As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 20 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:
- Bonnie Auman, administrative support coordinator in Environmental Health and Safety, whose nominator wrote: “I would like to recognize Bonnie for her outstanding support and dedication to our department. She goes above and beyond to assist our staff every single day. She steps in and offers help to ensure that the department runs smoothly and builds morale!”
- Joe Beck, maintenance worker utility in the Office of Physical Plant, whose nominator wrote: “As a custodian in our building, Joe is dedicated to providing the best spaces possible for our research labs. We appreciate Joe's regular communication and willingness to keep our lab spaces in top condition. His willingness to work with us on priorities is critical to high functioning spaces.”
- Kelly Bracken, pharmacy technician in University Health Services (UHS), whose nominator wrote: “Kelly is such a valuable asset to our team at UHS pharmacy! She works tirelessly alongside the pharmacists and other technicians. When things get very busy, Kelly always maintains composure and a positive attitude. We just want to acknowledge that her hard work doesn't unnoticed!”
- Penny Burkett, human resources assistant in University Health Services (UHS), whose nominator wrote: “Penny goes above and beyond during open enrollment, answering questions and guiding students and parents through their health insurance needs. Her dedication ensures students get the clear next steps they need to move forward confidently.”
- Troy Carl, international agreements administrator in Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: “Troy has been a wonderful addition to our Global Partnerships unit. He has contributed strategic and creative ideas, embraced new technology and has a clear vision for both partnership agreements and institutional partnerships in general. We are also grateful for his great sense of humor.”
- Kim Delozier, student insurance assistant in University Health Services (UHS), whose nominator wrote: “Kim handles even the toughest calls with calm and genuine patience, creating ease for everyone. Her professionalism sets the tone for the office, as she assists students in enrolling in the student health insurance plan for Penn State.”
- Rebecca Glover, academic program coordinator in the College of Arts and Architecture, who received multiple nominations. One nominator wrote: “Rebecca handles many complex tasks in the School of Visual Arts with skill and aplomb, but I wanted to give a special shout out to her for her extensive work with our graduate application process this year. Rebecca's attention to detail allowed our process to roll out very smoothly!” Another nominator wrote: “Rebecca is an invaluable resource in the School of Visual Arts, handling administrative tasks associated with our graduate programs. Rebecca handles these with care for our students and immaculate attention to detail.”
- Nicole Hallowell, academic adviser at Penn State Lehigh Valley, whose nominator wrote: “Nicole is an incredible adviser who supports every student who walks through her door. She brought the Tri-Alpha Honor Society to our campus, leads the First-Gen Scholar Program, and is deeply committed to student success. Her dedication to first-generation scholars makes a lasting impact every day!”
- Adrienne Harding, facilities specialist in Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: “Adrienne stepped into a senior role during a critical vacancy while continuing her own full workload. She quickly learned new systems, managed daily operations and ensured continuity for the entire office. Her initiative, resilience and leadership kept her unit running smoothly.”
- Tarynn Herlocher, senior administrative assistant in Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: “Tarynn’s professionalism, kindness and reliability shine every day. She anticipates needs, supports colleagues with genuine care and keeps our work running smoothly. Her positivity, dedication and unwavering commitment make her truly invaluable to Penn State Global.”
- Kysesen Johnson, assistant director for annual reporting in Nese College of Nursing, whose nominator wrote: “Kysesen has been training me in my new position and has gone above and beyond to teach, mentor and ensure that I get settled in comfortably and successfully. It is easy to see that she is a wonderful colleague to all and does a great job in her role!”
- Danielle Jones, assistant director of Residence Life, whose nominator wrote: “Danielle is a great partner to work with during crisis or emergency situations. Her detailed responses regarding updates about situations are greatly appreciated! She ensures everyone is looped in and is always willing to continue to have conversations with students as needed. Thank you, Danielle!"
- Tom Klinger, IT support specialist for the Penn State Alumni Association, whose nominator wrote: “Tom has worked hard to address an issue with my team's shared software platform. After unsuccessful attempts to address these over years, he was the one to finally figure things out. It involved multiple sessions, weekend work and a lot of tedious activity to ensure everything was set. Thank you, Tom!”
- Gary Meyers, IT consultant in the College of Engineering, whose nominator wrote: “Gary goes above and beyond for our college. He comes in early or stays late to ensure needed technology is set up and running before an event, and he’s always available in case anything goes wrong. I truly appreciate his help with something I know little about.”
- Ryan Morgan, IT solutions engineer in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “I am pleased to nominate Ryan for his excellent work on our recent system integration. His knowledge, attention to detail and proactive approach ensured a smooth and successful outcome. We are especially grateful for his genuine willingness to help.”
- Tim Prothero, IT support specialist in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “Tim went above and beyond during a service disruption, jumping in to troubleshoot, guiding the alert steps and joining a meeting with no notice. Even with his own workload, he made time to help. His steady, reliable support truly represents the spirit of ‘We Are!’”
- Sloane SeilerFeldman, admissions officer in Enrollment Management, whose nominator wrote: “When the 'Penn State Grandpa’ went viral on social media after seeing his grandson's offer of admission, Sloane — wanting to share her love for Penn State — went shopping, purchased and mailed a 'Penn State Grandpa’ sweatshirt and box of Penn State goodies to the family. Sloane shares her love of Penn State all day every day.”
- Chris Stewart, IT generalist in Smeal College of Business, whose nominator wrote: “Chris has really stepped up in providing a whole new level of service to faculty and staff at Smeal. As we have continued to add new services, Chris continues to volunteer to jump in and drive new initiatives!”
- Margaret Weber, academic program coordinator in the College of Agricultural Sciences, whose nominator wrote: “I’d like to thank Margaret for her exceptional support in resolving a student issue. Throughout the stressful situation, Margaret was proactive, communicative and incredibly dedicated. Her attention to detail and kindness made a difficult process much easier. We are very fortunate to have her on our team!”
- Seth Wengerd, customer service representative in University Health Services (UHS), whose nominator wrote: “Seth is always so kind and caring, in his interactions with both patients and co-workers. He has been such a valuable asset to the pharmacy team at UHS.”
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.