SLU Stars recipients gather for a photo at the breakfast ceremony. Front row (left to right): Helen Lach, Alexis Bruce-Staudt, Cathy Koetting, Sherri Koehm, and Teri Monken Top row (left to right): Greg Buettner, Rob Boyle, Nancy Biscan, and Shawn McCaw
Members of the SLU - Madrid community celebrate with SLU Star, Marjory Hutchison de Medina. Sitting: Marjory Hutchison de Medina Standing (left to right): Paul Vita, Anne McCabe, Cary Barney, Andrew Power, Anne Dewey and Almudena Olondo
Ten members of the University community were recognized as the Spring 2016 SLU Stars in a ceremony on Thursday, March 31. The awardees are as follows:
- Nancy Biscan, John Cook School of Business - Graduate Business Programs
- Rob Boyle, John Cook School of Business - Management & Dean’s Office
- Alexis Bruce-Staudt, College for Public Health & Social Justice - Research & Grants
- Greg Buettner, Environmental Health & Safety
- Marjory Hutchison de Medina, SLU-Madrid - English
- Sherri Koehm, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology
- Cathy Koetting, School of Nursing
- Helen Lach, School of Nursing
- Shawn McCaw, Student Financial Services
- Teri Monken, Parking & Card Services
SLU Stars is a peer-to-peer recognition award that recognizes colleagues who demonstrate professionalism and behavior congruent with the University's Ignatian ideals, and whose accomplishments further the mission of Saint Louis University. SLU Stars are those unheralded staff members who regularly go above and beyond to touch the lives of the colleagues, students, clients, friends and family with whom they interact on a daily basis. Their commitment to the mission is not a singular event, but a continuous story of the mission in action.
The SLU Stars Committee includes:
- Alexis Bruce-Staudt, College of Public Health & Social Justice
- Judi Buncher, Mission & Identity
- Cathy Happa, Internal Medicine
- Katie Hoff (Chair), HR Learning & Development
- Maddie O’Connell, HR Learning & Development
- Cathy Zimmer, College of Arts & Sciences
To learn more about the SLU Star award, please click
here.
This year, Chris Collins, S.J., Assistant to the President for Mission & Identity, and Patty Haberberger, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources, offered remarks. Also, SLU - Madrid was able to virtually attend the breakfast through Fuze.
Haberberger expressed, “During each award cycle, the committee receives numerous nominations, which in itself is a tribute to the regard SLU colleagues have for one another. Not only do these tributes tell the story of our mission one SLU Star at a time, but they also reflect how ardently the nominators admire and support their colleagues.” Maddie O’Connell, SLU Stars Committee member, added, “it is an honor to be nominated, and a great honor to be chosen as a SLU Star.”
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The following is a summarized version of the nominations of each SLU Star:
Nancy Biscan, Program Coordinator of JCSB Graduate Business Programs. Not only is Nancy incredibly experienced and knowledgeable as she helps nervous new students, but she very often goes above and beyond to help them become acclimated to the a new University, a new city and – often – a new country. Her door is always open to listen, to encourage, to brainstorm and to provide gentle and honest feedback. In addition to being an ambassador for SLU, Nancy is also a caring confidant for her colleagues.She builds up the people and the community around her through her humility, service, and love.
Rob Boyle, Assistant Professor of Management and Assistant Dean for JCSB. Rob provides a strong, positive presence and builds community within the school.He mails cards to colleagues, for both sympathy and congratulations, and takes new faculty and staff members for coffee to welcome and get to know them personally. He treats colleagues and staff concerns as if each is the most important item in his day – a true sign of Rob’s respect for others. Rob chooses to see and mention the good in all people and situations he encounters.
Alexis Bruce-Staudt, Director of Research Services for College of Public Health & Social Justice. Alexis was a key individual in creating the new CPHSJ in 2013. Alexis led the charge for faculty research administration through engaging in faculty needs, providing support in areas of previous weakness or confusion, and general problem solving to determine the best course of action to help all faculty succeed. Alexis’s genuine kindness and commitment to the college and our faculty has allowed her the opportunity to expand her areas of service. She often reflects on a project to see how the process can be done better in the future and if other key players should be involved.
Greg Buettner, Senior Chemical Safety Specialist in the Office of Environmental Health & Safety. Collecting, sorting, packaging and shipping the chemical waste at Saint Louis University, in addition to conducting laboratory inspections for all research and teaching labs, can be a challenging and an overwhelming responsibility for one person. However, Greg welcomes this challenge, often with a calming and reassuring smile. He takes time to help and train others on chemical safety and has been a resource for some research and teaching laboratories. Greg is an outstanding employee whose in-depth knowledge and work ethic bring continuous improvement to the University's chemical safety and other environmental compliance programs.
Marjory Hutchison de Medina, Professor of English at SLU-Madrid. Marjory's exceptional intellectual and emotional intelligence and unfailing diligence unites students from an extremely diverse set of backgrounds in a meaningful and enjoyable pedagogic experience fully in the spirit of SLU's mission. Marjory creates strong rapport and feelings of inclusivity among all of the students in all of her classes, helping to create multi-cultural conversations across our highly diverse student population. As a colleague she supports healthy relationships and the value she places on reconciliation has enabled her peers to weather conflicts and to remain caring colleagues and friends.
Sherri Koehm, Senior Research Assistant in the Flow Cytometry Research Core Facility. Sherri is dedicated to continuously learning new techniques and technology, and then passing that knowledge onto other students and faculty. She is very generous with her time and expertise, teaching faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students about experimental procedures and design.Sherri is also a leader in organizing social events to celebrate her colleagues and students, as well as an active volunteer in her community.
Cathy Koetting, Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing. In her work she has been innovative, progressive and an inspiration to students and her peers. The thing that stands out most is her competence and expertise as a provider of health care and her ability to bring unique learning opportunities from her clinical setting. Cathy seeks out opportunities to tie education to improving the surrounding community through spirituality, enhancing communication and understanding.
Helen Lach, Professor in the School of Nursing. Helen encourages everyone to share their thoughts and ideas in the classroom, including international students with whom there may be a barrier with pronunciation. She is always patient and gives time to each student in and outside of class, ensuring that they never feel alone or isolated. She cares deeply about her international students and makes an effort to encourage and support them in many ways, including hosting a Christmas party so international students can experience American culture and holidays. Dr. Lach is more than just an advisor; she is a role model for her students.
Shawn McCaw, Assistant Director in Student Financial Services. Students may walk into Shawn’s office in tears, only to leave with some hope of continuing at SLU due to a special arrangement he has helped create. Shawn is one of the main players for Student Financial Services in coordinating the adoption of a family at Christmas through College Church, but he also coordinates fundraisers and events for those in Student Financial Services that are in need. He is an individual that strives to make our department, our university, and our community a truly better place.
Teri Monken, Assistant Director for Parking & Card Services. Teri is a good listener and allows input from her staff on new ideas and solutions. She treats them with kindness and respect and is a good balance to a very complicated and busy department. Teri has taken many things on campus that have been done the same way for years and pushed to make it better for students and employees. She continues to try to learn new things, solve problems and make the University a better place.
