June 14, 2024
Recipients of March Staff Spotlight Award selected
Robert Beckley, operations technician for Housing and Dining Services; Julie Rowe, coordinator for aeronautics student success at K-State Salina; Lara Weisbender, office specialist III with the Extension Nutrition Program; and Kurt Zoglmann, assistant director for Application Services DevOps for Information Technology, have been selected as the March recipients of the Staff Spotlight Award.
The Staff Spotlight Award highlights university support staff and university professional staff each month for their service to the K-State community.
Beckley's nomination noted, "He keeps the Derby kitchen up and running by keeping the equipment in working order. This is a big task as a lot of the equipment is older and requires a lot of extra work. He also takes care of the powered floor equipment, plumbing and some of the electrical problems. He has worked through his breaks and lunch to get a piece of equipment up and running. He is someone you can count on."
Rowe's dedication to the students goes beyond normal expectations. Her nomination noted, "Where Julie truly shines is when she is working with our students. I have never met anyone more dedicated to a student's success than Julie. She is willing to have tough conversations, stay with students at all hours until parents arrive, sit with them as they talk with the professor or be the shoulder they need. She ensures the student is holistically healthy not just in their schoolwork but also clothing, food, mental and physical health, and relationships."
Weisbender was recognized for her efforts "onboarding new employees, both on campus and in local extension units. She has developed a welcoming process that includes providing instructions on accessing essential systems and resources. This thoughtful initiative has significantly contributed to the smooth integration of new team members into their roles. Lara's collaboration extends to working with various campus departments to establish a more streamlined system for local extension offices to submit invoices to our program. Her diligence in facilitating improved processes reflects her commitment to enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness."
According to Zoglmann's nomination, "Kurt is a leader and a challenger. He challenges us to be better in many ways by bring forward professional development opportunities that are timely and valuable, sharing notes and articles that help us see how our work fits into K-State's efforts, creates workshops and retreats that build skills and encourages people to think outside the box to address identified issues. He has spent countless hours thinking about and implementing ways for IT to be better, more efficient, and more excellent!"
Anyone can nominate eligible employees. Student employees and faculty are not eligible for the award. Nominees will be reviewed by a university staff leadership committee of university professional staff and university support staff representatives. Winners will be featured in K-State Today and will receive $100, minus applicable taxes, from the President's Office. Please submit your nominations online by the first of each month.