Sending a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — March 5

As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 18 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what's asked of them in their work at the University.

This week, on behalf of the entire Penn State community, we'd like to say thank you to:

• Jennifer Barlett, graduate enrollment coordinator at Fox Graduate School, whose nominator wrote: "Jennifer has a great attitude and is a pleasure to work with. She embraces new challenges with confidence and has been a strong advocate for her team during the launch of new software. We are truly fortunate to have her."
• Joyce Bevan, administrative support coordinator for nursing at Penn State Behrend, whose nominator wrote: "Even with a growing enrollment and the start of a new nursing option starting on campus, Joyce continues to manage the increasing responsibilities with a smile and proficient, exceptional work. We are lucky to have her on our team!"
• Linda D'Ambrosia, enrollment services specialist in the College of Medicine, whose nominator wrote: "Linda is the heart and soul of the Office of Medical Student Admissions. She manages the Herculean task of scheduling over 700 virtual interviews per cycle. I could never meet my recruitment goals without Linda's dedication to getting things done. She cares deeply about the success of our institution. Thank you, Linda!"
• Jill Davis, events manager in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose nominator wrote: "Jill goes above and beyond for the dean's office and the college. She is a great team player and always steps up when someone needs assistance, even if it's outside of her daily responsibilities. Jill consistently goes the extra mile for her colleagues and is a pleasure to work with."
• Jamie Deimling, testing coordinator in Student Disability Resources, whose nominator wrote: "Jamie has shown exceptional leadership in piloting the implementation of RegisterBlast. She guided a collaborative update of the office's exam center to strengthen academic integrity, and she always puts students first. Her impact on the department is immeasurable."
• Christine Fratangelo, customer service representative in Auxiliary and Business Services, whose nominator wrote: "Christine brings caffeine, cheer and kindness to Edge in Findlay Commons each and every day! Our work lives are better because of her and her team."
• Patty Gochenauer, senior manager for Student Life and Career Services at Penn State Mont Alto, whose nominator wrote: "Patty has been a thoughtful, professional and insightful support to Brandywine's Career Services while maintaining her role at the Mont Alto campus. I offer the gratitude of our campus and our appreciation for her work as she enters a new phase at Penn State."
• Christina Grozinger, director of Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, whose nominator wrote: "Christina is busy, yet prioritizes student and faculty success through nominations, letters and outreach. A leader in entomology and science education, she remains approachable. She listens and inspires everyone around her."
• Yara Haddad, academic adviser in Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: "Yara is a fairly new member of our team, but I can say that our team wouldn't be the same without her! She is so thoughtful, careful and fun. Our team has rounded out nicely with her addition, and I know the students love working with her. She is dedicated, detailed and thorough in all she does!"
• Shannon Knudsen, pre-award coordinator in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), whose nominator wrote: "Shan continually goes above and beyond to support researchers. He goes the extra mile to ensure their proposals are the best they can be, thereby increasing the likelihood of them being reviewed and awarded."
• Kelly Marcello, manager of Housing and Food Services at Penn State Beaver, whose nominator wrote: "Kelly went above and beyond in supporting our students and community! Through her leadership, Kelly organized a food drive with students to collect over 440 pounds of donations for a local food bank. The team's hard work made a difference for families in need, and we're proud to celebrate the effort."
• Amber Martin, associate teaching professor of applied linguistics in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose nominator wrote: "Besides teaching the tenets of academic writing to first year students for whom English is not their first language, Amber has mentored a number of graduate students. She also works closely with the Writing Center and has taught and recommended a number of students to serve as tutors there."
• Penny Meyer, IT asset management specialist in Penn State IT, whose nominator wrote: "Penny is a miracle worker! She recently helped our college with a time-sensitive software crisis when it seemed like all hope was lost. Penny went above and beyond to help and was kind, courteous and understanding of our situation. Thanks, Penny!"
• Kennedy Morrison, mental health counselor in the Sheetz Family Health Center at Penn State Altoona, whose nominator wrote: "Kennedy deserves a shoutout for the great job she is doing running affinity groups, helping run former Foster Lions, the endless support she gives students and the smile she wears while she does it."
• Kayla Pedmo, administrative support manager in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), whose nominator wrote: "Thank you, Kayla, for going above and beyond for your colleagues every day and leading with compassion. We are so grateful for your hard work and constant support!"
• Kerstin Roan, international student adviser in Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: "Kerstin leads the team for international student communications and was pivotal in revising the content for the new Penn State Global International Student and Scholar Advising web pages. She established a monthly newsletter for international students with timely reminders and keeps colleagues in the loop of what is sent out to students."
• Nicole Wolfe, grants and contracts manager in the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research, whose nominator wrote: "Nicole is an exceptional supervisor, leader, mentor and role model. She's always willing to take time out of her busy schedule to work through any issues you're facing. She understands the need for work-life balance and makes her staff feel appreciated and valued."
• John Zangari, administrative and facilities assistant for the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the College of the Liberal Arts, whose nominator wrote: "John's efforts in managing the logistics of the temporary move to Hammond Building have been exceptional. His work as the main point of contact, ensuring adequate furnishings and managing keys and FAR Forms has been invaluable to the success of the transition. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty."

Thank you Jennifer, Joyce, Linda, Jill, Jamie, Christine, Patty, Christina, Yara, Shannon, Kelly, Amber, Penny, Kennedy, Kayla, Kerstin, Nicole and John - and to everyone who helps make Penn State such an incredible community!

Do you know someone who deserves a shout out? If you do, consider nominating that person by filling out a short online form.