-
This edition of our Division newsletter is dedicated to the
winners of the Pillars of Excellence Awards. These awards are
always extremely competitive because we have the best staff
representing Enrollment & Academic Services.
The awards ceremony was held November 5 in conjunction with our
Develop & Thrive workshop. If you missed the livestream of the
event, you can find a link to view the encore presentation at
http://academicservices.tamu.edu/EASPDC/Resources.
While we celebrate our Pillars Award winners, let me also
acknowledge and thank each of you for exhibiting the Enrollment
& Academic Services pillar values of Excellence, Service,
Adaptability, Integrity, Innovation and Diversity. The
extraordinary efforts that have been displayed by our staff as we
pivoted in March due to the pandemic and how you continue to adapt
and use ingenuity and creativity to serve students and do the work
of our division in these challenging times is inspirational.
This year continues to throw challenges our way, but in this
season of Thanksgiving, I reflect and give thanks for so many
things including our staff, the Aggie family and Texas A&M
University.
Happy Thanksgiving and gig’em!
Joseph P. Pettibon IIVice President for Enrollment &
Academic Services
Howdy!November 2020
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
26-27Thanksgiving Holiday
November 2020
Martin Luther King Jr. Day18
January 2021
First Day of Spring 2021 Classes19
Faculty & Staff Early Release22
Graduation Ceremonies
Graduation Ceremonies
Final Exams
December 2020
Winter Break23-1
1-9
9-11
17-18
Faculty & Staff Early Release22
March 2021Spring Break19
http://academicservices.tamu.edu/EASPDC/Resources
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
2020 Award Categories
Individual Staff Award – Recognizes employees with two or more
years of service for outstanding performance that exemplifies the
division’s pillar values of excellence, service, adaptability,
integrity, innovation and diversity.
New Staff Award – Recognizes new staff members with less than
two years of service for outstanding performance that exemplifies
the division’s pillar values of excellence, service, adaptability,
integrity, innovation and diversity.
Respect & Diversity Award – Recognizes a staff member who
welcomes, includes, and demonstrates respect for individuals from
all groups, including the various characteristics of persons in our
community. The award will recognize the effort of staff members to
incorporate diversity and inclusion in academic and institutional
excellence while highlighting efforts to provide an inclusive
campus climate and equity across the university while resisting
racism, bias, and discrimination.
Innovation Award – Recognizes a staff member at any level in the
Division of Enrollment & Academic Services for ideas that
result in new initiatives, better customer service or other
improvements or efficiencies in existing processes within the
Division to help us reach our strategic priorities.
Visionary Award – Recognizes an administrator (Director Level
and above) for visionary leadership and demonstrated success in
advancing the mission of the division.
Team Award – Recognizes a team for commitment to excellence
through outstanding customer service, leadership, initiative, and
responsible stewardship. Ideally, a team should be a group of
individuals who collaborated to accomplish a unique task, created a
new process, or displayed exceptional teamwork for the betterment
of Texas A&M University.
Congratulations to the 2020 Pillars of Excellence Award
winners!
Pillars of Excellence Awards Presented at 2020 Develop &
ThriveThe Pillars of Excellence Awards recognize and reward staff
for their commendable service to the Division of Enrollment &
Academic Services and Texas A&M University.
The 2020 Develop & Thrive Fall Workshop took place November
5 at the Hildebrand Equine Complex with a livestream hosted by
KAMU. The event featured the Pillars of Excellence Awards ceremony,
and Shayla Rivera provided a keynote address. Nora Cargo, Director
of Student Financial Assistance, served as the event emcee.
Visit http://academicservices.tamu.edu/EASPDC/Resources for
links to the event videos.
Each individual award recipient receives a $500 award and a
commemorative plaque. The members of the winning teams each receive
an award of $200 and a commemorative plaque.
The following are the 2020 Awards including the new award
categories for 2020:
Shayla RiveraNora Cargo, Joe Pettibon and Yecenia Rojas
http://academicservices.tamu.edu/EASPDC/Resources
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Marcus Cooper, Admissions – Individual Staff Award
Marcus Cooper graduated from Texas State University in 2001 with
a degree in Communications. That same year, he began his higher
education career at Texas Lutheran University. In 2005, he joined
Texas A&M University, where he is currently the Director of
Strategic Partnerships within the Office of Admissions. His role
includes managing the Advise TX Program, which he helped start in
2011. The program hires and trains recent Texas A&M University
graduates to work as College Advisers in predominantly inner-city
high schools across Texas. He is responsible for building and
maintaining relationships with state agencies and grant foundations
to help foster scholarship resources for current A&M students.
In addition, Marcus oversees the Brazos Valley recruitment team’s
efforts.
Marcus says the thing he enjoys most about his job is: Each day
I am blessed with a job that allows me to be a lifeline and a
support system for the staff that I work with. In addition, I get
to see those staff members inspire and educate high school students
from across the state. Their work ethic and passion help make their
students’ dream of attending college a reality. I feel very
fortunate to be able to be in a position that is both challenging
and rewarding.
Marcus is married to Julie, who has been teaching elementary
school for 19 years. Marcus and Julie are the proud parents of
Addison, their 13-year-old daughter, who keeps them busy with
soccer, cheerleading and cross country.
Marcus’ favorite Aggie tradition is the Big Event. He says it’s
the core values that make Texas A&M University such a unique
place. The fact that this tradition, which started back in 1982
with only six students, now has 110 other institutions who have
adopted this event, shows the impact our students are making across
the country.
Marco Cortez, Data and Research Services – Individual Staff
Award
Marco Cortez is a Lead Data Analyst for Data & Research
Services. He’s been with Texas A&M University for more than six
years. In 2003, Marco graduated from the University of Texas Pan
American with a bachelors in computer science. He uses his
programming and analytical skills to develop solutions in data
reporting and help resolve data reporting issues.
Prior to joining the staff at Texas A&M, he worked in the
private sector for seven years. He describes starting his job at
Texas A&M as an unexpected breath of fresh air, and he says it
remains extremely fulfilling to this day.
“The people that I work with on a daily basis are absolutely
wonderful and help make the job that much more satisfying,” Marco
said.
His favorite part of the job is solving problems – whether it’s
fixing issues or developing new solutions for unique requests.
His nominator wrote, “Adaptability defines Marco’s career at
Texas A&M. When he started, he had never worked with the
Tableau software. He quickly became the go-to person in DARS for
Tableau. As a reporting unit, DARS can be faced with tight
deadlines and the stress can be high. Marco takes all of this in
stride, staying calm, ready to meet the challenge. Anticipating the
need for greater efficiency, he developed techniques for handling
data that make the job of updating dashboards more efficient, by
virtualizing the view of the data and allowing the data to refresh
without the need for modifying the dashboard.”
Marco lives for his family, which includes his beautiful wife
and two sons. In his free time, Marco enjoys traveling, hiking,
tennis, basketball and family board games.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Marcus Cooper, Admissions – Individual Staff Award
Marcus Cooper graduated from Texas State University in 2001 with
a degree in Communications. That same year, he began his higher
education career at Texas Lutheran University. In 2005, he joined
Texas A&M University, where he is currently the Director of
Strategic Partnerships within the Office of Admissions. His role
includes managing the Advise TX Program, which he helped start in
2011. The program hires and trains recent Texas A&M University
graduates to work as College Advisers in predominantly inner-city
high schools across Texas. He is responsible for building and
maintaining relationships with state agencies and grant foundations
to help foster scholarship resources for current A&M students.
In addition, Marcus oversees the Brazos Valley recruitment team’s
efforts.
Marcus says the thing he enjoys most about his job is: Each day
I am blessed with a job that allows me to be a lifeline and a
support system for the staff that I work with. In addition, I get
to see those staff members inspire and educate high school students
from across the state. Their work ethic and passion help make their
students’ dream of attending college a reality. I feel very
fortunate to be able to be in a position that is both challenging
and rewarding.
Marcus Cooper
Marcus is married to Julie, who has been teaching elementary
school for 19 years. Marcus and Julie are the proud parents of
Addison, their 13-year-old daughter, who keeps them busy with
soccer, cheerleading and cross country.
Marcus’ favorite Aggie tradition is the Big Event. He says it’s
the core values that make Texas A&M University such a unique
place. The fact that this tradition, which started back in 1982
with only six students, now has 110 other institutions who have
adopted this event, shows the impact our students are making across
the country.
Marco Cortez, Data and Research Services – Individual Staff
Award
Marco Cortez is a Lead Data Analyst for Data & Research
Services. He’s been with Texas A&M University for more than six
years. In 2003, Marco graduated from the University of Texas Pan
American with a bachelors in computer science. He uses his
programming and analytical skills to develop solutions in data
reporting and help resolve data reporting issues.
Prior to joining the staff at Texas A&M, he worked in the
private sector for seven years. He describes starting his job at
Texas A&M as an unexpected breath of fresh air, and he says it
remains extremely fulfilling to this day.
“The people that I work with on a daily basis are absolutely
wonderful and help make the job that much more satisfying,” Marco
said.
Marco Cortez
His favorite part of the job is solving problems – whether it’s
fixing issues or developing new solutions for unique requests.
His nominator wrote, “Adaptability defines Marco’s career at
Texas A&M. When he started, he had never worked with the
Tableau software. He quickly became the go-to person in DARS for
Tableau. As a reporting unit, DARS can be faced with tight
deadlines and the stress can be high. Marco takes all of this in
stride, staying calm, ready to meet the challenge. Anticipating the
need for greater efficiency, he developed techniques for handling
data that make the job of updating dashboards more efficient, by
virtualizing the view of the data and allowing the data to refresh
without the need for modifying the dashboard.”
Marco lives for his family, which includes his beautiful wife
and two sons. In his free time, Marco enjoys traveling, hiking,
tennis, basketball and family board games.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Darl Jones, Academic Affairs Business Services – Individual
Staff Award Darl J. Jones is a Business Administrator I for
Academic Affairs Business Services and has worked for Texas A&M
for more than 13 years.
Her nominator wrote: Darl’s experience in accounts payable and
reconciliations allowed her to quickly excel through many titles in
Academic Affairs Business Services. Darl oversees the
reconciliation process for all 800-plus operating accounts each
month, and under her leadership, the team has met or exceeded their
deadlines for more than two years. This is just one example of
Darl’s relentless commitment to excellence and service. Darl and
her husband, Dan Jones, have been married for 33 years. They met at
Continental Airlines when she was a flight attendant and he was a
pilot. They have two sons, Kobie and Caleb. While her sons were
growing up, Darl describes herself as blessed to be a stay-at-home
mom. After her eldest son got his driver’s license, Darl mentioned
to a friend, who worked in Admissions Processing, her desire to
return to the workforce. A temporary / part-time position was
available assisting with handling application fees from August
through February. Before the end of the “temporary” job, a
full-time position in the Office of Admissions became
available, and Darl accepted the offer. A member of the
inaugural AABS team, she has worked for the department for 10
years. Darl describes her work experience as comparable to having a
13-year degree from A&M – starting with the basics and getting
to where she is now. Silver Taps is Darl’s most meaningful Aggie
tradition. She added, “Although it is a somber ceremony, it is a
time to give honor and remember those Aggies that have passed and
to celebrate their lives and accomplishments. It is a reminder of
how fragile life can be and that we should always strive to be the
people God created us to be.” Donna Lovell, Academic Affairs
Business Services – Individual Staff Award Donna Lovell has worked
at Texas A&M University for 25 years, and currently serves as a
Business Administrator/Strategic Partner for Academic Affairs
Business Services. She previously worked for Sterling C. Evans
Library and Payroll Services. Donna graduated from Brazos Business
College with a certification in Business Administration, and worked
several years in retail management before coming to work at Texas
A&M University. Her nominator said, “Her ability to see the big
picture makes a positive impact, and she is a leader and strategic
partner in AABS. Donna’s smile and positive, professional attitude
bring an energy to our office that is hard to miss.”
Donna and her husband, Matt, have two daughters, Amanda and
Christina; two sons, Dustin and Vance; four very active and happy
grandchildren, Mason, Carter, Channing and Isabella; and three
pets, D’Artagnan, Mikey Rowe, and Kiana. She loves spending time
with her grandchildren, gardening, crafting a wide variety of
“stuff” and traveling. Donna’s favorite Aggie tradition is The Big
Event because students volunteering to complete service projects
promotes unity with the surrounding communities and illustrates the
Aggie core value of selfless service. Her favorite parts of the job
are the people and customer service. She says there is nothing more
fulfilling than knowing you have helped to make someone’s day a
little brighter and their job a little easier.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Darl Jones, Academic Affairs Business Services – Individual
Staff Award
Darl J. Jones is a Business Administrator I for Academic Affairs
Business Services and has worked for Texas A&M for more than 13
years.
Her nominator wrote: Darl’s experience in accounts payable and
reconciliations allowed her to quickly excel through many titles in
Academic Affairs Business Services. Darl oversees the
reconciliation process for all 800-plus operating accounts each
month, and under her leadership, the team has met or exceeded their
deadlines for more than two years. This is just one example of
Darl’s relentless commitment to excellence and service.
Darl Jones
Darl and her husband, Dan Jones, have been married for 33 years.
They met at Continental Airlines when she was a flight attendant
and he was a pilot. They have two sons, Kobie and Caleb.
While her sons were growing up, Darl describes herself as
blessed to be a stay-at-home mom. After her eldest son got his
driver’s license, Darl mentioned to a friend, who worked in
Admissions Processing, her desire to return to the workforce. A
temporary / part-time position was available assisting with
handling application fees from August through February. Before the
end of the “temporary” job, a full-time position in the Office of
Admissions became available, and Darl accepted the offer.
A member of the inaugural AABS team, she has worked for the
department for 10 years. Darl describes her work experience as
comparable to having a 13-year degree from A&M – starting with
the basics and getting to where she is now.
Silver Taps is Darl’s most meaningful Aggie tradition. She
added, “Although it is a somber ceremony, it is a time to give
honor and remember those Aggies that have passed and to celebrate
their lives and accomplishments. It is a reminder of how fragile
life can be and that we should always strive to be the people God
created us to be.”
Donna Lovell, Academic Affairs Business Services – Individual
Staff Award
Donna Lovell has worked at Texas A&M University for 25
years, and currently serves as a Business Administrator/Strategic
Partner for Academic Affairs Business Services. She previously
worked for Sterling C. Evans Library and Payroll Services. Donna
graduated from Brazos Business College with a certification in
Business Administration, and worked several years in retail
management before coming to work at Texas A&M University.
Her nominator said, “Her ability to see the big picture makes a
positive impact, and she is a leader and strategic partner in AABS.
Donna’s smile and positive, professional attitude bring an energy
to our office that is hard to miss.”
Donna Lovell
Donna and her husband, Matt, have two daughters, Amanda and
Christina; two sons, Dustin and Vance; four very active and happy
grandchildren, Mason, Carter, Channing and Isabella; and three
pets, D’Artagnan, Mikey Rowe, and Kiana. She loves spending time
with her grandchildren, gardening, crafting a wide variety of
“stuff” and traveling.
Donna’s favorite Aggie tradition is The Big Event because
students volunteering to complete service projects promotes unity
with the surrounding communities and illustrates the Aggie core
value of selfless service.
Her favorite parts of the job are the people and customer
service. She says there is nothing more fulfilling than knowing you
have helped to make someone’s day a little brighter and their job a
little easier.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Sean Shields, Provost IT Office – Individual Staff Award Sean
Shields works for the Provost IT Office on the Web C-M-S team as an
I-T Manager Four. He has worked in the field of information
technology for 24 years and began his career at Texas A&M
University in the Office of Admissions and Records IT department 16
years ago. Prior to joining Texas A&M University, Sean worked
in related IT positions in the corporate and military sectors and
served for nine years in the Texas Army National Guard. Sean holds
a bachelor’s of science degree in information technology, is a
certified Project Management Professional, and holds additional
certifications in I-T-I-L-v-3 Foundations and as a Microsoft
Certified Systems Engineer. Sean’s nominator wrote, “Over the past
four years, Sean has led a small team ranging from two to five
staff members that have developed, migrated, redesigned, and
maintained more than 120 websites for offices within the Division
of Academic Affairs. These websites facilitate daily operations by
streamlining the content management process. Increasingly, PITO
clients rely heavily on our skills and services to be able to do
their work.” Sean has made significant contributions to Texas
A&M University by creating functional, high-performing
websites. His work on the Academic Success Center’s website
redesign helped them earn national recognition. The ASC placed
second in the National College Learning Centers Association’s 2020
Website Excellence Award competition. Sean is supported by his
lovely wife Adrienne, and three daughters, Addison, Taryn and
Brynn. In his spare time, he plays the guitar and builds, flies,
and crashes drones. Then rebuilds them again. The 12th Man is
Sean’s favorite Aggie tradition because he says it represents what
he feels all A&M staff share – a sincere willingness to suit
up, step forward, and be ready to serve when needed. Taking the
ideas of clients and coming up with ways to leverage technology and
bring them to life is his favorite part of his job. Joel H. Solis,
Admissions– Individual Staff Award Joel Solis serves as a Senior
Regional Advisor at the Texas A&M University Rio Grande Valley
Prospective Student Center and has worked for the Office of
Admissions for 19 years. His nominator wrote, “Joel was one of the
individuals responsible for the inception of the Rio Grande Valley
Prospective Student Center in 2004, and has created many pipelines,
including holding officer positions in the local Aggie Club and
building relationships with counselors and administrators in the
Rio Grande Valley. He has helped THOUSANDS of students from diverse
backgrounds become Aggies and is still visited by his former
students and recruits.” Joel and his wife of 25 years are active
with their two boys. Joel serves as Committee Chair of Boy Scout
Troop 84 in Mission, Texas, and also serves as Treasurer of
Suzannah Smiles and sits on the planning committee of the Spina
Bifida 250. Joel is a proud member of the Fighting Texas Aggie
Class of 2001 but he is most proud of his sons, Diego, who is a
Life Scout working toward his Eagle Rank, and Adrian, who is a
First Class Scout. Joel’s favorite Aggie Tradition is Muster, and
he says, “Aggie Muster is probably the primary reason I chose Texas
A&M University. It exemplifies the Aggie Spirit better than any
other of the Aggie traditions by ensuring the Former Student is
never, ever forgotten. Once an Aggie, always an Aggie. Even though
an Aggie may leave this world, their Aggie spirit lives on forever.
As a first-generation college student, Joel says being an
admissions counselor has been a precious gift. A gift that has
allowed him to make a difference in more than 3,000 student lives
and their families. A few of them starting their own Aggie
tradition. By making an impact in students’ future from the Rio
Grande Valley, he feels his career is rewarding. Being able to
guide and influence others to follow a path less traveled and
opening the possibility of a brighter tomorrow is his contribution
and his way of giving back to his community.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Sean Shields, Provost IT Office – Individual Staff Award
Sean Shields works for the Provost IT Office on the Web C-M-S
team as an I-T Manager Four. He has worked in the field of
information technology for 24 years and began his career at Texas
A&M University in the Office of Admissions and Records IT
department 16 years ago. Prior to joining Texas A&M University,
Sean worked in related IT positions in the corporate and military
sectors and served for nine years in the Texas Army National Guard.
Sean holds a bachelor’s of science degree in information
technology, is a certified Project Management Professional, and
holds additional certifications in I-T-I-L-v-3 Foundations and as a
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer.
Sean’s nominator wrote, “Over the past four years, Sean has led
a small team ranging from two to five staff members that have
developed, migrated, redesigned, and maintained more than 120
websites for offices within the Division of Academic Affairs. These
websites facilitate daily operations by streamlining the content
management process. Increasingly, PITO clients rely heavily on our
skills and services to be able to do their work.”
Sean Shields
Sean has made significant contributions to Texas A&M
University by creating functional, high-performing websites. His
work on the Academic Success Center’s website redesign helped them
earn national recognition. The ASC placed second in the National
College Learning Centers Association’s 2020 Website Excellence
Award competition.
Sean is supported by his lovely wife Adrienne, and three
daughters, Addison, Taryn and Brynn. In his spare time, he plays
the guitar and builds, flies, and crashes drones. Then rebuilds
them again.
The 12th Man is Sean’s favorite Aggie tradition because he says
it represents what he feels all A&M staff share – a sincere
willingness to suit up, step forward, and be ready to serve when
needed.
Taking the ideas of clients and coming up with ways to leverage
technology and bring them to life is his favorite part of his
job.
Joel H. Solis, Admissions– Individual Staff Award
Joel Solis serves as a Senior Regional Advisor at the Texas
A&M University Rio Grande Valley Prospective Student Center and
has worked for the Office of Admissions for 19 years.
His nominator wrote, “Joel was one of the individuals
responsible for the inception of the Rio Grande Valley Prospective
Student Center in 2004, and has created many pipelines, including
holding officer positions in the local Aggie Club and building
relationships with counselors and administrators in the Rio Grande
Valley. He has helped THOUSANDS of students from diverse
backgrounds become Aggies and is still visited by his former
students and recruits.”
Joel H. Solis
Joel and his wife of 25 years are active with their two boys.
Joel serves as Committee Chair of Boy Scout Troop 84 in Mission,
Texas, and also serves as Treasurer of Suzannah Smiles and sits on
the planning committee of the Spina Bifida 250. Joel is a proud
member of the Fighting Texas Aggie Class of 2001 but he is most
proud of his sons, Diego, who is a Life Scout working toward his
Eagle Rank, and Adrian, who is a First Class Scout.
Joel’s favorite Aggie Tradition is Muster, and he says, “Aggie
Muster is probably the primary reason I chose Texas A&M
University. It exemplifies the Aggie Spirit better than any other
of the Aggie traditions by ensuring the Former Student is never,
ever forgotten. Once an Aggie, always an Aggie. Even though an
Aggie may leave this world, their Aggie spirit lives on
forever.
As a first-generation college student, Joel says being an
admissions counselor has been a precious gift. A gift that has
allowed him to make a difference in more than 3,000 student lives
and their families. A few of them starting their own Aggie
tradition. By making an impact in students’ future from the Rio
Grande Valley, he feels his career is rewarding. Being able to
guide and influence others to follow a path less traveled and
opening the possibility of a brighter tomorrow is his contribution
and his way of giving back to his community.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Jerica Douglas, Scholarship and Financial Aid – New Staff Award
Jerica Douglas is a Financial Aid Advisor in the department of
Scholarships and Financial Aid. She started as a temp in this role
in June 2019 and became a full-time staff member in September 2019.
In 2016, she graduated with a master’s in communications from
Southern New Hampshire University. A Mississippi Gulf Coast native,
she completed her undergrad work at the University of Southern
Mississippi.
Jerica’s nominator wrote: She consistently is seeking to perform
all of her duties with excellence. She reviews new FAFSA
transactions in a timely and accurate manner. To provide context as
to how substantial her improvements have been in this area of the
office, before she came on board, it typically took two to three
business days for a new ISIR to be reviewed when it populated on
one of her reports. Since Jerica took over these duties, she has
transformed what is thought of as “standard” as new ISIRs are now
typically processed within one business day. The efficiency with
which she works these reports knocks days off of students being
able to receive their aid and reduces the amount of student
questions. Jerica not only processes these reports quickly but also
with precision taking extreme care to ensure the office remains in
compliance and that student’s accounts are accurate. Jerica rarely
makes a mistake and reviews her reports with a high degree of
accuracy. Jerica is an extremely valuable member and asset to our
office.
Away from work, Jerica enjoys spending time with her partner,
Omar, and their 1-year-old son, Diego. Jerica enjoys being able to
assist students with paying for college. “As a first-generation
college graduate, I have experienced first-hand the doors a great
education can open,” Jerica said. “I enjoy making that dream a
reality for the students that we serve.” Brooke Fletcher, Academic
Affairs Business Services Brooke Fletcher is a Senior Talent
Acquisition Specialist in Academic Affairs Business Services, and
has been a part of the team for almost two years. She is a proud
Fightin’ Texas Aggie, class of ’17.
Brooke’s nominator wrote, “As I attend meetings with Enrollment
and Academic Services departments and leadership, I am consistently
told how much our customers appreciate Brooke and the care and
service she provided to them to successfully hire the best
candidates for their positions. This is no small feat as Brooke
manages about 50 positions at various stages of the recruitment
process by herself.” Brooke brought to life the consistent use of
“diversity” language throughout the hiring process, which was an
initiative inspired by the Academic Affairs Climate and Diversity
Committee. Brooke helped to ensure the language was applied at all
steps throughout the recruitment process for all the positions
managed by AABS. In cooperation with main HR and the Vice President
for Diversity, a standard Statement of Belief was established and
applied throughout the entire university. The university will now
be known for being a leading employer to support a diverse
workplace and fostering an inclusive environment. Brooke’s efforts
with this initiative will have far-reaching impacts for our
institution into the future.
Brooke’s favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie ring – a
tradition that transcends generations. As a human-resources
professional, Brooke loves the Aggie ring because it is fantastic
for networking. She said, “As a former student, I admire the Aggie
ring as the fruit of hard work and perseverance.”
Jerica Douglas, Scholarship and Financial Aid – New Staff
Award
Jerica Douglas is a Financial Aid Advisor in the department of
Scholarships and Financial Aid. She started as a temp in this role
in June 2019 and became a full-time staff member in September 2019.
In 2016, she graduated with a master’s in communications from
Southern New Hampshire University. A Mississippi Gulf Coast native,
she completed her undergrad work at the University of Southern
Mississippi.
Jerica’s nominator wrote: She consistently is seeking to perform
all of her duties with excellence. She reviews new FAFSA
transactions in a timely and accurate manner. To provide context as
to how substantial her improvements have been in this area of the
office, before she came on board, it typically took two to three
business days for a new ISIR to be reviewed when it populated on
one of her reports. Since Jerica took over these duties, she has
transformed what is thought of as “standard” as new ISIRs are now
typically processed within one business day. The efficiency with
which she works these reports knocks days off of students being
able to receive their aid and reduces the amount of student
questions. Jerica not only processes these reports quickly but also
with precision taking extreme care to ensure the office remains in
compliance and that student’s accounts are accurate. Jerica rarely
makes a mistake and reviews her reports with a high degree of
accuracy. Jerica is an extremely valuable member and asset to our
office.
Jerica Douglas
Away from work, Jerica enjoys spending time with her partner,
Omar, and their 1-year-old son, Diego.
Jerica enjoys being able to assist students with paying for
college. “As a first-generation college graduate, I have
experienced first-hand the doors a great education can open,”
Jerica said. “I enjoy making that dream a reality for the students
that we serve.”
Brooke Fletcher, Academic Affairs Business Services
Brooke Fletcher is a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist in
Academic Affairs Business Services, and has been a part of the team
for almost two years. She is a proud Fightin’ Texas Aggie, class of
’17.
Brooke’s nominator wrote, “As I attend meetings with Enrollment
and Academic Services departments and leadership, I am consistently
told how much our customers appreciate Brooke and the care and
service she provided to them to successfully hire the best
candidates for their positions. This is no small feat as Brooke
manages about 50 positions at various stages of the recruitment
process by herself.”
Brooke Fletcher
Brooke brought to life the consistent use of “diversity”
language throughout the hiring process, which was an initiative
inspired by the Academic Affairs Climate and Diversity Committee.
Brooke helped to ensure the language was applied at all steps
throughout the recruitment process for all the positions managed by
AABS. In cooperation with main HR and the Vice President for
Diversity, a standard Statement of Belief was established and
applied throughout the entire university. The university will now
be known for being a leading employer to support a diverse
workplace and fostering an inclusive environment. Brooke’s efforts
with this initiative will have far-reaching impacts for our
institution into the future.
Brooke’s favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie ring – a
tradition that transcends generations. As a human-resources
professional, Brooke loves the Aggie ring because it is fantastic
for networking. She said, “As a former student, I admire the Aggie
ring as the fruit of hard work and perseverance.”
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Yecenia Rojas, Scholarships and Financial Aid – Respect &
Diversity Award The first recipient of the Respect and Diversity
award is Yecenia Rojas from Scholarships and Financial Aid. Yecenia
has been assisting students for more than eighteen months as a
Money Education Advisor at the Money Education Center. As the
Marketing & Event Coordinator, as well as the Center’s At-Risk
Student Programs Coordinator, Yecenia has proven herself to be
service driven, excellent in her work, always adaptable, and
innovative in her duties. As a first-generation Latina and graduate
of Texas A&M, Yecenia understands the challenges such students
face in college. Additionally, as a Money Education Advisor, she is
fully aware that there is a $1 million difference in lifetime
earnings between students who graduate and those who do not. Having
this experience and knowledge, Yecenia has made it her mission to
connect with and help as many first-generation students as possible
to afford college and ultimately earn their degrees. In less than
two years, Yecenia has positively impacted the lives of thousands
of Aggies, and she has actively worked to serve students who need
help the most. By doing so, she has helped to make our campus more
welcoming and supportive to our diverse student population. In this
time of nation-wide financial stress, particularly as it relates to
attending college, Yecenia is making a real difference. Helping
students isn’t just her day job. Yecenia volunteered to become the
office staff advisor for a newly formed First Generation Aggies
student organization, where she connects with and helps even more
students. Yecenia’s favorite Aggie tradition is Ring Day because it
is a time we celebrate Aggies and you can feel the joy and unity on
campus. “I was able to share my ring day with my closest friends
and family. It was a special day,” she said. A few fun facts about
Yecenia: She collects paintings of the countries has visited, her
favorite instrument to listen to is the violin and she’s learning a
new language, Italian. Martin Rosales, International Student
Services – Innovation Award Martin Rosales is an International
Student Advisor and Technology Coordinator for International
Student Services. He has been with ISS since January 2019. He
completed a bachelor’s in Asian Studies at Bowling Green State
University, where he met his partner of 14 years, Brice Turney.
They are proud cat dads of Yori and Karu. Martin taught English in
Japan for three years, and while teaching abroad, he earned a
graduate certificate in Teaching English as a Second/Foreign
language from Auburn University. Martin earned his master’s in
education with a focus on higher education administration from
Auburn University in 2015. He has more than five years of
experience in international education across multiple institutions
in the field in Alabama and California. In the nomination
statement, a few of Martin’s innovative accomplishments were
summarized, which included the creation of 75 Terra Dotta programs
that covers each individual immigration process, developing six
online trackers for ISS staff to submit important updates,
establishing eCampus template for Virtual International Student
Conference, and administering 50 webinars for students and other
university departments. Martin is also a First-Year Experience
instructor at Texas A&M University, an LGBTQ+ Pride Center
Mentor, and is part of the Interpersonal Violence Prevention
Working Group, which brings together disparate campus resources to
better educate students on power based and dating violence.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Yecenia Rojas, Scholarships and Financial Aid – Respect &
Diversity Award
The first recipient of the Respect and Diversity award is
Yecenia Rojas from Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Yecenia has been assisting students for more than eighteen
months as a Money Education Advisor at the Money Education Center.
As the Marketing & Event Coordinator, as well as the Center’s
At-Risk Student Programs Coordinator, Yecenia has proven herself to
be service driven, excellent in her work, always adaptable, and
innovative in her duties.
Yecenia Rojas
As a first-generation Latina and graduate of Texas A&M,
Yecenia understands the challenges such students face in college.
Additionally, as a Money Education Advisor, she is fully aware that
there is a $1 million difference in lifetime earnings between
students who graduate and those who do not. Having this experience
and knowledge, Yecenia has made it her mission to connect with and
help as many first-generation students as possible to afford
college and ultimately earn their degrees.
In less than two years, Yecenia has positively impacted the
lives of thousands of Aggies, and she has actively worked to serve
students who need help the most. By doing so, she has helped to
make our campus more welcoming and supportive to our diverse
student population. In this time of nation-wide financial stress,
particularly as it relates to attending college, Yecenia is making
a real difference.
Helping students isn’t just her day job. Yecenia volunteered to
become the office staff advisor for a newly formed First Generation
Aggies student organization, where she connects with and helps even
more students.
Yecenia’s favorite Aggie tradition is Ring Day because it is a
time we celebrate Aggies and you can feel the joy and unity on
campus. “I was able to share my ring day with my closest friends
and family. It was a special day,” she said.
A few fun facts about Yecenia: She collects paintings of the
countries has visited, her favorite instrument to listen to is the
violin and she’s learning a new language, Italian.
Martin Rosales, International Student Services – Innovation
Award
Martin Rosales is an International Student Advisor and
Technology Coordinator for International Student Services. He has
been with ISS since January 2019. He completed a bachelor’s in
Asian Studies at Bowling Green State University, where he met his
partner of 14 years, Brice Turney. They are proud cat dads of Yori
and Karu.
Martin Rosales
Martin taught English in Japan for three years, and while
teaching abroad, he earned a graduate certificate in Teaching
English as a Second/Foreign language from Auburn University. Martin
earned his master’s in education with a focus on higher education
administration from Auburn University in 2015. He has more than
five years of experience in international education across multiple
institutions in the field in Alabama and California.
In the nomination statement, a few of Martin’s innovative
accomplishments were summarized, which included the creation of 75
Terra Dotta programs that covers each individual immigration
process, developing six online trackers for ISS staff to submit
important updates, establishing eCampus template for Virtual
International Student Conference, and administering 50 webinars for
students and other university departments.
Martin is also a First-Year Experience instructor at Texas
A&M University, an LGBTQ+ Pride Center Mentor, and is part of
the Interpersonal Violence Prevention Working Group, which brings
together disparate campus resources to better educate students on
power based and dating violence.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Samantha Wilson, Career Center – Visionary Award Samantha Wilson
joined the staff of Texas A&M University in 1992 and moved to
the Career Center in 1999 as the Career Coordinator for Sciences.
She currently serves as the Executive Director. Prior to this, she
served as the Coordinator for Pre-medical/Pre-dental Programs at
Texas A&M University, the Undergraduate Advisor for the Texas
A&M College of Science, and an Assistant Scholastic Supervisor
for the Texas A&M Athletic Department. Before joining the staff
at Texas A&M University, Samantha worked in industry and in
research. Throughout her career, she has participated in numerous
organizations, including the National Association of Advisors for
the Health Professions, National Academic Advising Association,
Texas Health and Bioscience Institute, National Association of
Colleges and Employers and Southern Association of Colleges and
Employers, and has presented at conferences both regionally and
nationally. A visionary throughout her entire career, Samantha
organized the inaugural Sciences Career Fair. Since that time, the
Career Center has grown by leaps and bounds, now facilitating seven
separate Career Fairs. Samantha leads by example and is a person
that exemplifies outstanding customer service, integrity,
innovation, diversity, adaptability and genuine leadership. An
example of her out-of-the-box thinking is her assistance with
creating the Career Closet, whose mission is to enhance the
professionalism of Texas A&M students while alleviating the
financial burden associated with launching a career. She serves as
the primary advisor of the Career Closet. Through this
organization, any A&M student can rent a quality suit for only
a $5 dry-cleaning fee. Since its launch, more than 1,000 students
have been served and nearly 2,500 suits have been rented. She has
always been supportive of “pilot” programs whenever a staff member
wants to try something new and this fosters and encourages people
to try more new ideas. Examples include: creating a kiosk check-in
process to alleviate long lines at interview check-in; using QR
codes to check in for appointments; using Symplicity/HireAggies for
Career Exploration Days, Virtual Career Fairs and potentially
Co-op; virtualizing each interview room so students have a
professional space to talk with recruiters. Examples of her
visionary mindset include pivoting the Career Center to be 100
percent virtual in a few short weeks during the pandemic. Not only
did she lead that process, she laid the foundation over the years
so that it was incredibly successful. Samantha is a
first-generation American and first-generation Aggie who discovered
and fell in love with Texas A&M when she was in the sixth grade
by watching an Aggie Band halftime performance with her mom and
dad. She earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from
Texas A&M University. Samantha’s husband is an Aggie, Class of
’87 and her son is currently a sophomore, Class of 2023.
Samantha Wilson receiving the 2020 Visionary Award.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Samantha Wilson, Career Center – Visionary Award
Samantha Wilson joined the staff of Texas A&M University in
1992 and moved to the Career Center in 1999 as the Career
Coordinator for Sciences. She currently serves as the Executive
Director. Prior to this, she served as the Coordinator for
Pre-medical/Pre-dental Programs at Texas A&M University, the
Undergraduate Advisor for the Texas A&M College of Science, and
an Assistant Scholastic Supervisor for the Texas A&M Athletic
Department. Before joining the staff at Texas A&M University,
Samantha worked in industry and in research.
Throughout her career, she has participated in numerous
organizations, including the National Association of Advisors for
the Health Professions, National Academic Advising Association,
Texas Health and Bioscience Institute, National Association of
Colleges and Employers and Southern Association of Colleges and
Employers, and has presented at conferences both regionally and
nationally.
A visionary throughout her entire career, Samantha organized the
inaugural Sciences Career Fair. Since that time, the Career Center
has grown by leaps and bounds, now facilitating seven separate
Career Fairs.
Samantha leads by example and is a person that exemplifies
outstanding customer service, integrity, innovation, diversity,
adaptability and genuine leadership.
An example of her out-of-the-box thinking is her assistance with
creating the Career Closet, whose mission is to enhance the
professionalism of Texas A&M students while alleviating the
financial burden associated with launching a career. She serves as
the primary advisor of the Career Closet. Through this
organization, any A&M student can rent a quality suit for only
a $5 dry-cleaning fee. Since its launch, more than 1,000 students
have been served and nearly 2,500 suits have been rented.
She has always been supportive of “pilot” programs whenever a
staff member wants to try something new and this fosters and
encourages people to try more new ideas. Examples include: creating
a kiosk check-in process to alleviate long lines at interview
check-in; using QR codes to check in for appointments; using
Symplicity/HireAggies for Career Exploration Days, Virtual Career
Fairs and potentially Co-op; virtualizing each interview room so
students have a professional space to talk with recruiters.
Examples of her visionary mindset include pivoting the Career
Center to be 100 percent virtual in a few short weeks during the
pandemic. Not only did she lead that process, she laid the
foundation over the years so that it was incredibly successful.
Samantha is a first-generation American and first-generation
Aggie who discovered and fell in love with Texas A&M when she
was in the sixth grade by watching an Aggie Band halftime
performance with her mom and dad. She earned both her undergraduate
and graduate degrees from Texas A&M University. Samantha’s
husband is an Aggie, Class of ’87 and her son is currently a
sophomore, Class of 2023.
Samantha Wilson receiving the 2020 Visionary Award.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Aggieland Visitor Experience Team The Aggieland Visitor
Experience Team includes Maritza Bailey, Kalee Castanon, Kelli
Hollinger and Jearlene Talbert. The Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center
team provides the first impression of Texas A&M University to
perspective students and guests, and a warm welcome home to former
students. But what happens when a pandemic abruptly shuts down your
core service? The Visitor Center team reimagined the campus visit,
transitioning an immersive in-person experience into a dynamic
online one. But change isn’t new to this team. During the past
year, the team transitioned its business model and rebranded,
completed a facility renovation, and navigated external scrutiny of
the tour script. By facing every challenge with Aggie ingenuity,
they began Fall 2020 with improvements in office operations,
improved staff morale and a visible role in making Texas A&M a
more inclusive place. Here are a few examples of new programs
created by the team aimed to deliver high-quality service: highly
popular monthly Saturday tours provide convenient options for
visiting campus; tours for all admissions, recruitment and
matriculation events beginning in January 2020; limited Spanish
language tours promote a more inclusive campus; tours for new
Division employees, with plans to scale university-wide, help make
Texas A&M a great place to work and play a critical role in
creating employee engagement. The Visitor Center’s commitment to
diversity is evidenced in their Howdy Crew tour guides. Through
strategic recruitment, the Howdy Crew is more diverse than the
general student body. Almost half of the Howdy Crew members
identify as non-white, and almost one-third are first generation.
By sharing their personal experiences, they authentically
communicate to underrepresented groups that they too can be happy
and successful at Texas A&M. This tiny unit within an
extraordinarily large university approaches their work with
humility while having an enormous campus impact. Let’s meet the
team. Maritza Bailey, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team Maritza
Hernandez Bailey is the Program Coordinator for the Appelt
Aggieland Visitor Center. She oversees the group and specialty
visits, and she believes every student deserves the opportunity to
learn. She enjoys working with the Visitor Center’s team of
students on the Howdy Crew for the past two years. Maritza holds a
master’s in library science from the University of North Texas, and
she and her family have been a part of the Bryan/College Station
community for the past five years. An avid reader, she enjoys
watching documentaries and spending time with her family. Maritza’s
experience with all things Aggie is new and her favorite tradition
is Replant. Maritza is an environmentally conscious individual and
loves the mission of helping replanting new trees while bringing
together students in the largest, one-day, student-led environment
service project in the nation. Her favorite part of working in the
Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center is working directly with both
prospective and current students, as well as working in such a
diverse and inclusive environment. Kalee Castanon, Aggieland
Visitor Experience Team Kalee Castanon is currently serving as the
Assistant Director for the Aggieland Visitor Center. Her primary
duty is supervising almost 80 Howdy Crew tour guides, which as you
can imagine keeps her very busy! Other responsibilities include
working closely with the Slate team to manage daily visits and
special events, assisting with marketing and technical projects,
and developing and executing goals and policies to enhance the
visitor experience campus-wide.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
The Aggieland Visitor Experience Team includes Maritza Bailey,
Kalee Castanon, Kelli Hollinger and Jearlene Talbert.
The Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center team provides the first
impression of Texas A&M University to perspective students and
guests, and a warm welcome home to former students.
But what happens when a pandemic abruptly shuts down your core
service? The Visitor Center team reimagined the campus visit,
transitioning an immersive in-person experience into a dynamic
online one. But change isn’t new to this team. During the past
year, the team transitioned its business model and rebranded,
completed a facility renovation, and navigated external scrutiny of
the tour script. By facing every challenge with Aggie ingenuity,
they began Fall 2020 with improvements in office operations,
improved staff morale and a visible role in making Texas A&M a
more inclusive place.
Here are a few examples of new programs created by the team
aimed to deliver high-quality service: highly popular monthly
Saturday tours provide convenient options for visiting campus;
tours for all admissions, recruitment and matriculation events
beginning in January 2020; limited Spanish language tours promote a
more inclusive campus; tours for new Division employees, with plans
to scale university-wide, help make Texas A&M a great place to
work and play a critical role in creating employee engagement.
The Visitor Center’s commitment to diversity is evidenced in
their Howdy Crew tour guides. Through strategic recruitment, the
Howdy Crew is more diverse than the general student body. Almost
half of the Howdy Crew members identify as non-white, and almost
one-third are first generation. By sharing their personal
experiences, they authentically communicate to underrepresented
groups that they too can be happy and successful at Texas A&M.
This tiny unit within an extraordinarily large university
approaches their work with humility while having an enormous campus
impact. Let’s meet the team.
Maritza Bailey, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
Maritza Hernandez Bailey is the Program Coordinator for the
Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center. She oversees the group and
specialty visits, and she believes every student deserves the
opportunity to learn. She enjoys working with the Visitor Center’s
team of students on the Howdy Crew for the past two years.
Maritza Bailey
Maritza holds a master’s in library science from the University
of North Texas, and she and her family have been a part of the
Bryan/College Station community for the past five years. An avid
reader, she enjoys watching documentaries and spending time with
her family.
Maritza’s experience with all things Aggie is new and her
favorite tradition is Replant. Maritza is an environmentally
conscious individual and loves the mission of helping replanting
new trees while bringing together students in the largest, one-day,
student-led environment service project in the nation.
Her favorite part of working in the Appelt Aggieland Visitor
Center is working directly with both prospective and current
students, as well as working in such a diverse and inclusive
environment.
Kalee Castanon, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
Kalee Castanon is currently serving as the Assistant Director
for the Aggieland Visitor Center. Her primary duty is supervising
almost 80 Howdy Crew tour guides, which as you can imagine keeps
her very busy! Other responsibilities include working closely with
the Slate team to manage daily visits and special events, assisting
with marketing and technical projects, and developing and executing
goals and policies to enhance the visitor experience
campus-wide.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Kalee has been employed at Texas A&M since 2013, and with
the Visitor Center since 2015. She received both her bachelor’s and
master’s degrees at Texas A&M, in agricultural communications
and education. She worked at the Visitor Center as a tour guide in
grad school, and loves that she has come full circle on campus.
Interacting with prospective and current students every day, and
introducing them to Texas A&M, is the best part of her job.
Kalee is married, with two cats. She and her husband Nick come from
huge families – she actually has 21 total siblings and
siblings-in-law. Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Century Tree –
after her husband proposed, she immediately dragged him to the
Century Tree for engagement photos, and took wedding photos there
as well. Two of her sisters also got engaged underneath the Century
Tree. The Visitor Center has been part of many proposal plans, and
celebrating love on campus has a special place in her heart.
Kelli Hollinger, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team As Director
of Visitor Experience, Kelli Hollinger and her team – the Howdy
Crew - at the Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center enthusiastically
welcome thousands of prospective students, families, alumni and
partners to Texas A&M University. They are the first impression
of A&M, tasked with showcasing Aggieland’s values,
transformational education, traditions and impact with campus
tours. Before joining the Visitor Center in 2018, Kelli was
Director of the Center for Retailing Studies at Mays Business
School, leading the unit’s industry relations, executive
conferences, research symposia, and high-impact learning experience
for students, including internships, national case competitions and
international travel. She served on the Career Center’s advisory
board for ten years. Kelli is passionate about helping young people
develop their potential and is a Hullabaloo U instructor. Her
20-plus year career with A&M began as an MSC committee advisor
after completing her master’s degree. She is from Baton Rouge, and
earned dual bachelor’s degrees from LSU’s Honors College. She and
her husband, Craig, and have one daughter. Kelli’s favorite Aggie
tradition is Big Event. She has welcomed several groups to her home
for painting and mulching. With many hands pitching in, the work
was easy, leaving ample time to share a big pot of jambalaya and
fellowship. This tradition embodies community, unity and selfless
service. Jearlene Talbert, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
Jearlene Talbert is an administrative coordinator with the
Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center. She manages office logistics and
the hiring and scheduling of the entire Howdy Crew. She also
coordinates recruitment and retention events and activities. She
has been with Texas A&M University for just under three years.
She lives in College Station with her husband and their dog. They
will soon be welcoming their first child. As the wife of an Aggie,
Jearlene’s experience with traditions are not the same as a former
student’s would be. Her favorite tradition is the 12th man; her
husband’s great-grandfather was on the A&M football team for
that fateful game and was one of the injured players. It really
brings the tradition home and is very impactful since almost 100
years later it is still going strong and can be felt by students
and visitors. Jearlene’s favorite part of working in the Appelt
Aggieland Visitor Center is being able to work with so many student
workers. Having students and staff that are encouraging to each
other and visitors is a daily inspiration.
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Kalee has been employed at Texas A&M since 2013, and with
the Visitor Center since 2015. She received both her bachelor’s and
master’s degrees at Texas A&M, in agricultural communications
and education. She worked at the Visitor Center as a tour guide in
grad school, and loves that she has come full circle on campus.
Interacting with prospective and current students every day, and
introducing them to Texas A&M, is the best part of her job.
Kalee Castanon
Kalee is married, with two cats. She and her husband Nick come
from huge families – she actually has 21 total siblings and
siblings-in-law.
Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Century Tree – after her
husband proposed, she immediately dragged him to the Century Tree
for engagement photos, and took wedding photos there as well. Two
of her sisters also got engaged underneath the Century Tree. The
Visitor Center has been part of many proposal plans, and
celebrating love on campus has a special place in her heart.
Kelli Hollinger, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
As Director of Visitor Experience, Kelli Hollinger and her team
– the Howdy Crew - at the Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center
enthusiastically welcome thousands of prospective students,
families, alumni and partners to Texas A&M University. They are
the first impression of A&M, tasked with showcasing Aggieland’s
values, transformational education, traditions and impact with
campus tours.
Kellie Hollinger
Before joining the Visitor Center in 2018, Kelli was Director of
the Center for Retailing Studies at Mays Business School, leading
the unit’s industry relations, executive conferences, research
symposia, and high-impact learning experience for students,
including internships, national case competitions and international
travel. She served on the Career Center’s advisory board for ten
years.
Kelli is passionate about helping young people develop their
potential and is a Hullabaloo U instructor. Her 20-plus year career
with A&M began as an MSC committee advisor after completing her
master’s degree. She is from Baton Rouge, and earned dual
bachelor’s degrees from LSU’s Honors College. She and her husband,
Craig, and have one daughter.
Kelli’s favorite Aggie tradition is Big Event. She has welcomed
several groups to her home for painting and mulching. With many
hands pitching in, the work was easy, leaving ample time to share a
big pot of jambalaya and fellowship. This tradition embodies
community, unity and selfless service.
Jearlene Talbert, Aggieland Visitor Experience Team
Jearlene Talbert is an administrative coordinator with the
Appelt Aggieland Visitor Center. She manages office logistics and
the hiring and scheduling of the entire Howdy Crew. She also
coordinates recruitment and retention events and activities. She
has been with Texas A&M University for just under three years.
She lives in College Station with her husband and their dog. They
will soon be welcoming their first child.
Jearlene Talbert
As the wife of an Aggie, Jearlene’s experience with traditions
are not the same as a former student’s would be. Her favorite
tradition is the 12th man; her husband’s great-grandfather was on
the A&M football team for that fateful game and was one of the
injured players. It really brings the tradition home and is very
impactful since almost 100 years later it is still going strong and
can be felt by students and visitors.
Jearlene’s favorite part of working in the Appelt Aggieland
Visitor Center is being able to work with so many student workers.
Having students and staff that are encouraging to each other and
visitors is a daily inspiration.
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Office of the Registrar Leadership Team The Office of the
Registrar Leadership Team that includes Venesa Heidick, Melanie
Monroe, Nick Piwonka, Sandra Williams and Laura Zeig also earned a
2020 Pillars of Excellence Team Award. This team is an inspiring
example of superior service, excellence, initiative, adaptability,
and innovative achievements. No matter what the task, this team is
able to pull together, devise a plan and carry it out. Our current
COVID-19 pandemic environment is a clear illustration of these
skills. Countless hours have been spent strategizing solutions for
scheduling, pass-through times between classes, classroom space
allocations, online learning designations for courses, adjustments
to program and course coding, early degree awarding, student
communications and much more. The hours spent problem solving and
facilitating next-level solutions are consistent and result-based.
There is always ongoing discussion of how technology will help us
accomplish more. One of the foremost components needed to remain
viable in today’s educational environment, is a leadership that is
well versed in the ability to adapt quickly and utilize technology
to work efficiently. Because of the continued research this team
devotes to studying efficiencies and how technology can best serve
our staff and students, this office has historically been able to
adjust quickly to the inordinate obstacles brought before it time
after time. Venesa Heidick, Office of the Registrar Venesa Heidick,
the Texas A&M Registrar, earned a bachelors and a masters of
education at Texas A&M University. She is Mom to Ben, three,
and Molly, six. When not rolling diplomas, handing out degrees at
graduation ceremonies or taking care of her duties as registrar,
she loves sports, cold weather, mariachi music and Maker’s Mark.
One of her least favorite things is being the center of attention.
Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie Ring. It’s earned, you
carry it with you for the rest of your life, and it often reveals a
bond you have with what might otherwise be a stranger wherever you
might go. Venesa says the best thing about her job is her team.
“They are smart, funny, creative, dedicated, supportive, agile,
hard-working, and can do absolute magic,” she added. Melanie
Monroe, Office of the Registrar Melanie Monroe is Associate
Registrar and a first-generation college student. She was born and
raised locally in Iola. Melanie earned bachelors and master’s
degrees from Texas A&M University after transferred to Texas
A&M from Blinn College in Brenham. She’s been an employee with
Texas A&M for more than 11 years, and has worked in higher
education for more than 22 years, with time spent at the University
of Houston, University of North Texas, Texas A&M University and
Texas A&M University Health Science Center. She has worked in
areas of admissions, records, recruiting, advising at-risk
students, athletics, and registrar offices during her tenure in
higher education.
Melanie is married to Tim, and the couple has three children:
Aubri, 8; Alayna, 6; and T.J., 5. Melanie says she’s proud to have
had both parents retire from Texas A&M University, who
combined, have given approximately 70 years of service to the
university. Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie War Hymn.
It’s something others are in awe of when they see crowds locking
arms and swaying. “I enjoy giving back and sharing my experiences
and knowledge to help students, parents, advisors, instructors, and
others,” Melanie said. “As a first-generation student, I relied on
the guidance of staff to help me navigate everything from
living on campus to applying for financial aid and course
selections. I found early on, that I had a knack and passion for
sharing information that can help students with their college
experience.”
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Office of the Registrar Leadership Team
The Office of the Registrar Leadership Team that includes Venesa
Heidick, Melanie Monroe, Nick Piwonka, Sandra Williams and Laura
Zeig also earned a 2020 Pillars of Excellence Team Award.
This team is an inspiring example of superior service,
excellence, initiative, adaptability, and innovative achievements.
No matter what the task, this team is able to pull together, devise
a plan and carry it out. Our current COVID-19 pandemic environment
is a clear illustration of these skills. Countless hours have been
spent strategizing solutions for scheduling, pass-through times
between classes, classroom space allocations, online learning
designations for courses, adjustments to program and course coding,
early degree awarding, student communications and much more. The
hours spent problem solving and facilitating next-level solutions
are consistent and result-based. There is always ongoing discussion
of how technology will help us accomplish more. One of the foremost
components needed to remain viable in today’s educational
environment, is a leadership that is well versed in the ability to
adapt quickly and utilize technology to work efficiently. Because
of the continued research this team devotes to studying
efficiencies and how technology can best serve our staff and
students, this office has historically been able to adjust quickly
to the inordinate obstacles brought before it time after time.
Venesa Heidick, Office of the Registrar
Venesa Heidick, the Texas A&M Registrar, earned a bachelors
and a masters of education at Texas A&M University. She is Mom
to Ben, three, and Molly, six. When not rolling diplomas, handing
out degrees at graduation ceremonies or taking care of her duties
as registrar, she loves sports, cold weather, mariachi music and
Maker’s Mark. One of her least favorite things is being the center
of attention.
Venesa Heidick
Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie Ring. It’s earned, you
carry it with you for the rest of your life, and it often reveals a
bond you have with what might otherwise be a stranger wherever you
might go.
Venesa says the best thing about her job is her team. “They are
smart, funny, creative, dedicated, supportive, agile, hard-working,
and can do absolute magic,” she added.
Melanie Monroe, Office of the Registrar
Melanie Monroe is Associate Registrar and a first-generation
college student. She was born and raised locally in Iola. Melanie
earned bachelors and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University
after transferred to Texas A&M from Blinn College in Brenham.
She’s been an employee with Texas A&M for more than 11 years,
and has worked in higher education for more than 22 years, with
time spent at the University of Houston, University of North Texas,
Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University Health
Science Center. She has worked in areas of admissions, records,
recruiting, advising at-risk students, athletics, and registrar
offices during her tenure in higher education.
Melanie Monroe
Melanie is married to Tim, and the couple has three children:
Aubri, 8; Alayna, 6; and T.J., 5.
Melanie says she’s proud to have had both parents retire from
Texas A&M University, who combined, have given approximately 70
years of service to the university.
Her favorite Aggie tradition is the Aggie War Hymn. It’s
something others are in awe of when they see crowds locking arms
and swaying.
“I enjoy giving back and sharing my experiences and knowledge to
help students, parents, advisors, instructors, and others,” Melanie
said. “As a first-generation student, I relied on the guidance of
staff to help me navigate everything from living on campus to
applying for financial aid and course selections. I found early on,
that I had a knack and passion for sharing information that can
help students with their college experience.”
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Nick Piwonka, Office of the Registrar Nick Piwonka, Associate
Registrar, joined Texas A&M University in September, 2012. He
graduated from Texas A&M University in 2003 with a bachelor of
science in agribusiness and then again in 2005 with a master of
agribusiness. After working in the agricultural industry for six
years he returned to the same office which had employed him as a
student to tackle the insane logistics that comes with scheduling
approximately 20,000-plus class meetings each semester. Nick’s
favorite Aggie tradition is Muster because of the symbolism in
recognizing that, as a former student, you are always going to be a
part of the Aggie family. He would be remiss to not state his
second favorite Aggie tradition, though, of mugging down with his
amazing wife, Elizabeth, after a Fightin’ Texas Aggie touchdown! In
years other than 2020 when he’s not creating, recreating, creating,
recreating class schedules and working 22-hour days, he enjoys
golfing and traveling with his wife. Sandra Williams, Office of the
Registrar
Sandra Williams, Associate Registrar, has worked for Texas
A&M University for fourteen years. She received a bachelor of
science degree in Information and Operations Management from Mays
Business School and is part of the Class of 2001. “I am blessed to
have had the opportunity to attend this wonderful university. If I
was to pick one tradition, it would be Muster,” Sandra said.
“Knowing that this one tradition connects all Aggies around the
world each year on this one day to honor those that have moved on
is a very special tradition. My heart fills with pride knowing that
I am a proud member of the Aggie family.” Sandra says the thing she
most enjoys about her job is interacting and communicating with the
various departments in the university.
Laura Zeig, Office of the Registrar Laura Zeig, Senior Associate
Registrar, earned a bachelor of science in biology from Texas
A&M University in 2004. She financed 100 percent of her college
education through part-time work, grants and loans. From working as
a student employee in Degree Audit in the Office of the Registrar,
Laura’s strong work ethic helped her land jobs, her first as a
Transcript Analyst Two and improve processes through various areas
of the department over the past 15 years. Laura and her husband,
Steven, celebrated their one-year anniversary on November 3 and
have been hosting late night parties since October 29 with their
newest family member, Jacob Daniel Zeig. He weighed in at six
pounds two ounces and was nineteen inches tall at birth. Their
four-legged fur baby, Zoey, has also been joining the fun.
Nick Piwonka
Sandra Williams
Laura Zeig
2020
PILLARS
OF
EXCELLENCE
Nick Piwonka, Office of the Registrar
Nick Piwonka, Associate Registrar, joined Texas A&M
University in September, 2012. He graduated from Texas A&M
University in 2003 with a bachelor of science in agribusiness and
then again in 2005 with a master of agribusiness. After working in
the agricultural industry for six years he returned to the same
office which had employed him as a student to tackle the insane
logistics that comes with scheduling approximately 20,000-plus
class meetings each semester.
Nick’s favorite Aggie tradition is Muster because of the
symbolism in recognizing that, as a former student, you are always
going to be a part of the Aggie family. He would be remiss to not
state his second favorite Aggie tradition, though, of mugging down
with his amazing wife, Elizabeth, after a Fightin’ Texas Aggie
touchdown!
In years other than 2020 when he’s not creating, recreating,
creating, recreating class schedules and working 22-hour days, he
enjoys golfing and traveling with his wife.
Nick Piwonka
Sandra Williams, Office of the Registrar
Sandra Williams, Associate Registrar, has worked for Texas
A&M University for fourteen years. She received a bachelor of
science degree in Information and Operations Management from Mays
Business School and is part of the Class of 2001.
“I am blessed to have had the opportunity to attend this
wonderful university. If I was to pick one tradition, it would be
Muster,” Sandra said. “Knowing that this one tradition connects all
Aggies around the world each year on this one day to honor those
that have moved on is a very special tradition. My heart fills with
pride knowing that I am a proud member of the Aggie family.”
Sandra says the thing she most enjoys about her job is
interacting and communicating with the various departments in the
university.
Sandra Williams
Laura Zeig, Office of the Registrar
Laura Zeig, Senior Associate Registrar, earned a bachelor of
science in biology from Texas A&M University in 2004. She
financed 100 percent of her college education through part-time
work, grants and loans. From working as a student employee in
Degree Audit in the Office of the Registrar, Laura’s strong work
ethic helped her land jobs, her first as a Transcript Analyst Two
and improve processes through various areas of the department over
the past 15 years.
Laura and her husband, Steven, celebrated their one-year
anniversary on November 3 and have been hosting late night parties
since October 29 with their newest family member, Jacob Daniel
Zeig. He weighed in at six pounds two ounces and was nineteen
inches tall at birth. Their four-legged fur baby, Zoey, has also
been joining the fun.
Laura Zeig
-
Enrollment & Academic Services : Fall 2020 Extra
Division of Enrollment & Academic Services
Jack K. Williams Administration Building1248 TAMUCollege
Station, TX 77843-1248
Nora Cargo, Joe Pettibon and Jerica Douglas
Nora Cargo
Shayla RiveraDonna Lovell
Joe Pettibon
Venesa Heidick, Melanie Monroe and Nick Piwonka
Slide Number 1Slide Number 2Slide Number 3Slide Number 4Slide
Number 5Slide Number 6Slide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number
9Slide Number 10Slide Number 11Slide Number 12Slide Number 13
