KU announces May, June 2023 Employees of the Month
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced Employees of the Month for May and June 2023. These staff members have made outstanding contributions to the KU community.
Winners of the Employee of the Month awards receive the following:
- A surprise visit from the provost or her designee
- A certificate of award
- A biography featured through KU Today
- A $750 gross monetary award.
Nominate an employee for this award by completing and submitting the online or paper Employee of the Month nomination form and returning it to HRM by email or fax to 785-864-5790. More information is available here.
June 2023
Name: Karen Roberts
Title: Administrative associate, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
Karen Roberts has worked for KU since March 2007, and during this time she has embodied what it means to be a true “team player.” She is responsible for the intensive registration process for all new law enforcement officers who attend the police academy. Her duties include receiving electronic registration and demographic documents, verifying information, adding person records to the campus management computer system and enrolling students into the first available class for basic training, all while growing into the new computer system during implementation. This data is used throughout the officer's time in training, so accuracy and attention to detail are key. She also verifies and reports completion data to Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training (KS CPOST) to award officers with full-time status so that they can become Kansas certified law enforcement officers. She not only completes these tasks for KLETC but also for the eight Satellite Academies around the state every day.
Roberts is one of the most reliable employees in the department. Her work ethic is second to none, and she is extremely efficient at her job, often having a vacancy in a class filled within a couple of hours. She goes above and beyond to complete any task given to her, even ones that fall outside her job description, and does so without complaint. The amount of work she has quietly accomplished behind the scenes for the department is substantial, and she is known as the go-to when you need to get something done quickly and thoroughly. Hardly a week goes by without someone coming into her office with a problem that she is always happy to help them solve. Most recently, one of the KLETC Continuing Education small teams needed data and contact information for several hundred recent police academy graduates. This request not only had very specific parameters, but it was also outside her normal duties. Despite being told to take her time, she had the data back to them within a day. A co-worker has said this about her: “Karen is for sure a team player. She will do whatever is asked of her to meet the mission of the team.”
Roberts not only goes out of her way to ensure all her co-workers and those she serves feel fully supported, but she also does everything in her power to make sure the many chiefs and sheriffs across the state whom she works with get the assistance they need. Part of her responsibilities is to help guide them in providing the proper paperwork required by law to send their staff to the academy. Not only does she do this over 400 times a year on average, but she has also developed a detailed walk-through for anyone struggling to complete the paperwork. Her role as the go-between for the department and the people she serves is vital. Another co-worker said this about her: “She truly makes our organization look as good as possible to our clients.”
Name: Holly Shriner
Title: Assistant director, Office of Graduate Admissions
Holly Shriner has worked for KU since January 2011 and in the Office of Graduate Admissions since 2013. Shriner is responsible for managing the daily operations of Graduate Admissions, including application processing, credential evaluations, and providing support for prospective and current graduate students and graduate program staff for about 75 graduate departments. She is also responsible for providing leadership in the development, implementation and continual improvement of systems, processes and technology designed to ensure that admissions operations support recruitment efforts and facilitate graduate student enrollment for the university.
Shriner’s job is massive, only made more complicated by organizational restructuring just prior to and during the pandemic, and she navigated multiple changes while rising into a leadership role during this time. She handled various procedural adjustments, learned a new application system, adapted to constant staffing changes and shortages, and even broadened the scope of her role to provide extra support where needed, all while maintaining the excellent service she has always provided with care and efficiency. Shriner’s institutional knowledge, combined with her problem-solving skills, make her one of the most reliable employees in Graduate Admissions and the glue that holds the office together. She frequently pulls together a wide range of resources and finds creative workarounds for problems to deliver the highest level of support possible for her colleagues and the students who depend on her unit. She always makes sure to remain current and accurate with her information so that she can problem-solve more effectively, and with multiple changes to policies, systems and business practices, her consistency has been key. A colleague has this to say about her: “[Holly] doesn’t have an easy job, but she makes it appear easy because she is so calm, polite, helpful and efficient. She has a compassionate heart and cares about the quality of her work. She is an asset to KU.” Another colleague said, “She is a true partner and tries to think outside the box for solutions.”
Shriner is an effective communicator, collaborator and leader, committed to making KU a better place to work and study. She has played pivotal roles in the development of workshops for staff, such as “Mastering Graduate Admissions” and “Connecting the Dots” designed to be powerful training tools, and she frequently goes above and beyond to ensure that her staff and co-workers know they are fully supported and welcomed. She has invested many hours of her time into training new staff and has stayed late to complete a task to minimize the stress for an applicant, a graduate program and her unit. Her dedication does not just extend to Graduate Admissions but to the university as a whole, and the care she has for the students can be clearly seen in her work ethic. Her unit often becomes a “catch-all” for anything graduate student and sometimes even undergraduate student related, but instead of just forwarding these inquiries, she takes the time to investigate each question, answering the ones she can and only transfers them to another department if she knows for certain it is the correct one where the student will receive the help they need. Another co-worker has said this about her: “Holly is blessed with a great sense of humor, unshakeable integrity, a true understanding of the mission of the university and a sincere appreciation of the team efforts required to not only meet expectations of excellence but to exceed them.”
May 2023
Name: Brandy Ernzen
Title: Education program coordinator, departments of Indigenous Studies and Museum Studies
Brandy Ernzen has worked for KU since August 1996, and during this time she has become known for how committed she is to providing excellent service and advocacy for her colleagues and the students she serves. In her role she juggles a lot of tasks, but her main duties are coordinating program and student needs in the departments of Indigenous and Museum Studies.
Ernzen is an exceptional program coordinator. Not only does she balance all the duties that come with the role for two separate programs, but she has also taken on several responsibilities traditionally fulfilled by the director of museum studies due to several changes within the department. Additionally, she has played an integral role in prepping and providing background information to incoming directors for both programs. There have been a number of directors over the past several years, but Ernzen has been a consistent presence throughout, keeping both departments running smoothly with her guidance and vast institutional knowledge. She cares deeply about her colleagues and the departments, always willing to take on responsibilities outside the scope of her job description and going above and beyond to lend a hand. For instance, when a colleague was unable to attend the Association of African American Museums Conference, Ernzen attended to represent the university. A colleague has this to say about her: “The program has depended heavily on Brandy’s knowledge to navigate and sustain the MUSE program itself. Additionally, she's had to provide guidance to each interim director that has come in.”
Ernzen commits a lot of her own time, money and effort into the position and into creating the best experience she can for the students she serves. MUSE has a small budget, so she often buys food for events for her colleagues or bakes desserts and other foods for the students so that they can still enjoy refreshments while celebrating their hard work and preserve the department budget to invest in making the program the highest quality possible for the students. She really pays attention to their needs and never misses an opportunity to show a struggling student that they are seen and cared for. During the pandemic, she even put together food bags for the students and brought them to their houses. Another colleague has said this about her: “It seems small, but Brandy bakes all the time for students. During COVID, many of our students suffered because our small program lacks financial support. Brandy went to every student's house and provided food/care packages. She has taken students who are struggling to dinner with her family. She is an incredible advocate for students, lending her time, her concern and support well and above her position assignment. She is, in short, phenomenal.”
Name: Kory Norman
Title: General manager, South Dining Commons
Kory Norman has worked for KU since June 2012 and has become an indispensable member of the KU Dining team. In his role, Norman oversees the entirety of South Dining Commons. This includes staff recruitment, hiring, training, procurement, marketing, food safety and fostering community.
Norman truly understands what it means to be a team player and puts those principles into practice every day. How much he cares about his staff, colleagues and the students he serves is apparent in the amount of effort he puts into his work. He makes sure he is readily available whenever and wherever to lend a hand. Due to the current staffing challenges, Norman has worked in nearly every department at KU Dining over the last year, a testament to his flexibility and commitment to supporting his team. No matter what is thrown his way, he responds with his signature “wherever you need me,” and he always rises to the challenge with efficiency and quality work. One week prior to the fall 2021 semester, Norman was integral in reassigning Chick-fil-A staff to address KU Dining holistic staffing needs. During this interim closure, Norman helped by onboarding and training a new general manager at Ekdahl Dining, working management shifts at Ekdahl, working catering events, working at South Dining, delivering pallets of water to Commencement, assisting with Union Fest and ultimately assuming the role as general manager of South Dining Commons. These are just some of the things he has gone above and beyond for over the last few years.
Norman leads by prioritizing serving his staff. He’s willing to have the hard conversations and truly listens to their needs, helping in any way he can. He treats all his staff fairly, providing careful direction, and strives to build a healthy culture in the workplace. He is a go-to for not only his staff but also his colleagues and even people in other departments of KU Dining because they know he will hear them out and deliver results. A colleague has this to say about him: “Kory and I have gotten to know each other quite well over the last couple of years. I’ve enjoyed the privilege of watching his journey into the fabulous leader he is today. He is one of the most dedicated and committed managers in our employ. He genuinely cares about the well-being of his staff, the future of KU Dining and our role in serving students and the KU campus.”