Melody Knox, Administrative Assistant II for the Graduate School, has been named UMBC’s Nonexempt Employee of the Quarter effective April 1 thru June 30, 2011. Melody began her career at UMBC in April 2007 in her current position.

Melody was nominated by Lisa Portis Morgan, Director of Graduate Progressions and Academic Services for the Graduate School.  Lisa says, “Melody is the first line of contact for most of the graduate students and receives all of the paper work, forms, and requests that have to do with their progression towards graduation.  She has direct contact with the faculty and staff in the graduate program.  When she started working in the Graduate School, she learned her job position quickly and does an exceptional job. Her customer service and people skills are to be modeled. Melody is always pleasant and her presence lends itself to a peaceful atmosphere. She has become a mentor for some of the student workers, and their work ethic and personal responsibilities have increased.”

“Melody receives an average of 100 pieces of correspondence per month.  She has put in place and maintains a mail log that tracks paperwork as it is received. This has been a tremendous asset, when students call or inquire about the status of a form. She has been instrumental in making a smooth transition to PeopleSoft. She is a backup for the Graduation Audit and is always supportive. She is loyal and a team player.”

Lisa also said, “Melody often speaks at Women’s conferences and I am sure that she brings as much joy to those women as she does to the Graduate School every day. She is a wonderful mother, wife, sister and daughter. She never complains and always seeks positive outcomes. She deserves to be recognized, for her contributions to the Graduate School and to UMBC.”

Melody was presented her award on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 during a surprise staff meeting. The guest listed included staff from the Graduate School including her nominator Lisa Portis Morgan.

 

Collier Jones, Campus Portal Architect of the Division of Information Technology, has been named UMBC’s Exempt Employee of the Quarter effective April 1 thru June 30, 2011. Collier began his career at UMBC in February 2006 in his current position.

Collier was nominated by: Lee Calizo, Director of the Office of Student Life; Eleanor Lewis, Senior Director of Communications of the Office of Institutional Advancement; Erica Johnson, Coordinator of Student Organizations & Involvement of the Office of Student Life; and Rose Huber, former Assistant Director of Publications of the Office of Institutional Advancement.  The group shared the following thought, “Collier has been the ‘heart and the brains’ behind the myUMBC redesign and has been an incredible leader through the process.  His collaborative energy is contagious. He listens intently to many audiences in order to make the best decisions possible for the site. His creative ideas have not only had a positive impact on the campus community – they have fit perfectly with the university’s mission and goals.  Collier has worked tirelessly on improving myUMBC each year, keeping up-to-date with the latest trends in web design and technology.  Collier is passionate about giving the campus an online community in which they can share knowledge and information, and with each redesign – more students have been attracted to the site. He is a delight to work with as he has a positive attitude and he communicates with ‘non-tech’ folks in a way that is helpful and informative. He is a true gift to UMBC. I believe the myUMBC site is the success that it is due to Collier’s customer service skills, technological capabilities, and sheer enthusiasm for his work.”

“MyUMBC – the redesign, the new functions of Spotlights, Events, News, etc. are all because of Collier’s efforts. The site speaks for itself. Students, faculty, and staff all now have user-friendly ways to spread news/happenings with the broader campus community. There are more iterations to come, and as he works to continue to improve the site, he reads the feedback daily and fully considers all the comments and suggestions. He also reaches out to faculty, staff, and students via department visits and open forums to ensure he receives feedback from all areas of campus. He knows the value in creating a site that gives the customers (students, faculty, and staff) what they want and what will be useful.”

They further added, “While working tirelessly on myUMBC, Collier is also taking classes at UMBC to further develop his skills and knowledge base. We work with Collier in a limited capacity, but have spoken with others on campus who agree he is a real gift to UMBC. We hope he can recognized for all the behind the scenes work he does.”

Collier was presented his award on April 14, 2010 by Jack Suess, Vice President of the Division of Information Technology.  The guest list included staff members from the Division of Information Technology, Office of Institutional Advancement, and the Office of Student Life.  Attendees celebrated Collier’s win with a sparkly pony cake and ice cream.

Each recipient will receive a check for $500, a special 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 Service Award Ceremony for all the recipients.