As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 19 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
This week, on behalf of the entire Penn State community, we’d like to say thank you to:
- Kara Anderson, associate director of Student Care and Advocacy, a division of Student Affairs, whose nominator wrote: “Kara took on a great deal of additional responsibility over the past year due to staff changes. She supports students through some of the heaviest challenges and does so with kindness, compassion and efficiency. She is also a thoughtful and encouraging coworker. Penn State is lucky to have Kara!”
- John Antonik, solutions manager in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “Shoutout to John for going above and beyond. When Café Laura faced major after-hours technical issues, he responded immediately, diagnosed the problem and restored service — saving the day for our students, guests and staff.”
- Megan Braught, access services supervisor at Penn State University Libraries, whose nominator wrote: “Megan the most wonderful colleague and collaborator! From finals and outreach activities to the Law Library’s March Madness Book Bracket — and all the day-to-day operations in between — Megan helps everything run smoothly. She plays a key role in making our library a warm, welcoming space.”
- David Cassiday, academic and pre-health adviser in Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: “Dave is a trusted resource in our office, especially as we’ve onboarded new team members over the past few years. He has also strengthened communication with advising offices across University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, ensuring colleagues feel informed, supported and connected.”
- Joe Chastain, applications developer in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “Joe built the application we needed and continues to maintain it with consistent commitment. His quick response time and willingness to collaborate truly stand out. Joe consistently makes a meaningful and positive difference.”
- Kelly Childs, food service production worker in Housing and Food Services at Penn State Altoona, whose nominator wrote: “Kelly runs the coffee shop on campus and always goes above and beyond for students, faculty and staff. She is reliable, dependable and caring!”
- Sophia Diplacido, coordinator of Residence Life at Penn State Behrend, whose nominator wrote: “Sophia has done incredible work while on call. She has navigated challenging situations with professionalism and care. Her ability to stay calm under pressure and support students has not gone unnoticed. Kudos, Sophia!”
- Michelle Evan, administrative assistant in Housing and Food Services at Penn State Behrend, whose nominator wrote: “Michelle has been an incredible campus partner to the Residence Life team. Her collaboration and support in programming, along with her consistent willingness to help and problem-solve with a positive attitude, make working together both seamless and enjoyable.”
- Danielle Hanna, student services assistant for the Career Enrichment Network in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose nominator wrote: “Danielle is the glue that holds our team together. She is often the first to be consulted about advice for a project or program due to her expertise, organization and strategic thinking. She makes every single person who sits in her space feel heard and valued. Liberal Arts is so lucky to have her!”
- LaSha Hardy, executive assistant at Penn State Dickinson Law, whose nominator wrote: “LaSha consistently represents the very best of our law school. She manages every detail with her trademark calm, positivity and professionalism. We are incredibly fortunate to have her as a colleague and as a shining example of dedication and excellence.”
- Mike Hawn, assistant director of accounts payable and shared services in Central Procurement, whose nominator wrote: “Mike was extremely helpful in training teams indirectly impacted in the transition to PSUbuy. Mike has also been very responsive to any and all questions from both initiators outside of the Finance OST Hubs and employees in the recently established OST HUBs.”
- Emily Kissinger, marketing strategist at the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), whose nominator wrote: “Emily is an incredible asset to the College of IST. She takes initiative, thinks creatively, and provides thoughtful feedback. She manages multiple projects with patience and a smile, keeping everyone organized and moving forward. IST better because of her!”
- Melissa Maurer, educational program specialist at Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: “Melissa is an outstanding team member on the Education Abroad Customized Programs Team. Her professionalism, collaborative spirit and incredible multi-tasking abilities support hundreds of faculty and staff leaders and students participating in embedded programs around the world. Thank you, Melissa!”
- Sheila Mayes, financial planning analyst in the Office of the Budget and Finance, whose nominator wrote: “Sheila is detail-oriented, fast and incredibly reliable. She consistently goes above and beyond to submit labor distribution plans quickly and answer financial questions with clarity. Conscientious and dedicated, she takes pride in supporting others — our team would be lost without her!”
- Charles Mierwald, administrative support assistant in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), whose nominator wrote: “Charlie is a powerhouse team player whose dedication, excellence and community spirit routinely contribute to the success of our group. But lately, with multiple open positions, he has taken on numerous extra duties and kept us afloat. I cannot overstate how thankful we are to have him on our team.”
- Hannah Schreier, associate professor of biobehavioral health in the College of Health and Human Development (HHD), whose nominator wrote: “Hannah reflects the best of Penn State through her thoughtful and effective leadership. She manages with a great balance of efficiency and empathy, keeping our team organized and motivated. My experience has been incredibly positive thanks to the supportive and encouraging environment she creates.”
- Sharon Sowers, financial manager in the College of Medicine, whose nominator wrote: “Sharon is always willing to talk things through, teach and support her staff in meaningful ways. Even in challenging situations, she finds solutions and improves processes. Her thoughtful, knowledgeable approach makes a real impact. We are grateful to have her.”
- Adam Tussey, IT support specialist in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “I’d like to recognize Adam for his outstanding support with my hardware issues. His positivity, kindness and clear communication made a stressful situation easy. He exceeded expectations and reflects the very best of Penn State IT!”
- Brielle Wisor, maintenance worker utility in the Office of Physical Plant, who received multiple nominations. One nominator wrote: “We would like to commend Brielle for her exceptional work. She is truly amazing! She has a positive attitude and professionalism. Brielle consistently goes above and beyond to assist us. She deserves recognition for her outstanding contributions. She has a strong work ethic and she is appreciated!” Another nominator wrote: “Brielle always goes above and beyond to give the best ‘customer service’ to our building. She is always smiling and friendly, and she will go out of her way to help everyone.”
Thank you to these individuals and everyone across the University who contributes to making Penn State such an incredible community!
Do you know someone who deserves a shout out? If you do, consider nominating that person by filling out a short online form.