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#ThankAnNIUWoman spotlight continues to shine

March 31, 2016
Lucy Parker

Lucy Parker

The Gender & Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) is honoring NIU women in celebration of Women’s History Month.

Throughout the month of March, the GSRC is looking for stories of thanks – stories of how an NIU women influenced and empowered each personal, educational and professional development journey.

To nominate someone who deserves recognition, along with stories of thanks, send a photo and a short biography (no more than three sentences) to GSRC@niu.edu.

Lucy Parker

Lucy is a teacher, a student, and a graduate assistant in NIU’s Counselor Education and Supervision program. Through these roles, Lucy has gone above and beyond her expected duties to make everyone feel welcome by learning the names of numerous graduate students she interacts with and will regularly check-in with students to help foster their well-being and ensure that they feel supported in the program. Her warmth, authenticity, and genuine desire to help exudes in all of the roles she embodies on campus. Even with a full schedule, Lucy takes time out of her day to lead study groups for students and provides students with an empathetic and encouraging source of support. We are so lucky to have a woman like Lucy with us here at NIU and I am extremely thankful for all she does on campus.

– Audrey Wilson

Beth Towell

Beth Towell

Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Towell

Dr. Elizabeth (Beth) Towel, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs for the College of Business, has been an exemplary supervisor over the past 5+ years of my employment at NIU. She has been supportive in many ways, both personally and professionally. I have seen Beth encourage professional development of all her direct reports, and will do what she can to assist in bringing those options to fruition. She does not micro-manage, yet she maintains high expectations in quality of work. When life-changes occur on a personal level, she is someone a person can confide in and she will always offer her experience and expertise in an advisory manner. She has never diminished my professional role, and has in fact supported my decision to enlarge my role both at the college level, as well as the university level. She has challenged me to think outside of the box, yet instructs how to temper a vision with a dose of reality. She is a woman of her word who expects the same standard from her reports. She is a flexible supervisor who understands life and the challenges that come along with it. She is a woman who deserves recognition!

– Dr. Bill McCoy

Jill Zambito and Patti Gingrich

Jill Zambito and Patti Gingrich

A special thank you to two wonder women of NIU!

It is very nice to be working with young people and I look forward to coming to work each day! I would like to thank two Student Involvement and Leadership Development women, Jill Zambito and Patti Gingrich. These two women have encouraged me to reach for the next level of NIU employment opportunities. I started my NIU career as an Extra Help employee, but it was with their support and nurturing that I now work in a job I love as an Office Support Specialist.

– Sheree Carlson

 

‘An encouragement, a support and a light of faith’

I would like to thank several women on campus, each who have had an impact on my professional life and my interaction with students. These women have demonstrated what it is to be a professional, a student and a leader. They have been an encouragement, a support and a light of faith when I wanted to give up. They are committed to their work with students and other women on campus. They shine and remind us all that “they are phenomenal, phenomenal women.”  Thank you Drs. Katrina Caldwell, Janice Hamlet, Joy Coates, Suzanne Degges-White, Ms. Michelle Pickett, Ms. Monique Bernoudy, and the members of Sigma Gamma Rho, SISTERS, and Ebony Women. Thank you for all you do and for reminding us to “hold on.”

– Dr. LaVerne Gyant

Top row: Katrina Caldwell, Janice Hamlet, Joy Coates Bottom row: Suzanne Degges-White, Michelle Pickett, Monique Bernoudy

Top row: Katrina Caldwell, Janice Hamlet, Joy Coates
Bottom row: Suzanne Degges-White, Michelle Pickett, Monique Bernoudy