In celebration of their years of service and exceptional work, California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) recognized 94 staff members ranging from five to 45 years of service during the 2014 Staff Awards reception held in the Loker Student Union on Oct. 8.
Each year staff members are honored for five-year service milestones at CSUDH. Three additional employees received awards for excellence.
University President Willie J. Hagan noted the deeper meaning of lengthy service in higher education:
“When we say someone in the audience has worked for five, 10, 15, 40, to 45 years, not only is that astounding—whether you’ve been working in financial aid, IT, facilities, clerical, administrative, catering or any of the disciplines that make this campus work—it’s also important to remember that the work that occurred during those years was in the service of sustaining one of the most important endeavors in the world, education.
“Education is one of the foundations of which everything else exists, and you’re a part of that,” he added. “So I want to remind you that while we’re here celebrating years of service, I want everyone to recognize that those years of service are really part of a sacred continuum, and they’re extraordinarily important. After all, those years, our time, is our most valuable resource because it’s finite.”
For Janie MacHarg, director of Student Health and Psychological Services, her 45 years was the longest term recognized at the reception.
She began working at the university in 1969 and has held four positions at CSUDH. She started as a career counselor before moving on to director of Career Planning and Placement, then housed in the Small College Complex. During that time she was enrolled in a doctoral program at USC where she earned her Ph.D. and become a licensed clinical psychologist in 1978. She then became a counseling psychologist on campus before being hired for her current position.
“When the provost said that 30 years of service is close to a lifetime, the first thing I thought was I should probably check my pulse. It was still there and quite rapid,” joked MacHarg. “This is a great honor. It’s great to work here. The students, staff and faculty are all so hard working and wonderful.”
A selection committee chose two recipients to receive Staff Awards of Excellence from 18 finalists who were nominated by their colleagues. Along with a plaque, each recipient received a check for $1,000.
Margaret A. White, an administrative support coordinator in the Department of Communications, was honored with the Excellence in Customer Service Award. She was jointly nominated by Department of Communications Chair Sharon Sharp and faculty members Nancy Cheever and Ryan Bowles-Eagle. They shared that White—“the face of the department”—is extremely efficient and has completely restructured procedures and documents, has streamlined all administrative tasks, and developed new methods for helping students with paperwork and other issues.
“While I am the recipient of this award, it is reflective of the Department of Communications. Our faculty place a high priority on providing students with the assistance they need to be successful both in and outside of the classroom,” said White. “CSUDH has a unique and diverse student body with many first-generation college students. As a staff member, I have the privilege of not only sharing their educational journey, but watching them graduate.”
Tak Yee Poon (B.S., computer science, 1998), university webmaster who works in the Office of Enterprise Applications, was presented the Outstanding Education Support Award.
In a nomination letter, Poon’s colleague Project Coordinator Nathlyn Hirohama noted that he has created a positive and well-structured learning environment for the Division of Information Technology’s student assistants and interns, and that he provides outstanding support for the faculty, helping them build quality online learning environments for their students.
“I didn’t think I would win the award today. This is really for our entire team,” said Poon. “This is just a great campus and all the nominees deserved to win. The faculty are very friendly and this is a wonderful learning environment.”
The Management Excellence Award was presented to Richard Tetrick, manager of Building Trades in the Facilities Services Department, where he has worked since 2008.
He was nominated by Director of Facility Services Jonathan Scheffler, who wrote that Tetrick was instrumental in the planning and execution of the renovation of nine high-tech classrooms during the summer of 2014, and was an integral part of the original design team.
“I was excited and surprised when my name was called,” Tetrick said. “This campus has been around for a while, so any time we can go in and update a classroom and create a better work environment for the faculty and students, it makes a big difference. There was a lot of reward for me in working on those projects and seeing the results. I really love my work here.”
To see more photos from the 2014 Staff Awards Reception, click here.
5 Years of Service
Leslie C. Barron, Administrative Assistant, Master of Social Work Program, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
Janna Bersi, Associate Vice President, Academic Resource Management and Planning
Elena C. Harrold, Lead Data Entry Analysis Assistant, Office of the Dean, College of Education
Charles Hunt, Senior Program Development Specialist, Extension Programs, College of Extended and International Education
Bryce McDavitt, Study Coordinator, Sociology, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Gregory Mocilnikar, Instructional Aid Technician, Art and Design, College of Arts and Humanities
Salvador Valdez, Academic Advisor, University Advisement Center
Brenda Alcala, Catering/Event Lead, Campus Dining Services
Christina Rodas, Cashier, Campus Dining Services
Fernando Solorio, Lead Line Cook, Campus Dining Services
Brian Cruz, Academic Advisor, Educational Opportunity Program
Katrina Hermoso, Acting Associate Director, Educational Opportunity Program
Leah-Anne Kram, Clinical Lab Technologist II, Student Health and Psychological Services
Elizabeth Powell, Job Developer, Career Center, Michelle Taylor, Associate Director of Admissions, Admissions and Records
Delores Benjamin, Executive Assistant to the Vice President, Office of the Vice President
Tiffany Edlin, Fiscal Officer/HR Liaison, Office of the Vice President
Elizabeth Gomez, Development Coordinator, Development
Felicia Hernandez, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, Alumni Programs
10 Years of Service
Lauren Ansorge, Academic Resource Manager, Office of the Dean, College of Education
Xiomara Benitez, Coordinator, Transition to Teaching Program, College of Education
Shána S. Garrett, Administrative Support Coordinator, Division of World Cultural and Gender Studies, College of Arts and Humanities
Babette Wald, Director of Extension Programs, Extension Programs, College of Extended, International Education
Gregory Williams, Director of Archives and Special Collections, University Library
Adelbert Baylis, Manager, Procurement, Contracts, Logistical, Facilities Leasing and Support Services
Stefanie Galindo, Career Counselor, Career Center
Brenda Hernandez, Admissions Evaluator, Admissions and Records
Margaret Marquardt, Nurse Practitioner, Student Health and Psychological Services
Julieta Martinez, Graduation Evaluator, Admissions and Records
Margarita Narez, Graduation Evaluator, Admissions and Records
Ava Petty, Administrative Assistant, Title V Encounter to Excellence Program
Marcela Vega, Financial Aid Specialist, Financial Aid
Ernest Williams, Administrative Support, University Housing
Joli Brown, ServiceNow Administrator, Project Management Office
Shon Lee, University Web Manager, Enterprise Applications
Michael D. Little, Equipment Systems Specialist/Enhanced Technology Classroom Technician, Instructional Media Services
15 Years of Service
Alisa Banks, Administrative Analyst, University Library
Tigress Briggs-Wroten, Program Manager, Rise and U*Star Programs
Rodger Hamrick, Student Services Professional, Quality Assurance Programs, College of Extended and International Education
Lisa Denice Langford, Student and Administrative Advisor, Occupational Therapy, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
Patrick Naranjo, Math/Science Tutoring Coordinator, Toro Learning Center
Michelle Ortega Bacalso, Registration Associate, College of Extended and International Education
Carolyn Parker-Hutchinson, Credential Analyst, Student Services Center, College of Education
Judith Radeke, Administrative Support Coordinator, Division of Graduate Education, College of Education
Sayon P. Sau, Dean’s Office Financial Analyst/Co-Coordinator of Scheduling, Office of the Dean, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
Steven C. Williams, Coordinator of Internet Applications, The Center for Mediated Instruction and Distance Learning, College of Extended and International Education
Ben Zhou, Acting Associate Dean, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
Nathaniel D. Colbert, Carpenter, Facilities Services
Luis Hernandez, Sergeant, University Police
David Ibarra, Police Officer, University Police
William Jones, Custodian, Facilities Services
Daniel Salazar, Dispatcher, University Police
Fabiola Tene, Financial Reporting Accountant, Accounting Services
Janet P. Vanniroth, General Accountant, Accounting Services
Lourdes Lopez, Admissions Evaluator, Admissions and Records
Patricia N-Enyekwe Akudinobi, International and Veterans Outreach Counselor, University Outreach and Information Services
Cynthia N. Turner, Articulation Officer, Admissions and Records
Cristina Arroyo, Telecommunications Analyst, Telecommunications
Dennis Roper, Night Distribution Supervisor, Instructional Media Services
20 Years of Service
Leslie Bayless, Administrative Support Coordinator, English, College of Arts and Humanities
Van Bridgeman, Assistant Director/Senior Producer, DHTV, The Center for Mediated Instruction and Distance Learning, College of Extended and International Education
Bernie Clinch, Senior Producer/Coordinator of Media Production, The Center for Mediated Instruction and Distance Learning, College of Extended and International Education
John Davis, Acting Dean, College of Education
Neil Farmer, Psychology Technician, Psychology, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Cynthia A. Ford-Verdine, Schedule Coordinator, Office of the Dean, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Gayle A. Heifetz, Registration Associate, College of Extended and International Education
Gabrielle Meachem McKeney, Administrative Analyst/Specialist, College of Extended and International Education
Carolyn B. Mesias, Accounting Technician II, University Library
Diana Osejo, Administrative Coordinator, Division of Health Sciences, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing
Kimberly Welter, Library Assistant, Archives and Special Collections, University Library
Sheila Wood, Administrative Assistant, Center for Mathematics and Science Education, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Angela Holmes, Custodian, Facilities Services
Dennis Lawson, Sergeant, University Police
Jeff Morrow, Supervising Building Service Engineer, Engineering Services
Christopher Manley, Radiologic Technologist II, Student Health and Psychological Services
Nancy Rudolph, Administrative Analyst/Specialist, Admissions and Records
Glenn K. Masuda, IT Consultant, User and Access Services
25 Years of Service
Yvette Mack, Administrative Support Coordinator, University Library
Terry Molano, Testing Coordinator, Testing Center
Clementine Sessoms, Grant Development Associate, Graduate Studies and Research
Vanessa Silorio, College Scheduling Coordinator, Office of the Dean, College of Arts and Humanities
Cynthia Jones-Hunter, Employee Transportation Specialist, Transportation Services
Raymond Ortiz, Equipment Operator, Facilities Services
Patrick Thomas, Parking Officer II, Supervisor, Parking Services
Jennie Jurado Rodriguez, Financial Aid Specialist, Financial Aid
Suwanna Stickney, Fiscal Operations Specialist, Financial Aid
Yusuf Abdullah, IT Consultant, User and Access Services
Gary Lo, Database Administrator, Enterprise Applications
30 Years of Service
Virginia Knauss, Department Secretary, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Earth Sciences, Physics and SMT Program, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Terry Latiolait, Supervising Teacher, Infant/Toddler Development Center, College of Education
Clyde Tokumoto, Instructional Support Technician, Physics, College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Vernesta Johnson, Facilities Leasing and Scheduling Coordinator, Procurement, Contracts, Logistical, Facilities Leasing and Support Services
Vincent James Mangielli, Storekeeper, Procurement, Contracts, Logistical, Facilities Leasing and Support Services
Jean McTaggart, Administrative Secretary, Office of the Vice President
35 Years of Service
Donna Alderman, Administrative Support Coordinator, Division of Graduate Education, College of Education
45 Years of Service
Janie MacHarg, Director, Student Health and Psychological Services
