The Department of Human Resources has announced UMBC's Employee of the Quarter award recipients.

Danita Eichenlaub, assistant director of the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology (JCET), is the exempt Employee of the Quarter. Eichenlaub, who has been at UMBC for four years, is known for demonstrating outstanding leadership skills during the PeopleSoft implementation, while assisting two other UMBC NASA Centers, Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST) and the Center for Advanced Studies in Photonics Research (CASPR). This year, she has taken on additional responsibilities since the passing of Sharon Davis, JCET's business manager.

Gayle E. Chapman, assistant director of CASPR, says, “Danita is knowledgeable, sensitive and helpful to the UMBC community at large and to those she supervises. After the unfortunate passing of Sharon Davis, Danita has been responsible for Sharon's work as well as her own. In addition, she is taking classes in a Ph.D. program at University of Maryland University College. Danita handles all of this daunting responsibility with grace.”

"Recognition and acknowledgement are strong motivators, so it was adelightful surprise to be selected for the Employee of the Quarter Award,” says Eichenlaub. “Being notified of the award during our monthly JCET Faculty meeting allowed me to share the moment with many of the people that I work so closely with at UMBC."

Sylvia Wickham, administrative assistant II in the procurement office, is the non-exempt Employee of the Quarter. After 13 years as an administrative assistant at the University of Maryland Baltimore, Wickham began her UMBC career in 1998 as an administrative assistant to the Director of Capital Planning and the Assistant Vice President of Administrative Services. In September 2000, she became an administrative assistant in procurement, providing complex administrative and clerical support to both procurement and Management Advisory Services.

“Sylvia has outstanding people and customer service skills,” says Ann Fusselbaugh, administrative assistant in procurement. “She is very proficient in helping others. If she doesn't know the answer, she will know the best way to find the answer. She is a designated ‘peer mentor' for the campus community and as such, she fields inquiries regarding technical difficulties. She is improving the functioning of the department and helping to keep the purchasing/receiving aspect of the PeopleSoft system running smoothly. Her professionalism is an asset to our department and to the UMBC campus community.”

Wickham says, "I try to do my job here at UMBC to the best of my ability. I never expected to receive this award. I am very appreciative and honored that my peers think so highly of me that they nominated me for this award."

Each recipient will receive a check for $500, a personalized parking space, one day of administrative leave, a certificate, his/her name on the Employee of the Quarter plaque and an invitation to the annual luncheon for all the recipients.

Human Resources offers special thanks to everyone that nominated an employee for the award. Previous nominations received will be eligible for consideration for one year from the date received. The next Employee of the Quarter recipients will be selected in December. Nomination forms and information may be found on the Human Resources Web site.