MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR:
Welcome to a new school year full of new opportunities and possibilities for professional staff! We hope you’ll take advantage of our monthly professional development offerings, starting with a seminar on hidden benefits this month.
Also in this issue, meet your new 2019-2020 Professional Staff Council and PSA scholarship winners. We’ll also be bringing back the Spotlight in our next issue, so if you or someone you know want to be in the Spotlight, fill out the webform on the PSA home page to get on the list!
We also invite staff to participate in our committees to assist us with our annual programming and fundraisers, such as our upcoming holiday bazaar and annual member meeting, as well as outreach and communications, including this newsletter.
We welcome your emails at utpsc@utoledo.edu and confidential comments, which can be submitted online at the link provided.
GO ROCKETS! |
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Professional Staff Development Series Returns for 2019-2020
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The Professional Development Committee has been hard at work planning monthly development opportunities for you, starting with " Hidden Benefits" this month, featuring Katy Pannell, Benefits Manager.
Based on your responses to the professional development survey administered in the spring, we are offering late afternoon sessions on both the Health Science and Main Campuses, both of which are already full! If you can’t make it to your registered session, please email PSAEvents@utoledo.edu to release your seat to someone else.
You can also learn more about all of your employee benefits at the upcoming Benefits Fair. Read on in this issue for all the details! |
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Students awarded scholarships from PSC
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The 2018-2019 academic year proved, once again, busy and productive for the Professional Staff Association’s Scholarship Committee.
With the expertise and patience of Melissa Gleckler, Educational Technologist, the PSA Scholarship Committee revamped the application process, changing it to an exclusively electronic process using Blackboard and webforms. Special and continued thanks again to Melissa for walking the PSA Scholarship Committee through the seamless revamp!
"I would also like to take a moment to recognize the PSA Scholarship Committee members for their continued dedication while reviewing and selecting this year’s awardees," said Deb Krohn, former PSA Scholarship Chair. "Lisa Bollman, Kari Dilworth, Susan Edinger, Melissa Gleckler, Melissa Hansen, Sherri Kaspar, Robyn Marrufo, Carol Stamm, and Jessica Weigle, I thank you so much; couldn’t have done it without you!"
Finally, to all of you who participated in our annual Holiday Bazaar, table rental fees allowed us to award an additional $620 to this year’s PSA Scholarship pool. We cannot thank you enough!
Scholarship winners
This year, the PSA Scholarship Committee reviewed 39 highly qualified applicants for 2019 – 2020 academic year. We awarded $2,320 in PSA book scholarships to the following six UToledo students:
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Courtney Banagis
Courtney is a senior in the College of Engineering, majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Chemistry. She is a native to the Toledo area and currently lives in Holland Ohio. She is scheduled to graduate in fall 2019 and plans to use the technical skills she acquired from four co-ops to provide energy solutions to the world. Courtney is passionate about bringing a people-centered perspective to every work environment she enters. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, visiting the local metro parks, and cooking.
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Ali Ghamloush
Ali is a junior majoring in Respiratory Care in the College of Health and Human Services, originally from West Africa. He was inspired to pursue Respiratory Care by witnessing health issues involving poor respiratory practices he saw in his home village.
No photo available.
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Dominga Grace
Dominga is from Toledo Ohio. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and hopes to attain her Master’s degree in Nursing. She aspires to be a Nurse Practitioner. She is a rising junior and is very involved on campus. She participates in the Multicultural Emerging Scholars Program and she is a member of the Executive Board of Campus Activities and Programming also known as CAP, one of the largest organizations on campus. She enjoys volunteering with programs on campus such as YSOP and she is an active volunteer in her community at the Fredrick Douglass Community Center where she works with youth.
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Kayla Evanoff
Kayla is a native of Toledo Ohio. She is a senior majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Forensic Science Investigations. She is currently doing an internship with the Multi-Area Narcotics Unit. She aspires to be a detective so she can help people directly in their time of need. She wants to support and help people find justice for themselves within the judicial system. Additionally, she wants to be there for those who feel they do not have a voice. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, training her dog, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
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Trinity Zacharias
Trinity is a Psychology major, minoring in Sociology from Bedford Michigan. She enjoys playing the electric guitar, fashion, reading, anime, and hopes to earn her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. She plans to use her education as a platform to continue to be an outspoken advocate for LGBT+ individuals, women, ethnic and racial minorities, and those living with disabilities.
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Yana Vinogradskaya
Yana is originally from Almaty, Kazakhstan. She moved to Cleveland in 2011 for an opportunity of high-quality education. Currently, she is an early admission student in the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. She has a lot of hobbies such as dancing and longboarding, however, she treats the learning aspect of college as a hobby and a lifestyle. She absolutely enjoys the work she does as a leader here at UT, especially collaborating with staff and residents developing communities as an RA. Her goal is to continue encouraging herself and her peers to strive for reaching their highest potential in their personal, academic, and professional lives.
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Again, congratulations to all of our awardees!
The Professional Staff Council is in the midst of planning future fundraising initiatives in the coming year. We will reach out to fellow PSA members with more details in regards to specific initiatives in hopes to continue to build the PSA Scholarship Fund for years to come.
Fellow community supporters interested in contributing to the PSA Scholarship are invited to do so via the Professional Staff Association Scholarship donation page set up in conjunction with the UToledo Foundation. Please note that this site is open for your convenience throughout the year.
The PSA Scholarship Committee is in the process of updating this year’s PSA Scholarship Application for the 2020-2021 academic year to make it even more accessible. The application is set to open this fall and close in the spring. Stay tuned for further details.
From Deb Krohn, former PSA Scholarship Chair:
After 12 years of continued service in the Professional Staff Association, I am officially stepping down and off of Council. Please know that it has been my honor to serve with fellow colleagues throughout the years … honestly, I have met some of my closest colleagues and friends by serving on this Association and I thank you all for the memories and your continued service! More importantly, students I cannot tell you how impressed I continue to be with your dedication to your studies, our community, and to the future of our great world! I look forward to watching you reach your goals and helping you exceed your expectations so you can lead us to better times.
In the interim, it is my pleasure to hand the reigns of the Professional Staff Association’s Scholarship Committee to Co-Chairs, Robyn Marrufo and Susan Edinger.
I thank you all for the opportunity to serve you on the Professional Staff Association and I look forward to continued collaboration!
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Staff Leadership Development program calls for 2019-20 applicants
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Beginning Monday, Sept. 16, UToledo’s Staff Leadership Development program will accept applications for its third cohort, which runs from October through October 2020. Approximately 20 individuals are selected annually to participate in the esteemed program, which launched in 2017.
The UToledo program provides a formal career development pathway for emerging leaders who have served the University for at least two years.
“On behalf of the PSA Council, I highly encourage employees to apply,” said Melissa Gleckler, PSA Council chair and educational technologist for UToledo Online. “This is a fantastic opportunity that enables employees to grow professionally by having direct access to senior leaders in higher education, plus it provides the chance to expand your network among diverse University colleagues.”
Participants are required to attend at least three hours of course work every month, except during July and August when they have summer reading assignments. They also must complete a capstone project by October 2020 in order to graduate in November 2020.
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“I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Staff Leadership Development program. It’s a great program for those looking for leadership positions, and it provides insight on other areas of UToledo that you may not necessarily be involved with on a day-to-day basis.”
– Jamie Fager, senior business manager for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and former chair of the Professional Staff Association who was a member of the program’s first cohort.
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“The program served as a hub for sharing best practices, many of which I have been able to apply to my current role,” stated Jon Pawlecki, director of student services and transfer partnerships, and member of the program’s second cohort.
To apply, complete the self-nomination form by 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 30. Senior leaders also may nominate someone by completing the nomination form. A multidisciplinary selection committee will review all forms, and individuals selected to be part of the third cohort will be notified by Tuesday, Oct. 15.
If you have any questions about the program or application process, contact eva.curtis@utoledo.edu.
“I am truly grateful for the support I received,” said Craig A. Turner, career recruiter advisor for the College of Business and Innovation who also was a member of the inaugural cohort. “This is what it’s all about—seeing potential in others and helping them develop it.” |
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UToledo Open Enrollment begins October 1
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With Open Enrollment beginning October 1, mark your calendars for the Benefits Fair:
- Health Science Campus – Morse Center, Wed., Oct. 2, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Main Campus – Student Rec Center, Thurs., Oct. 3, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- FREE flu shots and health screenings available at both fairs!
Watch your email for more information as Open Enrollment approaches. |
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UToledo kicks off Mindful Mondays
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The University is kicking off Mindful Monday as part of the UToledo Campus Mindfulness Initiative. Each Monday throughout the semester, a short educational video hosted by Professor Jay Rinsen Weik will be released.
Videos are designed to assist both students and employees on how to work through challenges in a mindful manner.
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To view UToledo Mindful Monday videos,
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Meet the 2019-2020 Professional Staff Council
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(Front) Jessica Weigle, Christine Wasserman, Alana Malik, Melissa Gleckler, Jessica Faber, James A. Molnar;
(Back) Melissa Hansen, Nikki Russell, Stacy Jenkins, Rachel Stanford, Davlon Miller, Joshua Drossman, Tia Tucker;
(Not pictured - Robyn Marrufo, DeMya Wimberly, Alex Zernechel)
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It's a new year and a new council. Please join us in welcoming our 2019-20 council, which features some returning faces and some new.
The Professional Staff Council (PSC) is the elected body that represents Professional Staff Association (PSA) to the administration on topics such as the past PSA compensation study, changes in health benefits, assisting with the Outstanding Staff Awards and other various issues.
PSC is made up of 15 PSA members representing all campuses. We are poised and ready to represent you and respond to your questions and concerns as they relate to your work life here at The University of Toledo.
Join us in congratulating the following members elected to lead the council:
- Melissa Gleckler, Chair
- Joshua Drossman, Vice-chair
- James A. Molnar, Secretary
- Alana Malik, Treasurer
Thank you to all of the professional staff who participated in the elections this past spring. We would also like to thank those who were nominated for the Council and thank them for their willingness to serve.
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Our Spotlight feature will return in October!
Want to be in the Spotlight, or know someone who should?
Nominate yourself or a colleague for a Spotlight feature
in an upcoming newsletter with our web nomination form.
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Get involved, join a committee!
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You made it to the end of the newsletter! Thank you for reading the PSA Voice. We hope you enjoy the fresh design and the content.
We hope that you become active in the PSA and join us in our efforts to advocate for all professional staff employees. Please feel free to contact any of the PSC members directly to learn more.
Please consider joining a committee (see the full list of committees below).
Watch for our next newsletter in early October!
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The Professional Staff Association (PSA) of The University of Toledo consists of all classified exempt, classified salaried, and unclassified administrative and professional employees who do not belong to a bargaining unit and do not have faculty rank. The group of approximately 1,200 employees
was officially recognized by the University in 1992.
The Professional Staff Council (PSC) is the elected body that represents PSA to the administration on topics such as the past PSA compensation study, changes in health benefits, assisting with the Outstanding Staff Awards and other various issues.
Please contact PSC with any questions, concerns and ideas.
There is also an anonymous feedback form.
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