As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 16 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:
- Daniel Battles, administrative assistant in Student Affairs, whose nominator wrote: “Daniel has been an incredible asset to our team. His kindness, dedication and positivity make him such a wonderful coworker. He’s always supportive, and he goes above and beyond to help our team and students. He has also helped to create a more streamlined and efficient process. We’re so lucky to have him!”
- Melanie Frantz Finocchio, associate director of stewardship in Schreyer Honors College, whose nominator wrote: “Melanie connects alumni with students from the Presidential Leadership Academy, Schreyer, Smeal, Engineering and beyond. She has a servant leader approach to creating events. She is a delightful team player with colleagues. Penn State is a better place because Melanie works here.”
- Autumn Hanley, administrative support coordinator in the Smeal College of Business, whose nominator wrote: “Autumn handles the complex mix of department professional events, faculty searches, course time and room planning, administrative meetings, publicity, and much more in a kind, friendly competent and professional way. She creates a positive environment for faculty, students and staff!”
- Tineka Lebrun, director of undergraduate research and fellowship mentoring in Undergraduate Education, whose nominator wrote: “Tineka helps students as they consider and pursue fellowship opportunities. Countless hours are spent reviewing and reading applications, letters and personal statements, as well as finalizing nominations for prestigious awards and scholarships. Her enthusiasm for students is contagious.”
- Jennifer Knecht, academic program coordinator in the Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: “Jennifer goes above and beyond by mentoring fellow graduate program coordinators across the college. She helps ease the transition of new staff and ensures they feel supported. She fosters a collaborative environment, promoting trust and sharing expertise to strengthen our entire graduate coordinator community.”
- Zack Kyle, IT project manager for Business Technology Solutions in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: “Zack does a great job keeping us all on track, listening to our feedback and finding solutions. He manages so many projects with aplomb and a friendly smile. We could not be successful without his guidance and support!”
- A dual shoutout to Danielle Pelipesky, associate director of events, and Amanda Naberezny, associate director of president’s suites, both in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, whose nominator wrote: “Danielle and Mandy work tirelessly during the regular day, evening events and weekend events for donors and alumni. Their welcoming smiles, energetic greetings, warm thank yous, and attention to detail make us feel special every time.”
- Michael Pennington, senior associate director in Penn State Career Services, whose nominator wrote: “Since his first day Michael has gone above and beyond welcoming staff, making them feel seen and heard. He goes out of his way to check in regularly with his supervisees, celebrate life changes and make each individual feel appreciated for their work. He makes the office great!”
- Ellen Rom, coordinator of undergraduate programs and alumni relations and assistant teaching professor in the College of Agricultural Sciences, whose nominator wrote: “Ellen consistently creates a professional and welcoming work environment that enhances the daily experience for all team members. Her dedication, reliability and extensive knowledge in this department serve as a source of inspiration for the entire team.”
- Maria Scalzi Wherley, learning designer and writer-in-residence at the John A. Dutton Institute for Teaching and Learning Excellence in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, whose nominator wrote: “Maria’s unwavering support and kindness touches everyone she interacts with. She has a unique gift for uplifting others, always making sure everyone feels valued and heard. Her commitment to helping others grow has made such a profound difference in our college.”
- Amber Schoenauer, administrative support manager in the Office of the Physical Plant, whose nominator wrote: “Amber has demonstrated exceptional leadership and organizational skills in managing the complex operations of the staff team. She has effectively supported leadership while taking on the critical task of developing recommendations to enhance processes that benefit both supervisors and staff.”
- Jen Singletary, assistant research professor of classics and ancient Mediterranean studies in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose nominator wrote: “Jen accepted a challenging project on a short timeline. She excelled at producing a high-quality product with great enthusiasm. Jen is highly knowledgeable and extremely easy to work with. Her hard work will have lasting benefits, and our student body will reap her efforts for many years to come.”
- Erin Stanton, assistant director of Residence Life, whose nominator wrote: “Erin is an incredibly effective and generous supervisor, mentor and advocate for our students and staff. Her capable, efficient and kind leadership make a difference every day!”
- Kristin Oberg, learning center and disabilities coordinator at Penn State Beaver, whose nominator wrote: “Kristin has been instrumental in creating a sensory room that provides a much-needed space for students to relax, study and regroup. She has consistently demonstrated her commitment to student success through her teaching and her ability to accommodate diverse learning needs.”
- Mindy Vail, senior financial associate in the Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: “Mindy is an invaluable member of the Department of Biology community. She continues to enhance processes and serves as the go-to for a number of financial tasks. Recently, Mindy's experience was invaluable during PSUbuy testing and training efforts; she was an exceptional and critical member of the team. Thank you, Mindy!”
Thank you Daniel, Melanie, Autumn, Tineka, Jennifer, Zack, Danielle, Amanda, Michael, Ellen, Maria, Amber, Jen, Erin, Kristin and Mindy — and to everyone who helps make 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.