Bloomington Council Staff Spotlight

December 2024

Katherine Devich

Department:O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs

Nominated by: Juliet Roberts, Financial Training & Communication

Nomination text: Katherine is the glue that holds SPEA together. She provides exceptional care to all students, including international students who rely on her for patient, friendly, and dependable support. Katherine’s role involves frequent communication with students to guide them through IU processes. I’ve seen her messages while troubleshooting with her, and it’s clear she maintains a professional yet warm tone, taking student concerns seriously. For instance, she once picked up a student from the airport to ensure they reached their next destinations safely, whether it was an on-campus event or lodging.

She often works directly with visiting international students, and she always handles them with the utmost empathy and care. She is keenly aware of the potential stressors an international visitor might experience and she does everything in her power to mitigate that stress. I’m confident that her direct involvement with these visiting scholars greatly improved each student’s impression of IU and experience here on campus.

My team, the Financial Training team within IU Finance, has had the pleasure of working with Katherine as a student in our training programs. She consistently offers valuable feedback that helps improve our offerings. Katherine even volunteered for a pilot program for a new IU payment method we ran this fall, providing insightful, actionable advice we could trust. When she identifies potential issues with our systems or resources, she reports them thoughtfully, always with the IU community’s best interests in mind.

Additionally, she volunteers for various local non-profit events, often encouraging colleagues to join, which highlights her team spirit and kindness. Her attention to detail and drive for knowledge are evident in her work. She processes student business expenses meticulously, creating clear audit trails and asking questions when necessary. She always attends our Office Hours and brings great questions and advice to share with other attendees. These reflections of Katherine summarize why she makes an exemplary member of the IU community,

 

Michelle Bartley-Taylor

Department: IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology

Nominated by: Jeannette Lehr, IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology

Nomination text: As Director of the IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology, Michelle is a true champion for women at Indiana University, demonstrating a remarkable blend of passion, expertise, and empathy. Her deep knowledge of gender equity issues in the tech industry, along with her commitment to advancing IU’s role in addressing these challenges, is truly inspiring. She is deeply invested in the success of our students and is a powerful advocate for their growth and development.

Beyond her commitment to our students, Michelle prioritizes the professional growth and well-being of her staff. She has implemented performance reviews designed not only to track progress toward the Center’s goals but also to ensure that all team members feel valued, heard, and supported. Michelle’s regular outreach to staff highlights her genuine concern for job satisfaction, fostering an environment where both performance and fulfillment are paramount. Her leadership embodies two essential qualities: a relentless drive to advance the mission of the Center and a profound care for her team.

Michelle continually seeks innovative ways to further our objectives while also celebrating team milestones and encouraging camaraderie among staff. Her efforts to enhance our connections, both within the Center and across the broader IU community, reflect her commitment to inclusivity and support. I believe it is crucial to recognize and honor leadership that prioritizes both the mission of the university and the well-being of its staff. Michelle exemplifies the type of leadership that we should aspire to cultivate in our work environments and her staff and community appreciates her very much!

 

Fruzsi Szabo

Department: KISI - Kelley Institute of Social Impact

Nominated by: Alex Martens, Kelley School of Business

Nomination text: Fruzsi was recently promoted to Assistant Director within the KISI office at the Kelley School. She always goes above and beyond in helping fellow staff, and students. Recently, she led KISI's Social Impact Fair which led to dozens of students attending to learn about issues we face, and how our student groups are helping fix the problem. She's extremely kind, and is always a great help!

October 2024

Alison Stake

Department: Undergraduate Education

Nominated by: preferred to stay anonymous

Nomination text: As the Student Services Coordinator in Undergraduate Education, Alison is responsible for directly helping staff and students in several offices on a daily basis: Academic and Major Exploration Services, Career Exploration & Student Employment, Health Professions and Prelaw Advising, and Undergraduate Education Records. Her duties are too expansive to list! She is incredibly organized and manages the demands of her role with an unparalleled attention to detail, professionalism, and kindness. She is a beloved member of the team in Undergraduate Education.

 

Abigail Gschwend

Department: Kelley Direct

Nominated by: Kylie Smith, Graduate Accounting and Finance Programs

Nomination text: Abigail is tireless in her efforts to improve diversity in the Kelley Direct Online MBA Program and to provide amazing support and resources to KD students. She was instrumental in creating partnerships with FORTE and ROMBA, organizations that provide great resources and funding for female and LGBTQ+ MBA students. She's also presented at several conferences to share inclusive recruitment and retention ideas with other universities.

 

Carissa Bullman

Department: University Enrollment Services

Nominated by: preferred to stay anonymous

Nomination text: Carissa is a wealth of knowledge and is an integral part of the UES Student Records team. She is very easy to work with and is a compassionate supervisor. She truly cares about our Student Records team, individually and collectively, and cares about the people in the offices with which ours intersects. The work she does for IU positively impacts so many areas across all 9 IU campuses. If Carissa doesn't know the answer, she will either find it or knows the right person to point one to in order to get the assistance needed. Her 20+ years of Registrar knowledge and dedication to a job well done is priceless and we couldn't ask for a better representative for UES Student Records than Carissa. I am so thankful for who she is and all she does.