Indiana University Kokomo celebrated the achievements of its employees of the year at the annual campus picnic Wednesday (June 21).
Chancellor Mark Canada offered congratulations to Employee of the Year recipients Tara Bass, support staff; Chanda Deaton, professional staff; and Jim Nicholas, service maintenance staff, along with all nominees.
“I deeply appreciate the outstanding work that our staff members do to make a positive difference for our students and our community,” he said. “Jim, Chanda, and Tara deserve accolades for going the extra mile.”
Bass, administrative assistant in the Office of Student Success and Advising, was commended as an invaluable support to her colleagues and students with her attention to detail that keeps the office organized. Her nomination letter noted she “seems to know everyone on campus and in the community, and in addition to being an invaluable team member in onboarding new students, she is probably one of our most effective recruiters.”
Deaton, instructional technologist/assessment data specialist in the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, was lauded for her knowledge, patience, and kindness in assisting faculty and staff learning new technology. Her nomination letter stated, “I received the help that I needed, and I felt like I could go to her anytime in the future to get help with other things.”
Nicholas, grounds crew, was noted for being quick to respond to make sure campus events happen without issue in his role in set up, and for his positive attitude. One nomination cited that he “truly embodies teamwork and the ‘Kokomojo’ we all strive for,” while another added that he can be counted on to handle last-minute events.
Additional nominees included:
Support Staff: Julie Kendall, administrative secretary
Service Maintenance: Tommy Sheldon, custodian; Stan Haynes, afternoon crew leader; Dawn Davis, morning crew leader; Julie Dick, custodian, and Rob Helms, custodian.
Professional Staff: Mike Glassburn, videographer; Shelbi Fortner, assessment coordinator; Tara Grant, associate registrar; Heather Pickens, director of business and accounting services; Dara Bishop, director of financial aid; Danielle Runda, assistant registrar; and Tom Norris, athletic director.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.