Park University Recognizes Employees with 2020 Longevity Awards

Park University has honored full-time staff and faculty who reached milestone service anniversaries between Aug. 2, 2019, and Aug. 1, 2020. Forty-five employees were recognized, combining for 475 years of service to Park. Two employees received special recognition — Debra Sheffer, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of history, and Linda Waxse, counselor and coordinator of the Counseling Center, both with 30 years of service. The following is a list of those reaching milestone service anniversaries:

Five Years
          •  Ed Austin, Lead Help Desk Technical Specialist
          •  Mike Bishop, Senior Systems Administrator
          •  Sara Brewer, Financial Aid Operations Coordinator
          •  Pedro Carmona, Custodian I
          •  Mari Distasio, Student Accounts Representative
          •  Raima Dominguez, Custodian I
          •  Lindsey Edwards, Admissions Counselor
          •  Penny Emory, Financial Aid Operations Coordinator
          •  Brett Gregory, Lead Campus Safety Officer
          •  Steven Houston, Senior Technical Support Specialist
          •  Kathy Jackson, Assistant Professor of Nursing
          •  Andrea Lee, Assistant Professor of Fine Art
          •  Alvina Mannix, Campus Center Coach
          •  Amy Mecklenburg-Faenger, Associate Professor of English
          •  Shannon Nichols, Campus Center Director I
          •  Sicley Sidoran, Campus Center Director
          •  Erin Stocking, Administrative Assistant
          •  Mike Vargas, Systems Administrator

Ten Years
          •  Judy Caudill, Campus Center Coach
          •  Norman Cooper, Head Women’s Basketball Coach (Parkville Campus)
          •  Keith Dailey, Campus Center Director
          •  Penny DeJong, Associate Dean, School of Business
          •  Bill Foley, Programmer Analyst
          •  Dincer Guler, Associate Professor of Mathematics
          •  Shellie Myers, Provost
          •  Henry Roehrich, Associate Professor of Marketing/Management
          •  Brenda Royals, Lecturer of Biology
          •  Brian Shawver, Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning
          •  Janel Tait, Custodian II
          •  Daniel Veis, Assistant Professor of Music

Fifteen Years
          •  Donna Baker, Senior Director of Financial Reporting
          •  Erik Bergrud, Associate Vice President for University Engagement
          •  Silvia Byer, Professor of English and Modern Languages
          •  Lora Cohn, Associate Professor of Communications
          •  Kenneth Hefner, Head Women’s Soccer Coach (Parkville Campus)
          •  Danita Hodges, Alumni and Constituent Relations Coordinator
          •  Glenda Holder, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
          •  Wen Hsin, Professor of Computer Science
          •  Jason Kline, Head Men’s Basketball Coach (Parkville Campus)
          •  JoMarie Mortelli, Advancement Services Manager
          •  Kathy VanCleave, Online Instructor Services Administrator

Twenty Years
          •  Niki Rittenhouse, Reporting Analyst
          •  Tim Westcott, Associate Professor of History

Thirty Years
          •  Debra Sheffer, Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Professor of History
          •  Linda Waxse, Counselor and Coordinator of the Counseling Center

In addition, the University recognized 174 adjunct faculty who celebrated a milestone anniversary for consecutive years of teaching at least one class for Park, 40 of whom received 20-year service pins.