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Employee Engagement and Recognition

We celebrate the heart and soul of our university: our dedicated employees.

From prestigious awards recognizing outstanding contributions to engaging events designed to foster team spirit and camaraderie, we are committed to cultivating a thriving workplace culture where individuals feel valued and appreciated.

Join us in celebrating the achievements, milestones, and successes. Together, we continue to build a workplace that inspires, empowers, and excels.

 Employee Engagement


 
All Year Around Events:

To become a Triton Walking Club member, visit HR to receive your club card. You have the flexibility to enjoy self-led walks or opt to walk alongside a designated member of our HR team. See the campus walking maps for ideas.

After you complete your walk, swing by HR to have your club card validated. Completing your punch card automatically enters you into a prize drawing! Please note, to qualify for entry into the drawing, completion of your club card must occur within one of the two club sessions: session one, April through June or session two, July through September.

Stay tuned for announcements regarding scheduled group walks. Meanwhile, feel free to embark on solo walks at your convenience. Let's lace up our shoes, embrace the spirit of wellness, and make each step count towards a healthier, happier you!


If you would like to sign up to host or co-host your own Triton Walk, check out our Lead a Triton Walk page:

Lead a Triton Walk!

If you would like to learn more about our session winners, check them out here:

Celebrate our Session 1 Winner!

Congratulate our Session 2 Winner!

 

Explore Umsl: Location specific Walking Tours!

Do you want to host your own location specific walking tour?

Then check out this survey below! Fill out the information and will advertise your event for campus!

Register Your Tour!

 

 

Calling all teams! It’s time to lace up those sneakers and hit the pavement for a little friendly competition. We’re kicking off the Ultimate Walking Challenge—a race to see which team can log the most walks and claim the bragging rights!

Whether you’re a power walker, a lunchtime stroller, or someone who’s just in it for the fresh air, this is your chance to get moving, bond with your team, and have a blast.

How It Works:

  1. Form your team – Grab a group of colleagues from your unit and come up with a clever team name.
  2. Walk, walk, walk – Complete as many walking club cards as possible during this session (October - December).
  3. Compete to win – The team with the most completed walks by December 20th, will walk away as champions!

Get ready to move and make every step count! Will your team rise to the top?

Ready to walk it out? Swing by HR for your walking club punch card.

Seasonal Events:

As we approach the end of the fall semester, join UMSL HR on December 4th, for a day of workshops and activities designed to help you manage stress, recharge your energy, and prepare for the holiday season.

With expert sessions throughout the day, this event is packed with tips and tools to support your well-being. Please attend all (or some) of the sessions as your schedule allows.

To register for our events, check out the UMSL HR Percipio channel.

  • Stay Safe this Season: Get insights from Campus Police on holiday safety and identity theft prevention – 10am
  • Refresh with Chair Yoga and Breathwork: A soothing session to help you de-stress and re-center, no experience needed: sponsored by the Rec Center. – 11am
  • Mindful Meals and Budgeting Tips: Learn practical strategies from United Healthcare for affordable holiday meals and keeping calm through the seasonal hustle. – 12pm
  • Family Dynamics Made Simple: Tips for navigating family interactions with grace and ease. Join Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis for a presentation on managing family dynamics during the holidays. – 1pm
  • Create Your Own Stress Relief Kit: Wrap up the day by assembling your personalized stress relief kit to carry you through the winter break, sponsored by the UMSL Staff Association. – 2pm

Thank you to everyone who able to join us this Fall Break for a donut and cider! We donut know what we would do without you!

    

    

Exciting news is brewing on campus! As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a vibrant and connected community, we're launching a fun initiative to celebrate our campus spirit and camaraderie.

Starting this Fall, we're introducing "UMSL Spirit Fri-yays"! We invite all members of the UMSL community to don our university colors with pride. Whether it's a bold tee, a cozy scarf, or even some flashy socks, let's show off our colors loud and proud!

But wait, there's more! On each random friday throughout the fall semester, our eagle-eyed Student Affairs and UMSL HR team will be on the lookout for those sporting the UMSL hues. And guess what? If you catch their attention, you might just find yourself the lucky recipient of some sweet treats as a token of appreciation for your UMSL pride.

So, dust off that red and gold and join us in spreading the infectious energy of the UMSL spirit every Friday!

Starting in July, our HR squad is hitting the road with a mission: to bring some serious snacktime joy straight to your desks. We are your snack superheroes, swooping in to help you power through your day. Whether you're tackling deadlines or just need a tasty break, we've got treats to keep you going strong!

Keep an eye out for the UMSL HR crew – we'll be the ones with the snacks and smiles - see you there!

Snack on, champions!

Celebrating Success: Bring a Kid to Work Day

We extend our heartfelt thanks and a big round of applause to the following teams: New Student Programs & Campus Visit Experience, Campus Police, Recreation & Wellness Center, the Geospatial Collaborative, UMSL Athletics, the Provost’s Office, & UMSL Global for making our Bring a Kid to Work Day a resounding success!

From engaging activities to informative workshops, the day showcased our commitment to family and community proving once again that we're not just a bunch of grown-ups in suits (well, most of the time). It was heartwarming to see the smiles on the faces of the kids (and their adults!) as they participated in the various activities. The enthusiasm and curiosity of our young guests were truly inspiring.

Together, we're shaping the future generation of leaders, one Popsicle-sticky hand at a time!

We are looking forward to doing it all again April 24, 2025.

We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the following partners: the Chancellor's office, Academic Affairs, Faculty Senate and Staff Association for helping us host our first ever Dog Days of Summer.

We hope to see you all next year to celebrate the start of the fall semester with some good food and great company!  It's the perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues and get into the spirit of the season.

Mark your calendars, bring your appetite, and don’t forget to wear your UMSL pride! We can't wait to see you next year!

Employee Recognition


 

Established in 2024 to recognize the visionary work and efforts of these incredible individuals, the University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor’s Medal is awarded to those members of the UMSL community, as well as community friends and supporters who have made a significant contribution to advance the mission and values of the university.

UMSL Chancellor's Medal

Each month, the chancellor presents up to three staff or faculty members with the UMSL Hero Award in recognition of their efforts to transform the lives of UMSL students and the communities in which we serve. Such accomplishments may be reflected through consistent exemplary performance, through sustained work activities above and beyond normal job requirements or through the superior support of our core values of trust, inclusion, innovation, access, success and engagement.

UMSL Hero Award

At UMSL, we believe in acknowledging and celebrating the remarkable journeys of our employees.

From the first day they joined our campus community, to the continuous career milestones they've reached along the way, each step represents dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. These milestones are a testament to the hard work and passion that our employees bring to their roles.

As we reflect on these continuous career milestones, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to our employees. Your continued dedication shapes our success and inspires us all to reach greater heights together. Here's to many more years to come!

The following colleagues reached a significant milestone in 2023 or 2024:

5 Years of Continuous Service

Audri Adams
Jonathan Ahl
Eboni Alexander
Karen Allman
Vijay Anand
Ashlea Archer
Elizabeth Arrowsmith
Lindsay Athamanah
Britne Bacca-Haupt
Moses Banks
Kiley Bednar
Melinda Bier
Jacob Bolzenius
Maria Bradford
Morgan Bradley
Sophie Broz
Elizabeth Buchta
Kerstyn Buehrig
Dustin Burton
Bridget Coffey
Elizabeth Connors
Austin Culbertson
Lisa Custalow
Melissa Daniel
Austin Davis
Katelend Davis
Leslie Davis
Andresa De Souza
Michael Della Fave
Bradley Dowling
Mary Edwin
Frederick Ehrlich
Martille Elias
Katie Ellison
Keith Farley
Jaleh Fazelian
Sarah Fentem
Phillip Floyd
Rachel Gaglio
Lenka Garimella
Russell Gettemeier
Marlo Goldstein Hode
Jeremy Goodwin
Megan Gregory
Alexandra Gresick
Maggie Gross-Eldridge
Adrienne Groves
Lav Gupta
Lara Hamdan
Tasnim Haq
Nadean Harris
Erin Hart
Brian Heffernan
Andrea Henderson
Meghann Humphries
Eric Hunt
Danielle Hunter
Miriam Jorge
Keri Jupka
Lara Kelland
Shereka Kemp
Shea Kerkhoff
Burk Krohe
Anna La Manna
Michelle Leatherberry
Birda Lewis
Julie Mannarino
Brienna Manore
Alejandra Martinez
Sydney Moore
Tchule Moore
Adam Mosley
Abderrahmen Mtibaa
Edward Munn
Tareq Nabhan
Chloe Nelson
Marisa Omori
Stephen Picucci
Rebecca Preston
Coral Pucci
Alexander Rice
Heather Robinson Coburn
Justin Rubin
Aaron Ruiz
Isaac Sandidge
Kaje Sanford
Elise Schaller
James Schallom
Blake Schliesser
Eric Schmid
Judy Schmitt
Saad Siddiqui
Vivek Singh
Paul Sorenson
Bobby Spence
Justin Spiriti
Jennifer Stanuch
Sarah Stellern
Lester Stewart
Paul Thater
Dawn Thieman
Tiffani Thompson
Zakery Tierney
Umit Tokac
Melissa Travers
Jessica Tu
Kellye Tyler
Doris Villarreal
Martin Villmer
Tyler VonJensen
Phillip Waalkes
Brittney West
Samuel Wheeler
ShaQuina White
Christopher Willard
Danielle Wilson
Emily Woodbury
Brittany Wright
Nicole Yingst
Hiroko Yoshii
George Zsidisin

10 Years of Continuous Service

Timothy Abeln
Wendy Allison
Evette Bean
Michael Behle
Adam Boessen
Catherine Boyd
Michael Braxton
Erin Brooks
Amber Candela
Jennifer Chen
Yuan Chen
Lon Chubiz
Marcia Countryman
James Craig
Tara Cramer
Grace Dean
Heather Derix
Perry Drake
Danielle Faucett
Danny Freet
Vanessa Garry
Emily Gerstein
Max Gillman
Megan Green Simonds
Anthony Harper
Sylvia Harris
Tad Hartmann
Mark Hauschild
Brenda Hogenkamp
Larry Irons
Cynthia Jobe
Stepfon Kerr
Shaji Khan
Ambrose Kidd III
Robin Kimberlin
Matthew Kimbrell
Sarah Klekamp
Sha Lai Williams
Sandra Langeslag
Yuguo Liao
Lynetta McAllum
Michele Meckfessel
Keith Miller
Nathan Muchhala
Gregory Munteanu
Ryan Nelson
Jennifer Nolan
Lauren Obermark
Diane O'Brien
Brandon Ofem
Deborah O'Reilly
Monica Pasch
Wayne Pratt
Andrea Quinn
Brittany Reed
Jason Rosenbaum
Christoph Schiessl
Katy Mike Smaistrla
Shanna Sorg
Robert Sundvold
Ann Taylor
Keiko Ueda
Stephanie Van Stee
Rachel Wamser
Kathryne Watt
Timothy Wombles
Jodi Woodruff

15 Years of Continuous Service

Glen Anderson
Ellen Asher
Martin Baragiola
Alicia Beatty
Sharnice Burton
Jessica Chandler
Jimmy Christopher
Felia Davenport
Sherry Fantroy-Ross
Amanda Finley
Ravindra Girivaru
Lee Hasegawa
Stephen Holmes
Melissa Laurenti
Haitao Li
Jonathan Lilienkamp
Rachel Lippmann
Vanessa Loyd
Patricia Mahari
Joanna Mendoza
John Meriac
Michael Naumann
Mike O'Steen
Philip Reiss
Edward Riedel
Kurt Schreyer
Lindsay Shy
Angel Simmons
Todd Swanstrom
Daryl Thompson
Emily Ward
Lara Zwarun

20 Years of Continuous Service

Peter Acsay
Sonya Bahar
Kimberly Baldus
Maria Balogh
Kathleen Boland
Emily Byrne
Steve Chapman
Deborah Cohen
Julie DeKinder
Beth Dudley
Caleb Evans
Robert Garrison
Martha Green
Harry Harris
James Henry
Tina Hyken
Dwayne Jenkins
Henry Kang
Min Kang
Matthew Kliethermes
Nazire Koc
Lea-Rachel D. Kosnik
Jessica Long-Pease
Jennifer McKnight
Richard Middleton
Mark Monroe
Timothy Nelson
Michael Nichols
Janice Petty
Joseph Pickard
Shirley Porterfield
Spencer Reed
Diane Saleska
Lindsay Schmitz
Brian Shelton
Nancy Singer
Marisa Smith
Brian Speicher
Jason Stahr
Lynn Staley
Albert Stanger
Yan Tian
Michael Toohey
Xuemin Wang
Linda Wells-Glover
Tamara Wilgers
Chung Wong
David Woods

25 Years of Continuous Service

Marvin Berkowitz
Andrew Black
Tanika Busch
Lori Curtis
Christopher Dames
Qiang Dotzel
Anne Fish
Melody Freeman
Hung Fung
Loyola Harvey
Wenjie He
Evelyn Isaac-Savage
Sharon Johnson
James Karslake
David Klinger
Timothy Maher
Stephen Moehrle
Jeffrey Noel
Brenda Pratte
Emily Rapko
Jennifer Reynolds Moehrle
Phillip Robinson
Patricia Rosenthal
Antoine Silver
Jennifer Simms
Jeffrey Sippel
Deana Smith
Gloria Spates
Laura Westhoff
Catherine Williams
Shawn Woodhouse

30 Years of Continuous Service

Susan Brownell
Wilma Calvert
Nancy Crandall-Witte
Jean Gros
Lawrence Harmon
Ruth Iyob
Donald Kridel
Thomas McEwen
Joseph Rottman
Ann Steffen
Sandra Trapani
Randall Vogan
Prima Wagan

35 Years of Continuous Service

Patricia Archer
Carl Bassi
Haiyan Cai
Philip Fraundorf
Clara Jackson
James O'Brien
David Owens
Michael Remier
Karen Rhodes
Christopher Spilling
Kimberly Stanger
Janice White
Anne Winkler

40 Years of Continuous Service

William Ficklen
Ericka Grim

Celebrating Part-Time Long-Term Employees with 25 years or more Continuous Years of Service

Jamal Abdul Hafidh
James Backus
Carol Defreese
Gary Flotron
Daniel Garrett
Beth Henderson
Alan Rosenkoetter

At UMSL, we believe in nurturing and empowering leaders who shape the future of our organization. The Administrative Leadership Development Program (ALDP) stands as a testament to this commitment.

ALDP, a distinguished and time-honored leadership development initiative, has equipped our leaders with the tools, insights, and skills needed to excel in today's dynamic workplace. Over eight transformative months, a cohort of leaders has engaged in a journey of self-discovery and growth, marked by insightful leadership assessments, immersive in-person retreats, and enlightening monthly campus meetings.

By focusing on the five core leadership competencies—Performance Orientation, People-Centeredness, Cultural Competence, Values-Driven Leadership, and Strategic and Integrative Thinking—ALDP has not only enhanced leadership effectiveness but also fostered a culture of continuous learning and innovation within our organization.

Our ALDP graduates embody the true essence of leadership and serve as inspiring role models for their peers and colleagues.

Congratulations to the exceptional individuals who have successfully completed the ALDP journey. Together, we continue to cultivate a culture of leadership excellence and drive positive change across the UMSL community.

ALDP 2024 Graduates
  • Amy Schechter
  • Anna Babcock
  • Austin Culbertson
  • Britne Bacca-Haupt
  • Denise Quello
  • Justin Roberts
  • Paul Sorenson
  • Holly Schaefer
  • Kiley Bednar
  • Marie Jeep
  • Sydney Moore
  • Sylvia Harris
  • Tom McEwen

Check out our 2023 ALDP Graduates!

The UMSL Emerging Leaders Program brings together full-time employees from across UMSL’s campus to strengthen leadership skills within the university setting, build and strengthen relationships across units and roles, and increase our capacity to transform lives.

It is a year-long, cohort-based program consisting of a series of four day-long, in-person retreats featuring a combination of guest speakers, panels, and interactive workshops designed to foster community and allow participants to foster collaboration across campus while learning about their leadership style, working with diverse teams and leading within the context of higher education. 

The Emerging Leaders participants epitomize the core principles of leadership and stand as exemplary role models for their peers and colleagues.

The program’s alumni include employees from all seven colleges and schools as well as many non-academic units as the libraries, physical facilities, and student affairs. It includes professors, advisors, researchers, administrators, librarians, managers, and many others who fill the host of roles necessary for UMSL to carry out its mission.

Join us in congratulating these outstanding individuals who have successfully completed the Emerging Leaders journey. Together, we are fostering a culture of leadership distinction and propelling positive transformation throughout the UMSL community.

Emerging Leaders 2022-2023

Emerging Leaders 2023-2024

 

Celebrating academic milestones: Congratulating our employees who graduated with an UMSL degree in fall 2023, spring 2024, and summer 2024:

  • Nour Alhiyari
  • Britne Bacca-Haupt
  • Kaleigh Baker
  • Shelley Berry
  • Lashanda Boone
  • Catherine Boyd
  • Morgan Bradley
  • Kerstyn Buehrig
  • Rachael Carpenter
  • Tabari Coleman
  • Heather Cowan
  • Katelend Davis
  • Eli Driskill
  • Danielle Faucett
  • Janci Finkley
  • Kylie Flynn
  • Lillian Franzen
  • Jason Gallagher
  • Rachel Goldmeier
  • Jenna Haddock
  • Skyler Harris
  • Stephen Harvey
  • Randall Johnson
  • Carla Jordan
  • Rajeswari Katasani
  • Gracie Rose Kinder
  • Jamie Martin
  • Alexander Metz
  • Hansen Millett
  • Robert Morris
  • Sarah Muir
  • Johnna Murray
  • Megan Niehaus
  • Allegra Puls
  • Andrew Richards
  • Lacey Robinson
  • Emma Saylor
  • Faraneh Shamserad
  • Anabelle Sherrill
  • Kenneth Smith
  • Tamala Stallings
  • Kim Starkey
  • Brent Sullivan
  • Teresa Thornhill
  • Princess-Abiguail Timothy
  • Melissa Travers
  • Yiuman Tse
  • Eboni Valentine
  • Jason Vasser-Elong
  • Samantha Walls
  • ShaQuina White
  • Kuriston White-Dunlap
  • Nicole Yingst

At UMSL, we take immense pride in not only the professional achievements of our staff but also their academic successes. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our colleagues who have recently graduated with degrees from UMSL this past year.

Completing a degree while balancing the demands of work is a remarkable accomplishment that speaks volumes about their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to personal and professional growth.


Graduates from 2022-2023