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Meet John Haas!

John is a sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky. John is new to the College of Arts & Sciences, and is a student office assistant in the Department of Chemistry.

John finds that working in the College of Arts & Sciences has been very useful for a career in accounting or finance. He has already gained some helpful insights regarding his own communications skills and has increased his knowledge and proficiency in using the Microsoft Office Suite of products.

Currently, John and one other student worker in the Chemistry Department are working on a project to help redo the classroom signs around the Chemistry-Physics building. He feels that he is an important part of the process and that their insight on what would be most helpful for the students will be taken into account and potentially implemented.

When he isn’t hard at work in Arts & Sciences, John is an avid sports fan and loves to attend UK football and basketball games. He also enjoys professional sports and follows the Green Bay Packers, Arsenal and Bayern Munich football clubs. John spends his free time either reading or being in nature, and enjoys fishing, canoeing, and exploring.

 

Welcome to A&S, John.

Meet Hillary McLean

 

I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. Following in the footsteps of my only sister, I attended North Central High School there. Once senior year came around, I was determined to be independent and deviate from my sister’s path by attending an out-of-state university. As I was researching schools in the surrounding areas, the University of Kentucky really stuck out to me. It was not until I visited campus, however, that I really felt as though I had found my place. Everyone was quite friendly to me, the campus looked great, and I loved Chandler Hospital – it has such a nice atmosphere! I have been here ever since. Upon my acceptance into UK, I declared biology as my major and decided to follow the pre-med track. I have remained on the pre-med track, but chose to switch my major to dietetics during my junior year. I hope to attend medical school after I graduate in 2017. 

 

Q: How long have you worked in A&S as a student employee?

A: I have been a part of A&S as a student employee for almost two years now.

Q:  What has been your most memorable experience as a student employee?

A: The most memorable experience that I have had so far is the process of developing relationships with UK faculty and staff. Whether it’s a simple greeting, an encouraging word, a means to learn and grow, a sympathetic ear for me to speak to, or even correction, they have truly made me feel as though I am valued, cared for, and appreciated. I thank God for my work family and count them as one large blessing. 

Q: What work product are you most proud of?

A: I am proud of every work product that has been completed within the past month or so – I could not possibly choose one! From making sure that a student can graduate on time to making important summer deadlines, the various tasks have simultaneously allowed me to both grow professionally and to serve others. What I am most proud of, however, is how so many people (from various departments within the college, including our own, of course) have rallied together to finish tasks during our time of transition.  Very little could have been completed without their help. For this reason, I am most proud of all the recent projects and everyone who has, so willingly, offered their assistance to finish them.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation, I plan on continuing my education as a medical student.

Q: Do you feel like your time in A&S prepared you for your career?

A: Skills gained from an office job do not immediately seem to have any applicability to healthcare (at least from a clinical perspective); however, I have learned to put irritation or hurt feelings aside so that the resolution of each person’s issue and their general wellbeing can be my number one priority. I believe that selflessness is the key to great service. For this reason, I do feel as though my time in A&S has greatly added to my preparation for issues that I will face as I continue to serve my community both in and out of the workplace.  

Savannah Tate -- An Outstanding Senior Student Employee

 

Earlier this year, A&S announced an award designed to honor 2 outstanding senior student employees each academic year. One of the winners of the 2014-2015 award was Savannah Tate. Savannah maintained a 3.82 cumulative GPA during her time as a student at UK. Before she even graduated, she was able to secure a full-time position working in the UK Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

We asked Savannah to share with us a few tidbits about her time as a student employee in A&S:

Q: How long have you worked in A&S as a student employee? 

A: I’ve worked with A&S as a student employee for three and a half years. 

Q: What has been your most memorable experience as a student employee? 

A: One of my most memorable experiences as a student worker was the realization that I could make a difference in the lives of others even in the few hours I spent at work per week. I realized that a smile, a kind word, and a helpful attitude can go a long way in brightening someone else’s day.

Q: What work product are you most proud of? 

A: Since my work was mostly service based, I am most proud of how many people I had the opportunity to help on a daily basis. It was so satisfying to be able to help stressed professors copy exams at the last minute or to  make sure an overwhelmed student finally found the answers he or she needed. 

Q: What are your plans after graduation? 

A: I have started a job in the Office of Undergraduate here at UK, and I plan to start enter a graduate program in the spring.

Q: Do you feel like your time in A&S prepared you for your career? 

A: Absolutely. Besides having the work experience to add to my resume, the professional and social skills I gained through my time in Biology were invaluable. I gained so much more confidence in my social ability, and the work experience really helped me identify what my strengths are. This enabled me to confidently convey to potential employers what I could offer to them.

Thank you, Savannah, for your years of service and assistance to the staff, faculty and students in A&S. We know you will continue to do great things at the University of Kentucky!

Senior Student Employee -- Chloe Keeling

 

Chloe Keeling, Senior Student Employee in Physics and Astronomy

Meet our featured senior student employee, Chloe Keeling. Chloe has been working in A&S for just over 18 months. She has worked that entire time in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, but recently added work with Dr. Rita Basuray to her resume.

When asked about her most memorable experiences while working in Physics and Astronomy, Chloe said that working during the summer was always fun. The Physics and Astronomy teams have weekly themes and one day a week they would all dress up in themed clothing to take pictures. 

One of the tasks that Chloe was asked to take on was the updating of the Physics and Astronomy bulletin boards right outside their front office. When Chloe came on board, the bulletin boards were...well..shabby. The paper had turned yellow from age and the photos were not current by any stretch. "Getting everything updated and looking shard was fun and challenging," said Chloe.

Chloe graduated from UK on May 9, 2015. She will be attending the University of Tennessee starting this Fall. She will be in a Physics Ph.D. program with a concentration in astrophysics and will also be a graduate teaching assistant. Chloe hopes to be able to teach introductory astronomy labs at UT.

Chloe shared that her student job in A&S has definitely taught her the do's and don't's of working with administration in higher education. She learned to have a greater appreciation for all the hard work the staff puts in to make the University run as smoothly as possible.

We thank Chloe for her hard work for A&S and wish her all the best as she pursues her Ph.D.

Outstanding Student Employees

Each year the University of Kentucky seeks nominations from managers of students across campus to find the most outstanding of our student employees. This year, they received 42 nominations from healthcare, colleges and central services. A&S student employees represented 13 of those 42 nominees. Below are all of our fabulous student employees that were nominated by their managers for consideration as the UK Student Employee of the Year:

  • Hillary McLean, Student Office Assistant, Political Science
  • Hannah Jeffries, Student Office Assistant, Physics & Astronomy
  • Spencer Dodge, Student Office Assistant, EES
  • Lori Johnson, Student Office Assistant, Chemistry
  • Josh Logue, Student Office Assistant, Chemistry
  • Kevin Haney, IT Support, Hive
  • Emily Welch, Student Office Assistant, Payroll
  • Brooke Kuerzi, Student Office Assistant, Front Office
  • Carlos Gutierrez, Student Office Assistant, Front Office/Project Management Office
  • Will Hieronymous, Designer, Hive
  • Corrinne Elliott, Chemisty Lab Assistant
  • Kyle Auger, Biochemistry Lab Assistant

On Thursday, April 16th, the students who were determined to be in the Top 10 list of nominees were invited to attend a Student Employee of the Year banquet. Students, their managers and several University officials were on-hand to acknowledge the many accomplishments of our student employees, campus-wide.

Five of the Top 10 were A&S Students. Brooke Kuerzi, Carlos Gutierrez, Will Hieronymous, Corrinne Elliott and Kyle Auger were recognized along with five students representing services across campus. Even though we didn't take home the grand prize, I felt honored to have such great representatives from A&S. If you see any of the students who were recognized with this honor, please share your congratulations for jobs well done!

Carlos Gutierrez, Megan Koshurba, Brooke Kuerzi and Stephanie MorrisBen Withers, PhD, Carlos Gutierrez, Catie LasleyBen Withers, PhD,Brooke Kuerzi, Catie LasleyBen Withers, PhD, Will Hieronymous, Catie LasleyBen Withers, PhD, Kyle Auger, Catie LasleyUK Student Employee of the Year Banquet

Building a Successful Student Employee Community

Finding talent, hiring talent and building a community of talent is something A&S prides itself on. We are the best place to work, and we have the best student employees! 

Our goal is simple; create an environment where students achieve professional experiences and involvement in strategic activities.

We want our students to not only gain a degree, but advance with marketable years of experience and knowledge in the increasingly competitive job market. We are proactively setting the foundation of student professionalism by partnering with UK HR Training and hosting professional development opportunities such as Business Etiquette 101.

What I am most excited about is the community we are building. Our student employees are able to share in experiences with the other A&S student employees. We are breaking down the silos and creating a collective and communal environment. Of the over 100 student employees who have participated in these sessions, the feedback was overwhelming as they enjoyed listening to and sharing experiences with their new-found community. Learning to network, work as a team, and see how we each together support our mission of enabling the best work of our faculty and students, are just a few of the takeaways from this newly established community!   

United Way Mid-Campaign Update October 15, 2014

The A&S United Way campaign GOAL for 2014 is $30,000. We started the campaign with the $115 donation from the Chili Cook-Off. As on Monday, October 10, A&S Faculty and Staff have donated $2,674.96, which is just 8.9% of our goal.

Payroll deduction is the preferred method of giving. A tutorial on how to accomplish this in MyUK can be found here. Please note that in order for you to continue an existing Payroll deduction contribution, YOU MUST go into MyUK and authorize the donation for the 2015 calendar year. Existing contributions do not roll over from one year to the next.

If you prefer to make a one-time cash or check donation, please reach out to me and I will bring you a donation form to fill out. 

Please make plans now to participate in our Fall Potluck on Friday, October 31. You can RSVP at this link. If you would like to dress in costume and compete in the Halloween Costume Contest, participants are asked to pay a $2 entry fee which will be donated to United Way of the Bluegrass. 

If you have questions about agencies supported by United Way of the Bluegrass, please take a look at this link on the uwbg.org website.

 

2014 United Way Campaign Update October 1, 2014

The preferred method of donating during the UK United Way of the Bluegrass Campaign for 2014 is payroll deduction. It is so simple and allows you to designate your funds to a specific agency. All donations that do not have a designation request will go into the general funds category and will be used for the most pressing needs in our community. 

If you need a tutorial on how to complete the payroll deduction, please visit the link here

 

As the official start of the UK United Way Campaign is set to begin on October 1 and run through October 31, I wanted to share with you a brief update on how we are doing so far.

Since the beginning of September, several areas are collecting "Change for Change." I am purposely not counting these funds until the campaign ends with hopes that more contributions will come in via this method of giving to the United Way.

In addition to the "Change for Change" program, we also held our first-ever Chili/Soup Cookoff as a kickoff to our United Way campaign.

Thank you to the following people for their contribution to the Cookoff:

Meaty Chili with Spaghetti -- George White

Bean Soup -- Beverly Clayborne

Vegeterian Chili -- Stephanie Morris

Corn/Potato Chowder -- Kari Burchfield

Beef and Pork Chili -- Stephanie Morris

Cornbread -- Lori Eckdahl

Cheesecake Squares -- Angela Traugott

Brownies -- Katie Barrett

Fudge -- Christine Levitt

The goal for this United Way Kickoff Event was $50. I am pleased to report that we raised $115 in donations for this event.

Thanks to all who participated! It was a ton of fun and the food was great! Stay tuned for more updates on fundraising and additional opportunities for staff to get involved in the United Way campaign.

2014 United Way Campaign Update

As we get ready to kick off the 2014 United Way campaign at UK, I would like to share with you information about upcoming opportunities to participate either by monetary or community service gifts.

First of all, on Tuesday, September 23, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m., in Conference Room 318 in POT, we will kick off our Brown Bag sessions for the Fall. The first topic will be United Way and we are raising awareness and funds by hosting a Chili/Soup Cook Off. To participate, please plan to donate $2 to get samplings of soups, chili and deserts prepared by your co-workers. If you are interested in participating, please RSVP here and let us know if you will be bringing your special recipes for chili, soup or a desert. It should be a fun and informative session.

Secondly, there are many opportunities for us to donate our time to help various causes in our local community. If you are interested in participating in community service projects, please let us know by completing this form. We will communicate directly with those who express interest when opportunities are presented to us through United Way of the Bluegrass.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the A&S role in UK’s United Way Campaign, just let me know.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of so many right here in Lexington and the surrounding communities.

Five Things You Didn't Know About Stephanie Morris

I was born and raised in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. When I graduated from high school, I came to Lexington to attend UK and I have made it my home. 
 
1. What do you do in your spare time?  Spare time? What's that? When I leave work, my job of Mom to 4 just begins. I have a 20 year-old, Junior at UK; a 19 year-old Sophomore at EKU; a 16 year-old high school Junior at Henry Clay High School; and last, but certainly not least, an 8 year-old 4th grader at Dixie Elementary. My daughter is into drama and attends a program at UK called ACE (Academy for Creative Excellence). My 16 year-old plays baseball and we have followed him all over the state and region watching him play ball. My husband and I also love to travel with our children and his parents. We have been all over the world together. We've made some amazing memories from the jungles of Belize to the mountains of Hawaii and have traveled the waters all over the Caribbean.
 
2. What is your favorite movie or book? My favorite book is The Shack by William Paul Young. I read it at a time in my life when our family was going through a situation that tested us to our limits. There is always someone with bigger problems than ours and we need to remember to count our blessings every day.
 
3. What is the most interesting/your favorite place you’ve been?  That's a really tough one. I think ziplining through the jungle in Honduras was one of the highlights of our family adventures. We also enjoyed visiting a monkey sanctuary in Belize when my boys were all young. That was pretty cool to watch the kids interract with their favorite animals in the wild.
 
4. What is one ambition or goal you have for the next year?  Wow! It is hard for me to narrow down to just one. One area that I want to really focus on is helping our student employees to become more engaged in the strategic projects of A&S. We've had a good year with several small projects that were student initiated and executed with supervision. It is so amazing for me to see the twinkle in a student's eyes when they get to carry something to fruition that they envisioned. I hope to continue supporting those types of experiential learning opportunities.
 
5. What is your favorite food?  Coconut cream pie is my all-time favorite food. It has to be homemade, though! It is not worth the calories to me if it is not from scratch!