PROFessionals of the Month

The focus of the PROFessionals of the Month program is to recognize, on a monthly basis, exemplary Rowan employees as nominated by fellow members of the University community.

The program is for faculty, staff, or employee groups at any level across all University campuses. The monthly recipient(s), chosen by the PROF of the Month Committee, will receive a special visit by the committee, a group of professionals dedicated to recognizing—and celebrating—outstanding work by Rowan employees.

Nominations can be submitted for individual employees, work groups or project teams. The ideal candidate will have played a major role in a recent, exceptional accomplishment, preferably in the month they have been nominated for (Examples: Completion of a high impact task or project, successful organization of an event, receipt of an award for an outstanding accomplishment, etc.).  

To nominate faculty, staff, or a team of professionals for the PROFessional(s) of the Month, fill out the PROF of the Month Nomination Form by the end of the calendar month to explain why your nominee(s) should be recognized. Feel free to resubmit nominations that were previously submitted!

Which Rowan professional or team of professionals has gone above and beyond the call of duty in serving the University community? Who in the past month exhibited terrific student engagement, customer service, and teamwork, exemplifying all that is terrific about Rowan professionals?  

In short, who should be Rowan’s PROFessional(s) of the Month?

 

  

October 2024

Ashley Case, Office of Advising and Student Information Services

 

Congratulations to Ashley Case for being selected as the October PROFessional of the Month!

Ashley Case serves as a Communications Assistant for the Office of Advising and Student Information Services (OASIS). In this role, Ashley maintains website content, creates digital media, and develops student communications on behalf of the OASIS team.

Ashley has stepped up in many ways in the Office of Advising and Student Information Services. Recently, she has taken on a major role in developing and implementing videos, social media, and events for Transfer Student Week. She has volunteered to interview tutors, career counselors, and advisors to share resources with Rowan's transfer student population. She has also done work in developing a web page with information about the multiple events being hosted, and is the main person promoting this new initiative. She has offered her time and expertise in many ways for OASIS over her time here, but especially with this new initiative this month and deserves to be recognized for it, as she frequently takes on tasks and jobs that are unseen but absolutely necessary.

Ashley is always one of the first colleagues to offer support on a new idea or project, and takes the time to make sure tasks are being completed by the group. She also connects with students and staff across campus to hear their questions, insights, and thoughts about supporting transfer students. She has done this before in other ways, creating content for various projects for the department of OASIS and the larger Rowan community, like developing videos for orientations, fixing pieces of the website to share important information, and she also sends communication weekly to all Rowan Global students with important information that is applicable to them.

Ashley consistently steps up, has new ideas, and is always willing to take on initiatives that will make the student experience better. OASIS, our students, and Rowan University at large is better off because Ashley is behind the scenes every day making things happen.

For her commitment to going above and beyond to support our students, we honor Ashley Case as the October PROFessional of the Month.

September 2024

Abigail Kriegsmann, Ryan Buckley and Adam Unkow, Information Resources & Technology

 

Congratulations to Abigail Kriegsmann, Ryan Buckley and Adam Unkow for being selected as the September PROFessionals of the Month!

Abigail Kriegsmann, Ryan Buckley and Adam Unkow provide classroom support as part of their roles on the Information Resources & Technology team at Rowan University. 

Abigail, Ryan and Adam put their heart and soul into ensuring that instructional technology is easy to use and ready for instruction. Part of this effort includes updating all user documentation in the classrooms, as well as creating videos for faculty and students to view on demand.   

This past summer, Abigail, Adam, Ryan and a small team of student workers upgraded and prepared 197 classrooms and 36 computer teaching and open labs on the Glassboro campus for the fall semester. This included replacing and upgrading computers in the classroom and labs. Due to Abby's leadership and the execution of Adam and Ryan, all work was completed, and all of these venues were ready for use by our faculty and students almost two weeks before the start of the semester. As a result, not only were the instructional venues ready for use, but there has also been a large decrease in support calls from users. 

For their dedication to providing top-notch technology support, we honor Abigail Kriegsmann, Ryan Buckley and Adam Unkow as the September PROFessionals of the Month. 

August 2024

Dominique Pierson, Office of Social Justice, Inclusion, and Conflict Resolution

 

Congratulations Dominique (Dom) Pierson on being selected as the August PROFessional of the Month!

Dominique serves as the Director of the Office of Social Justice, Inclusion & Conflict Resolution (SJICR) at Rowan University.

Dom embodies her personal mantra, “lead with love,” while providing exceptional leadership and operational oversight in her role as the Director of the SJICR office. In this very important leadership role, Dom has gone above and beyond in serving the University community by taking the lead of the SJICR office during a time of restructure, moving forward in a positive and constructive way, while also including the voices of students and campus partners in the process. 

Dom consistently establishes meaningful connections by reaching out to students, campus partners and our surrounding communities to ensure the needs of the University are met through the SJICR office. Her dedication to research and education is steadfast, making certain student expectations and needs are prioritized and addressed. She continuously advocates for students, ensuring their needs and educational growth are at the core of everything SJICR offers. 

Dom is committed to supporting student voices and creating brave spaces where campus community members can connect across their differences. For example, Dom has been instrumental in preserving cultural traditions through events like Holi and Diwali, while also championing the celebration of BIPOC excellence with initiatives such as Sankofa Graduation and the Politics of Black and Brown Hair. Dom’s dedication to inclusivity extends to her work on LGBTQ+ initiatives, where she has been a driving force behind Pride Fest, Lavender Graduation, and Big Gay Brunch. Additionally, her commitment to supporting students during critical transitions is evident in her leadership of the Flack Mentoring Program. She also ensures that students' faith and beliefs are honored through her involvement with the Interfaith Center. Dom works hard to provide a culture of care within the SJICR office, allowing for students, faculty and staff to be their authentic selves.

For her unwavering dedication to creating a vibrant, inclusive and supportive campus community at Rowan, we honor Dominique Pierson as the August PROFessional of the Month.

July 2024

Donna Jones, Human Resources

 

Congratulations Donna Jones on being selected as the July PROFessional of the Month!

In her role in Human Resources on the Rowan-Virtua SOM Stratford campus, Donna goes above and beyond to maintain a helpful, patient and professional demeanor on a daily basis. She is always eager and ready to support her colleagues in finding the answers to their questions. Even if she is unable to help someone with their questions directly, Donna goes out of her way to find the best direction to point someone in to find the information they need. Everyone who works with Donna agrees that she’s always helpful and kind. 

For her commitment and dedication to supporting her colleagues, we honor Donna Jones as the July PROFessional of the Month. 

June 2024

Ian Martini, Information Resources & Technology

 

Congratulations Ian Martini on being selected as the June PROFessional of the Month!

Ian is an Audio-Visual Technician for Information Resources & Technology and is responsible for coordinating installation and maintenance of AV technologies across campus.

During commencement week, the Technology Services Group from IRT was tasked with helping to scan name cards and display the names of graduates as they walked across the stage. Ian took an active role in learning how to operate the software used for this process, and, in doing so, filled the role of an in-house expert in running the program.

Ian volunteered to help with every commencement ceremony throughout the entire week. Due to his participation in each ceremony, not only was Ian able to help demonstrate the software to others, but through his attentiveness and willingness to engage with other volunteers, he became a valuable resource regarding the general operations of the events. He was a stable and, by the end of the week, an experienced participant, and he managed to bring both professionalism and liveliness to the process each and every time. Additionally, in down time and in between ceremonies, he could be found interfacing with other volunteers and members of the commencement team in a manner that helped to bring cohesion and team-spiritedness to the event.

For his enthusiasm and service to the university community, we honor Ian Martini as the June PROFessional of the Month.

May 2024

Sarah Fobes, College of Science and Mathematics

 

Congratulations Sarah Fobes on being selected as the May PROFessional of the Month! 

Sarah serves as the Public Relations and Events Coordinator for the College of Science and Mathematics.

Sarah coordinated the college’s three commencement ceremonies held in one day. She also helped lead the University’s inaugural hooding ceremony and trained colleagues on the proper hooding technique. Sarah volunteered for the rest of the ceremonies during commencement week.

In addition to her commencement responsibilities, Sarah ​​managed two lectures for the Centennial Lecture Series, including a day-long visit from Nobel Laureate Dr. David MacMillan and a lecture by New York Times bestselling author, Dr. Doug Tallamy. No matter the occasion, Sarah goes above and beyond to ensure all guests have an enjoyable experience. With her positive spirit and warm smile, Sarah uniquely makes each person feel welcomed and valued.

A true team player, Sarah consistently delivers high-quality work and exceptional organization.

For her profound service to students, colleagues, and the university, we honor Sarah Fobes as the May PROFessional of the Month.

April 2024

Wellness Retreat Group

Congratulations Wellness Retreat Group on being selected as the April PROFessionals of the Month!

The Wellness Retreat Group provides time and space for students to connect with others and reflect on their lives. The group includes:

• Kathleen Huber (Campus Recreation)
• Lindsay Johnson (Wellness Center)
• Gabriel Aquino (Wellness Center)
• Revae Burton (Wellness Center)
• Richard Federman (School of Earth & Environment)
• Pamela Thompson (College of Science and Mathematics)
• Lynda Smith (Residential Learning and University Housing) 
• Christine Feil (Office of the Dean of Students)

Several years ago, Katie Huber and Lyndsay Johnson envisioned one-to-three-day wellness retreats as an opportunity for student engagement and reflection. As they planned the events, a team formed with representatives from different units across the university.

The most recent retreat was held during the first weekend of spring break in the Pine Barrens. Over forty Rowan students boarded the buses to spend the weekend in the woods experiencing camp activities like rock climbing and archery. The natural surroundings positively impact well-being by reducing cortisol levels, easing muscle tension, and boosting moods. One unique aspect of the retreat was the disconnect from technology, as the attendees turned off their phones to connect with fellow students and adults. Retreats like this improve students’ abilities to stay focused on their goals.

Katie and Lyndsay’s vision and the group’s collective efforts had a lasting impact on the attendees, who spoke of making positive connections and developing new friendships. In addition to the spring break retreat, they created retreats on the Glassboro campus with the same premise. 

For their profound service to students, colleagues, and the university, we honor the Wellness Retreat Group as the April PROFessional of the month.

March 2024

Christine Mazza, Office of the University Registrar

 

Congratulations Christine Mazza on being selected as the March PROFessional of the Month!

Christine serves as the Associate Registrar and leads the charge on countless University projects that benefit students, faculty, and staff.

Christine collaborates with nearly every academic and technical unit on campus. She is frequently called in as a subject matter expert by other offices, providing insightful and accurate data information. This allows these units to successfully implement their initiatives.

In the past month alone, Christine has worked to help at least six different academic departments reorganize, ensuring that all aspects of their data were updated properly and without incident. Doing this requires juggling multiple tasks at once, as a reorganization hits many different systems, with many different administrators. Christine brings them all together and does whatever is necessary to make sure each has exactly what they need to successfully complete the project.

Christine not only understands, but often innovates so that the processes can become more efficient and more thorough each time a new reorganization happens. Christine is a key piece in so many processes while remaining approachable, humble, and kind.

For her profound service to students, colleagues, and the university, we honor Christine Mazza as the March PROFessional of the Month.

February 2024

Crystal Kanavel, Rowan Family Medicine, Sewell

 

Congratulations Crystal Kanavel on being selected as the February PROFessional of the Month!

Crystal Kanavel is a Practice Supervisor at Rowan Family Medicine in Sewell. 

Unexpectedly, Crystal stepped in to serve the role of main scheduler and call center supervisor for six weeks. During this time, Crystal helped navigate internal department changes and provided support for the schedules of over 50 providers and residents. Crystal ensured the business of clinical care, education and research continued without interruption.

In addition to these responsibilities, Crystal volunteered as a clinical scheduler backup and attended training for the Virtua electronic medical record system, EPIC. This required her to learn an entirely new set of skills in the software, beyond her current role. Very quickly, Crystal demonstrated expert knowledge of the technical requirements, attention to detail, and problem-solving. 

Crystal exhibits incredible teamwork, provides quality customer service, and supports her colleagues. She holds fast to the training provided to her and communicates issues as they arise. 

For her profound service above and beyond her daily responsibilities, we honor Crystal Kanavel as the February PROFessional of the Month.

January 2024

Rebecca Whitman, Analytics, Systems & Applications, IRT

 

Congratulations to Rebecca Whitman on being selected as the January PROFessional of the Month!

Rebecca Whitman is a Senior Business Intelligence Analyst in IRT’s department of Analytics, Systems & Applications.

The federal government implemented a mandate called The Course Program of Study (CPOS), where all federally funded institutions must track and require students to take classes pertaining to their major and degree. Rebecca worked closely with the offices of the registrar and financial aid in processing and monitoring reports for CPOS. Building this program took two years to include necessary elements in Banner and Degree Works and ensure accuracy.

Rebecca's depth of knowledge of Banner and coding were critical in building custom processes and reports for CPOS. Working alongside the registrar and financial aid, Rebecca created an exceptional reporting mechanism that far exceeded expectations.

Rebecca constantly monitors the reports for discrepancies. She is willing to jump in when a problem arises, solving issues and completing upgrades per federal guidelines. Rebecca demonstrates teamwork by working cross departmentally daily.

For her profound service above and beyond her daily duties, we honor Rebecca Whitman as the January PROFessional of the Month.

December 2023

Maria Lepore-Stevens, Shari Willis, Andrew Havrisko, and Taylor Mullens

From left to right: Shari Willis, Maria Lepore-Stevens, Taylor Mullens, and Andrew Havrisko

Congratulations Maria Lepore-Stevens, Shari Willis, Andrew Havrisko, and Taylor Mullens on being selected as the December PROFessionals of the Month!

Maria Lepore-Stevens (College of Education) collaborated with Shari Willis (Department of Health & Exercise Science), Andrew Havrisko (Campus Recreation), and Taylor Mullens (Campus Recreation) to use the Rowan Recreation Center pool on November 10, 2023 to have visually impaired youth from Camp Abilities participate in recreational activities. Their pioneering efforts demonstrate the priority Rowan University places on bringing inclusive sports education to area youth.

Maria and Shari work together to continually advocate for accessibility and inclusion through recreation for area youth. The value they bring to this community supports this population’s health and well-being, but also brings joy to their families knowing that individuals are advocating on their behalf. Although the event collaboration included several important planning logistics including facility access, risk management, equipment reservation, and student staffing, the positive outcomes were worth the time and effort. 

Maria worked with Taylor and Andrew to host this space in the Student Recreation Center Pool. This event brought awareness and advocacy not only to the academic students that participated, but also to the campus recreation aquatics staff that supported and witnessed the event. The Campus Recreation department values words in the mission statement that emphasizes "a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment".

For their profound service to students and the community, we honor Maria Lepore-Stevens, Shari Willis, Andrew Havrisko, and Taylor Mullens as the December PROFessionals of the Month.