On Wednesday, March 28, five UNC Charlotte staff members were honored with the 2018 Employee of the Year award and 350 employees were honored for achieving five-year anniversaries of service with the state of North Carolina. The recognition took place during a dessert reception in the Popp Martin Student Union.
“This is the time of year when we like to say thank you for your time and commitment that makes UNC Charlotte strong – and it’s getting stronger every day,” said Chancellor Philip L. Dubois during opening remarks.
Each Employee of the Year was recognized in one of five categories: devotion to duty, innovation, community and public service, safety and heroism, or outstanding human relations.
Hailed as a tireless advocate for sharing the University’s story with the public both in times of celebration and crisis, Denise “Buffie” Stephens, director of issues management and external relations, was recognized for her devotion to duty. Stephens plays a role in nearly every one of the hundreds of news stories the community sees, hears or reads about the University each year, according to her supervisor Stephen Ward, executive director of University Communications. “Few people, if any, work harder behind the scenes to affect public awareness and perception of our institution,” wrote Ward in her nomination packet. Stephens was lauded for her commitment to collaborating with partners across campus not only to ensure media placements but to help manage issues when they arise. In 2017 alone, she is credited with managing 25 multi-week, multi-divisional issues that drew local, regional and national attention. “Buffie’s service approach to her work is a reflection of the kind of person she is,” added Ward. “Her devotion … results from the fact that she is an alumna of UNC Charlotte, who has watched the University grow and come of age with unwavering loyalty.”
Lisa Meckley, director of enrollment communications, was honored for innovation in how the University communicates with prospective and current students. Meckley led the charge to redesign the student My UNC Charlotte portal, with a focus on streamlining information about enrollment, financial aid, registration/records and student accounts. "By changing the student portal from a page of generic hyperlinks to the new, personalized [space] … My UNC Charlotte helps student efficiently find relevant information that impacts their education experiences from admission through graduation,” wrote Kayla Picca, enrollment communications assistant. Meckley also helped improve student service through the implementation of Normbot, an automated responder on the financial aid website. Through a knowledge base of financial aid information, Normbot offers students immediate, chat-style answers to their questions. If the answer isn’t in the knowledge base, students are connected with a financial aid counselor for further assistance. Since its implementation in April 2017, more than 8,400 unique users have taken advantage of this new communication tool. “She has literally transformed the way we communicate with students, and our message to students is much more innovative and cohesive under Lisa’s leadership,” wrote Tina McEntire, associate provost for enrollment management.
Some call her “the vault” for her institutional knowledge. Others say she puts the “human” in human relations. Everyone quoted in her nomination packet, however, is clear that making people feel valued is top among the many reasons Dawn Tench, faculty personnel manager for academic affairs, was worthy of recognition in the human relations category. In her current position, Tench oversees actions for more than 1,750 full- and part-time faculty. This includes the processes for annual reappointments, promotions and tenures; raises and off-cycle increase requests; and administrator appointments. Her knowledge, responsiveness and good humor are appreciated by those with whom she interacts. “I can honestly say that I have never experienced so comprehensively the quality level of HR-related support that Dawn provides to me as a dean and those who work in service to our dynamic college,” said Nancy Fey-Yensan, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “Always a source of calm in the middles of complex hiring storms, Dawn listens to understand and works … to the very best possible conclusion.”
Jordan Harris, associate director of community relations, is someone who not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk when it comes to community service. Since Harris’s arrival at the University in 2012, she has been dedicated to creating opportunities for employees to give back through activities associated with Giving Green and National Volunteer Week. Last spring, based on feedback for the desire to have on-campus service opportunities, Harris spearheaded UNC Charlotte’s Day of Service. More than 145 employees participated in the inaugural event, assembling 3,600 sandwiches, 1,000 food backpacks and 1,500 toiletry kits to help others in the Charlotte area. Harris also models service in her personal life. She was recently recruited for a board internship with the McCrorey YMCA and serves as a Heart Math tutor for two students at Nathaniel Alexander Elementary School. “Jordan Harris is the epitome of what it means to be engaged in the community,” wrote her supervisor Jeanette Sims, senior director of community relations and university events. “She has not only envisioned, designed and implemented high-impact community service projects here at UNC Charlotte … she has also modeled the way through her investment of personal energy and time in two important community organizations … that impact the community’s work on economic mobility and opportunity.”
“I was just doing my job.” That is how Virginia Fuentes responds when asked about the events of July 9, 2017. For others on campus, Fuentes, a vehicle operator for PaTS, is a hero. On that Sunday afternoon, Fuentes was training another driver on the University’s Niner Paratransit service. As they made their way down Mary Alexander Road, the police vehicle in front of them suddenly veered to the left, crossed into oncoming traffic and eventually stopped after hitting a hillside. Fuentes directed her trainee to pull over and call 911, while she radioed campus police and ran to assist the officer. She remained with the officer, who was breathing and unresponsive, until medics arrived. The officer eventually recovered and was able to return to duty. The UNC Charlotte Police and Public Safety Department recognized Fuentes for her efforts with a certificate of appreciation during an October meeting. “Virginia’s ability to keep calm and act quickly allowed the officer to receive much needed medical attention within minutes of the accident,” wrote her supervisor Doug Lape, director of parking and transportation services. “49er Nation is truly better with Virginia as part of our family.”
This year’s Employee of the Year recipients were among 26 nominated by colleagues and supervisors for the award. A committee led by Human Resources and comprising representatives from across campus selected the winners.
Among the employees honored for five-year milestone anniversaries, three individuals were recognized for 35 years of service. They were Jim Hoppa, senior associate vice chancellor for student affairs; Tami Kuhn, business/technology applications specialist in ITS; and Christopher Shores, Zone 5 technician for facilities management.
A special midnight appreciation event was held Tuesday, March 27, for the University’s third-shift employees.
Photo: Employee of the Year recipients, left to right, Buffie Stephens, Lisa Meckley, Dawn Tench, Jordan Harris and Virginia Fuentes with Chancellor Dubois.