  Shari has been instrumental in ensuring the event's success both years.  She took the time to go over the layout of the atrium and courtyard area with me, sent photos of events done in the past, and was always willing to answer any questions I had.  She coordinated with the custodial staff to make sure the area was prepped and ready for event set-up and planned with them the tear-down and set-up needs for another event occurring the next day.  She gave suggestions about how to lay out the seating and tables so as to keep traffic areas flowing smoothly.  She let us borrow some easels without hesitation so that we could display some of our materials.  This year, she even went as far as to stop down while we were setting up for the event and physically lend a hand with setting up some of the tables and chairs!  Shari has been more than helpful in the planning efforts for an event that was not even her responsibility to plan.  Shari truly deserves a pat on the back for her efforts and her spirit of collaboration.

TINA JENSEN, BOB HORNER, TIM KILLIAN:
I worked in the IT / technical support for the past six years. It can feel like a lot of demand, and not a lot of thanks or recognition. They were receptive to questions and requests, quick to take action and find resolutions, and took additional time to make sure everything was operational. These three individuals are exceptional!

LINDA FERGUSON AND THOMAS MORRIS:
I would like to nominate Linda and Tom for the Pat on the Back Award for their outstanding efforts at keeping the Granger Center sparkling.  This past week (Faculty Week) has shown that we can have several events back to back and regardless of the size of event the place is still shining.   We commend you for all you do in taking pride in our university and the Granger Building you care for.    Thank you.
I would like to nominate Linda Ferguson and Tom Morris.  Linda Ferguson and Tom Morris provide the Granger Center for Construction and HVACR building with superior custodial service. Everyone entering our building comments on what a great building this is, and that is due to the pride Linda and Tom put into the work they do and the pride they have for Ferris. Our building still shines as beautiful as it did when it was first opened in 2004.

MARSHA MCDANIELS:
She is always helpful, knowledgeable, friendly, and professional whenever I need her assistance in the Michigan College of Optometry. Marsha displays the qualities we should all strive for as representatives of Ferris!

LAURIE DANIELS:
She does so much work behind the scenes to prepare and execute New Faculty Orientation Week and Welcome Back Week.  Her attention to detail and help with logistics is invaluable.  I'm so thankful she works for the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning.

AMY TROUNG:
She has an excellent understanding of the workings of Ferris. I have seen Amy go out of her way to assist students and Ferris employees. She is an outstanding asset to Ferris.

HUMAN RESOURCES AND PAYROLL STAFF:
I would like to nominate the Human Resources and Payroll Department STAFF. We do lots of crazy things to get people hired and have many hurdles in the process that both departments ALWAYS pitch in to assist with. They keep the wheels moving for us as we kick-off semesters. I hope everyone in these areas knows how much we truly appreciate their patience, skill and hard work during "crunch time" from the academic side of the house. Kudos to all of you!

MARK ROZIER:
Mark takes care of all the HVAC needs for our program. He has gone way above and beyond to keep our old equipment running, even scavanging parts from other places on campus. We have had several different HVAC people over the years but Mark truly stands out from the crowd.

VAL HARLEY:
Need to say Thank You to Val Harley. A week before school was to start, Val noticed that another area had a couple of late projects that had higher priorities, so she stopped work on her own cleaning projects to assist. Without her assistance the projects would not have gotten done in a timely manner or at the high levels that were obtained. Thanks for your dedication and support.

DR RICHARD COHEN:
Dr. Cohen gives 110% in all he does at Ferris. He is an outstanding recruiter and promoter of Ferris instrumental ensembles. He continues to work hard in the summer producing weekly Community Summer Band concerts, and does a wonderful job of including and featuring community members who may not have other opportunities to perform in this way. His office is always open and welcoming to students, and he is very patient and generous with his time with them, whether it is in counseling, recruiting, giving extra help for his classes, or just chatting and providing morning coffee! I admire his work ethic and attention to details in all he does.

BUSINESS OPERATIONS CLERICAL STAFF AND STUDENTS:
I would like to nominate the clerical staff and student employees from Business Operations and Student Services for the awesome service they provide every day, but especially during the last two weeks of August. They deal with lots of situations with tact and knowledge while also treating everyone like an individual. They have truly been awesome with handling delicate situations and offering possible solutions when students have difficulties. The staff includes: Christine Bark, Pepper Bonnett, Janet Romanowski-Newberry, April Gustofson, Kelly Normand, Deb Griffith and Nicole Merritt, along with student employees Stacy Weller, Brianna Mumby, Sydonie Stock, Caitlin Gibson, and Rachel Sibley.

REGISTRAR'S OFFICE:
I would like to nominate Jeannine Martine, Bridget Olson, Marie Cross, and Robin Carter in the Registrar’s Office for a pat-on-the-back. Each of them works hard from the moment they get in the office to last minute at the end of the day. There are many processes in the Reg Office that are so seamless because of what they do behind the scenes. Please know that your dedication is recognized and appreciated. Thank you ladies!