Service Awards Honorees 2019
Jean has directed over 60 theatrical productions at FAU and overseen over 100 MFA Candidates through graduation while in service at FAU. He is a valued member of the program and is retiring this year.
During his tenure at FAU, Dr. Arockiasamy has always placed student success as his priority and made significant contributions to technology advances in the area of materials and renewable energy and maintains active sponsored research of over $8 million from national, and state agencies (NSF, National Academy of Sciences, US Army Corps of Engineers, US DOT, FDOT ) and industries.
Lee is a passionate runner, who has successfully completed multiple marathons. At FAU, he consistently goes the extra mile to support and help our students. He teaches and mentors freshmen as well as PhD students, with whom Lee shares his passion for commutative algebra. Lee maintains a high pace and just expanded his work with teachers. Thank you very much for racing with FAU to math excellence.
Tim Lenz has been a distinguished leader at FAU. He was a department chair, faculty senate president, and university trustee. He has been the advisor of the prelaw student group and the author of one of the first free digital textbooks for American Government.
Prof Ben-Zaok has served in many capacities with in the college. His teaching and research interests include public policy analysis, implementation, and evaluation; comparative public policy; urban and regional policy and planning; and environmental growth management and community sustainability. One of Dr. Ben-Zadok's recent articles about Florida smart growth was published in the International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development. His teaching, research, and service during the past 30 years have had a positive impact on the School, College, FAU, Florida, and around the world.
Ewart started working at FAU when the Office of Information Technology was called Information Resources Management. In these 30 years, Ewart has worked at 5 FAU locations (Boca, Commercial, Fort Lauderdale, Dania Beach, and Davie). In each of these locations, he has been instrumental in developing the classroom infrastructures, while maintaining an excellent service supporting faculty with their classes, and the FAU community with events and other activities.
Dr. Elishakoff is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering who is regarded as an authority in the area of mechanics. He is a prolific writer, having published 16 major books and over 500 journal papers in his area of expertise. Dr. Elishakoff cares about his students and aims to find innovative ways to engage them in the classroom.
Simon is an internationally acclaimed philosopher. At FAU he is known for his commitment to rigorous academic standards and for his efforts to ensure excellence in our students. He has been a tireless defender of the importance of philosophy for a liberal education. He is a cordial and good-willed colleague whose ideals inspire his students and colleagues.
Prof. Becky Lautar is a distinguished professor of violin and chamber music, and has been a member of several professional chamber music groups in the region. She served as Chair of the Department of Music for nine years and recently was promoted to be Associate Dean. She is a tireless supported of her faculty and students and her work makes the world a little more harmonious each day.
Dr. Imad Mahgoub is a Tecore Endowed Chair Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and the Director of Tecore Networks Laboratory. His research interests are in Smart Mobile Computing, Vehicular Networks, Smart Health Technologies, among other things. Many of his graduate students have become successful academic and business leaders.
With a handful of pioneers, Dr Gary Perry established the first Basic Neuroscience Laboratories at FAU (his to study mechanisms of neural damage, growth, and regeneration), an essential component of its interdisciplinary PhD Program in Complex Systems and Brain Sciences. An outstanding teacher and researcher, Perry’s visionary and leadership abilities quickly became apparent, rising to appointments as Dean of the College of Science and Provost of our University.
Dr. Raviv, is a professor of Electrical Engineering, and Director of FL Israel Institute. His research interests are in autonomous vehicles, active vision, teaching & learning innovative thinking, and how to teach innovatively. He is the author of 5 books & many publications, including "Eight Keys to Innovation". He is a co-holder of a Guinness World Record for the World's largest ball of tape.
Dr. Rhodd holds a PhD in Economics from Fordham University. He serves the College of Business as the Associate Dean for our Broward Campuses. Rupert is very community minded and helps us to find new ways to connect with our students and community in Broward County.
Dr. Scarlatos was one of the founding members of the CEGE Department, for which he served as the Chair for 9 years. His major achievements at FAU include teaching 28 different courses, graduating 19 MS students, authoring 130 scientific publications, and securing $3.2 million of research funds as PI & Co-PI. His academic and consulting activities have reached 20 US states and 22 foreign countries.
Dr. Schock is a Professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering who is highly regarded in the oceanographic community for his inventions of the Chirp and BOSS sonar technologies, which have played invaluable roles in the success of many Navy field programs aimed at studying sediment processes and ocean acoustics. Dr. Schock is a veteran submariner.
Congratulations, Dr. Bob Shockley for your 30 years of service. As Chair and Professor, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, College of Education, your leadership has garnered the department an enviable record of quality teaching, relevant research and substantial service to the College, the University and the wider community. Thank you.
Dr. Vertes was hired as one of a small cadre of FAU’s first Neuroscientists, who helped establish the Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences and which set the foundation for FAU’s Neuroscience Pillar and Brain Institute. His nationally acclaimed research on sleep, learning and memory has been continually funded by the NIH helping to raise FAU’s profile as a research university.
Eileen has served in the Office of the Inspector General, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs. Her roles in Student Affairs have covered the VPs office, University Housing and the Dean of Students. She has been integral in the facilitation of the Technology Fee Committee. Eileen’s demeanor, commitment and resourcefulness has made her a valuable part of each office she has served.
Dr. Wener wrote and had program curriculum approved prior to CSD becoming a department. She wrote and submitted first national accreditation application, served as program director from 1992 to 2001 and Dept Chair from 2001 to 2018. Dr. Wener also wrote the justification to the FL Board of Regents to offer the Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, approved in 1999.
Dr. Zarruk holds a PhD in Finance from Louisiana State University. He serves the College of Business as the Department Chair of Finance. Emilio is a strong, steady leader who can be counted upon to serve his department, the College and the University to the best of his ability.
For 25 years, Prof. Adams has been a pillar of the Davie campus. He published two important books on literary modernism, a textbook for the Vietnamese market, and many shorter publications. He also won two Fulbright fellowships (in Vietnam and India). He has always been a fine teacher, a vocal advocate for the Davie campus and an excellent mentor for those students. Congratulations Don!
Dr. An is an Associate Chair and Professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering, who over the years has developed effective hands-on education in engineering, involving innovative engineering projects. Students rate his teaching highly. Outside of teaching, Dr. An is an avid ice-hockey player.
Dr. Barry joined the College of Nursing in 1994 and is a tenured Professor since 2003. Her outstanding contributions to Nursing have been the positive outcomes in community nursing practice, education and research. Her work in community based scholarship is transforming nursing practice through curricula change, community immersion and policy development. We appreciate her years of service.
Kathy Basile has served as the Marketing Department’s Senior Secretary for 22 years, across four different chairs. She is the consistently friendly face of the department, providing exceptional support for faculty and students and an invaluable knowledge base. She previously worked for the FAU Office of Testing and Evaluation, and before that she was an elementary school teacher for 20 years.
Judith puts her heart into every student she meets. Her greatest strength is student advocacy. She always has an open door for everyone and a smile on her face.
Dr. Brigman's work has revolutionized the field of School Counseling. His early grant-funded research led to the creation of "Student Success Skills" a School Counselor-led k-12 curriculum that had a demonstrated impact on academic performance. This was some of the first foundational studies that affirmatively established the link between self-management skills and increases in academic performance (reading and math). He has expanded into the area of Social-Emotional Learning, and his program is included in the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL)'s list of Evidence-based SEL programs. Not content to stop there, Dr. Brigman is now working on research into healthy aging and using many of the same approaches with older adults.
Dr. Valerie Bryan is a Professor of Adult and Community Education Leadership in the department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology. Dr. Bryan serves as the Charles Stewart Mott Eminent Scholar of Community Education and Director of the Ernest O. Melby Center for Community Education. In 2015, Dr. Bryan was the recipient of the International Hall of Fame Award for Adult and Continuing Education.
Oliver Buckton has been an excellent and popular teacher, a fine colleague, and an award-winning scholar at FAU for 25 years. He has published important books and articles on Victorian literature, Robert Louis Stevenson, and spy fiction, while serving his department, college, and university admirably and having an impact on countless students. Congratulations Oliver!
Vince has served the university well over the past 26 years and has a willing and collaborative attitude. He currently works as the liaison for the police department to the Baldwin House and as a locksmith and construction project specialist. Vince is always volunteering to assist on projects whether or not it falls under his area.
Gayle has spent her career at FAU in the division of Student Affairs. Having served in the Student Union, Dean of Students and Vice Presidents Office, Gayle assists with human resources, financial oversight, and event management. A friendly face, Gayle excels at training students and professional staff in customer service.
Barbara is a historian of Latin American and Aerospace history. She published an award-winning book on the Guarani under Spanish rule, and has also curated two museum exhibits on Texan and women pilots. She currently directs the Caribbean and Latin American Studies program and has helped this year to restart our History Club. Thanks and congratulations, Barbara!
Will Not be attending awards ceremony. Employee responded to the invitation indicating she will not attend.
Dr. Hindle has been of tremendous service to FAU. He is the IT manager supporting Geosciences’ unique Geospatial Information Technology. A pioneer in teaching eLearning courses, he also implemented economical yet reliable infrastructure behind Geosciences’ numerous online courses, degrees and certificates. As the Graduate Program Director, he has contributed greatly in growing Geosciences’ graduate programs. He is also the OURI liaison in Science College.
Dr. Ivy diligently served as chair of geosciences, dean of science, and senior associate provost. He established the PhD in geosciences and supported the launching new academic degree programs throughout the colleges. Russ led the creation of the Center for Global Engagement, and he has been instrumental in supporting global student mobility and international engagement across the university.
James Kumi-Diaka is a cancer biologist and Associate Professor of Biology. He is known by his colleagues and students for his leonine efforts in service and undergraduate research mentoring, training over 250 undergraduate student researchers to date over the course of his tenure at FAU.
Jay Lyons, respected physiologist and Associate Chair of Biology, was hired as one of the original faculty on the Davie Campus. At the time, Davie had no research or teaching labs in place. We now have excellent facilities and maintain active research and teaching programs. Jay has been a vital part of our remarkable transition.
Marie’s mentorship and strong institutional knowledge have been invaluable, especially during times of organizational change. She has been essential in the professional growth of the team as HR professionals and regularly goes the extra length to make each member of our team feel special. We appreciate how often Marie steps into the weeds with her team to help in resolving issues. Her contributions to the annual Benefits Fairs and in recent years, the Employee Service Awards, have been stellar. Faculty and Staff always look forward to meeting with Marie, especially when discussing their retirement through their career.
Dr. Patricia Maslin Ostrowski is a Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology. Her expertise is in the areas of Leadership Theory and Qualitative Research Methodology. Her book entitled the Wounded Leader is widely considered a seminal contribution to the literature in educational leadership. During her time at FAU Pat has serve in many faculty leadership capacities in the department, college and university.
Jeffrey Morton is the Pierrepont Comfort Chair in Political Science, a Fellow at the Foreign Policy Association and the Director of the Leon Charney Diplomacy Program. His students have represented the university at major diplomatic competitions since 1996 and have won two national titles.
Paula joined FAU 1994. She was hired as an Accountant for the Cashier’s Office, but worked her way up to Payroll and later Student Financial Aid. In 1996, she was hired by Dean Lafferty as Business Manager in the College of Education. In 2004, Dean Coates convinced Paula to join the College of Business, where she is currently the Business Manager. Paula loves her job and co-workers.
Mark Pona (retired) has proudly served the Florida Atlantic University community since 1994, when FAU was still a military base (where his father proudly served). He is also a graduate of the prestigious AD Henderson University School. Sgt. Pona was the supervisor in charge of the FAU Port St. Lucie campus that shared space with Indian River Community College, now Indian River State College. He was in charge of the operations that consisted primarily of Police Service Technicians and I must say he ran a tight ship.-
Dawn Smith has served the students, faculty and staff of FAU with distinction most recently as Assistant Dean for Public Services in the Libraries. She has modeled excellence in customer service and has been a role model to her staff, She has also made a significant mark on the Library by chairing the Space Allocation Committee that has spearheaded the reimagining of the physical space.
Kimberly serves both as a member of the Registrar’s team and as a central student services team member for the Jupiter campus. She handles room scheduling needs for the Jupiter campus and assists students with registration and other Registrar questions for Jupiter students. Kimberly is always ready to jump in to help the department accomplish its goals.
Dr. Debra Vance Noelk has been a dedicated faculty member of A. D. Henderson University School and FAU High School for over 25 years. Dr. Noelk is a passionate educator whose first priority is teaching, inspiring, and supporting students to reach their potential. Teaching kindergartners requires tremendous energy and Dr. Noelk never fails to demonstrate boundless enthusiasm for her students. The love and admiration of her students is apparent in how they rush to her class and how they light up when they see her. In addition to being a committed educator, Dr. Noelk is a staunch advocate for teachers and education. She has served as the school’s union representative for many years and has earned the respect of her colleagues. Dr. Noelk’s talents will be missed at A.D. Henderson and we wish her health and many new adventures in the next chapter of her life
Dr. Eliah Watlington leads the Jupiter Osher Lifelong Learning Center, the largest of the three FAU OLLIs. She takes a hands-on approach to customer service for her OLLI patrons. She is especially adept at working with her Board to establish direction for OLLI growth. Her relationship building skills have led to many sponsorships and donations from her patrons which have greatly benefitted OLLI Jupiter.
Mehran has played a key role in the operation of the Office of Technology for over 20 years. His commitment to service, innovation, and the well-being of the Team and the University as a whole is evident every day. He is known University-wide as someone you can reach out to to solve any problem.
Laurie is a fundraiser’s fundraiser. Her knowledge of and experience with the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters -- easily the most programmatically-diverse college at FAU with everything from Italian to the Visual Arts to Political Science -- is nothing short of encyclopedic. It certainly doesn’t hurt that she is an alumna, having earned her a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from this same College in 1989. This College, this University and certainly our Division of Institutional Advancement are extremely fortunate to have her on our team, and it is a pleasure to recognize her twenty years of service.
Traci Catto has been a dedicated member of the College of Education for 20 years. She provides outstanding service to students, and is a highly regarded teacher and mentor. She has a unique capacity to forge partnerships to enhance teacher training, our students greatly benefit from her passion to guide the next generation of teachers. We are honored to have her on our team.
Ruben is extremely knowlegable in university policy and procedures. He prides himself on accuracy and staying up to date with changes in the catalog. He is our office comedian and is always keeping someone entertained.
Susan Dorchin has been a valuable member of the vocal faculty in the Department of Music. A Nationally Certified Alexander Technique instructor, Susan has developed FAU's Alexander Technique course specifically for performing musicians, one of the few in the SUS.
Dr. Julie Earles stands out for her unrelenting commitment to the students of FAU and its Wilkes Honors College. As a highly regarded expert on the psychology of memory, Julie has published peer-reviewed work with many of her students. Her service to FAU notably includes facilitating undergraduate research through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry. Dr. Earles is a passionate teacher and mentor who works tirelessly to ensure the success of her students.
As a founding faculty member of the Wilkes Honors College, Dr. Christopher Ely has been a vital part of the College in Jupiter, where he instructs and mentors undergraduate students and in the Department of History in Boca, where he teaches graduate students. As a first-rate scholar of Russian history and co-creator of the History Concentration in the Honors College, Dr. Ely has never failed to impress in his curriculum development, his teaching, and his research.
Responsible, caring and humble. That’s Dr. Larry Faerman. Since joining FAU in 1999, Larry has worked to make sure our students feel cared for and safe, from coordinating Night Breakfast during exam week, to remaining on campus during emergencies like hurricanes. In his current role as Acting Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management, Larry oversees all aspects of student life, promoting a campus culture that embraces student success. Our students are fortunate to have an advocate like Larry always looking out for them, and we are equally fortunate to call him a colleague.
Marlene is the glue that holds Public Affairs together. She balances our budget, organizes everything that needs organizing, and keeps us pointed in the right direction when we’ve forgotten what we’re doing next. Congratulations, Marlene, on 20 years of service to FAU. We’re all grateful for everything you do.
Patrick is an FAU Alumnus from South Florida. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. While pursuing his degree, Patrick served our Department as a Community Service Officer for nearly 3 years and was an active member of the American Criminal Justice Association Lambda Alpha Epsilon. In his career here at Florida Atlantic University, Patrick has distinguished himself within the Florida Atlantic University Police Department in many capacities. He has served as the Community Service Officer Program Director, Police Communications Officer and Police Communications Manager, Systems Programmer, Coordinator of Computer Applications and is now heading the Florida Atlantic University Department of Public Safety, Security Technology division.
Dr. Goodrick is a world-renowned researcher in organization theory. Her work as chair of the personnel committee is crucial to the success of the department.
Professor Guneratne is a full professor and Director the Graduate Certificate in Film, Video, and New Media. His primary fields of research include historical and contemporary interpretations of Renaissance texts , film history (focusing on the study of film movements), and the cultural history of aesthetic forms ranging from classical dance and lyric opera to printed books and picture postcards.
Eric has been the consummate colleague and an outstanding teacher. An expert in early Islamic history he has served as the Chastain-Johnston Chair in Middle Eastern Studies. As the department's undergraduate director he goes the extra mile for our students and steps forward to serve the university whenever there is need. Thank you and congratulations, Eric!
Since his hire in 1999, assoc. prof. Dr. Michael Harrawood has guided the direction of the Honors College and provided invaluable service to FAU. From his co-creation of the English Literature Concentration to his leadership as Founding Director of Theatre in the Raw, from his Shakespeare course to his iconic “Comedy and the Devil,” Dr. Harrawood’s tireless promotion of the humanities has helped to keep liberal arts education at the center of the Honors College’s mission.
Bill began his career at FAU as police service technician and shortly thereafter he became a police officer. He has served as a Corporal, Sergeant, Training Sergeant and Field Training Officer. He is currently assigned to our Broward Campus operations.
Dr. Vijaya Iragavarapu-Charyulu (Dr. VJ) jhas made significant contributions to research, teaching and service throughout her career. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to research, Dr. VJ was awarded FAU Researcher of the Year in 2013. In 2017, the medical students nominated her for Outstanding Course Director. In 2017, she was named Outstanding Problem Based Learning Facilitator of the Year. Dr. VJ is also devoted to educational scholarship. In 2018 she attended the Harvard-Macy Program for Medical Educators. She was recognized for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring in 2009 and 2011. Dr. VJ actively serves the college, university and the scientific community in numerous ways. Dr. VJ has served The Society of Leukocyte Biology as Chair of the Women & Diversity Committee, Editor of the iSLB Newsletter, and member of the publication committee. We are extremely grateful to Dr. VJ for her invaluable contributions to research, teaching and service at FAU over the last 20 years.
As a prolific author and researcher, Dr. Kane has published dozens of manuscripts, primarily in the field of healthy aging mental health, while also serving as a mentor to junior faculty. Dr. Kane has served on several University committees, including the Institutional Review Board, where he aided in the ethical practice of research with human subjects. Dr. Kane was instrumental in the development of the first Doctorate of Social Work program in the state of Florida, here at Florida Atlantic University, while also serving on several doctoral committees. Dr. Kane has also been a member of our program assessment committee which is directly tied to the accreditation of both the BSW & MSW programs.
Professor Max Kirsch is the former director of the Public Intellectuals program of the Comparative Studies doctoral program and he fromerly served as UNESCO chair in Human and Cultural Rights. He is the author of multiple books on wide-ranging topics, from Queer Theory, to Global Politics.
Amy Kornblau has demonstrated flexibility and commitment to the University and its students serving as Assistant Dean for Service Enhancement and Project Management in the Libraries. In this role she has led the development of the Libraries emergency management plans, as well as effective user surveys in the efforts to turn survey responses into actions resulting in continuous service improvement.
Bonnie has been working as the assistant of the Raddock Chair for almost 21 years. Her performance is superlative. She combines professionalism, integrity, experience, and insight. Faculty, students, and community members all give her the highest rating.
Jim is respected by everyone for his dedication and contributions to the FAU network. His hard work and dedication is are not only essential to our department, but to all of FAU. It is a pleasure to have someone like Jim as a committed member of the OIT family.
Congratulations Nadine! This is a very significant year for you as you celebrate 20 years with Florida Atlantic University. It is also a very special occasion for FAU to celebrate with you since it is a testimony of your loyalty over the years. You have been a valuable asset to the Controller’s Office/Accounts Payable Department since April 7, 1999 and have always been a team player ready to assist your colleagues, Suppliers, and all members of the FAU community, while ensuring invoices and Travel reimbursements are processed effectively and efficiently. Due to your efforts, many of our organizational achievements have beeen met. Thank you for your continued hard work and dedication. We look forward to your ongoing contributions here at Florida Atlantic University.
Sinikka has a positive, upbeat attitude she welcomes new and returning library users alike. Using her skill and expertise, she provides excellent customer service to anyone who comes to the Wimberly Library. She is a team player who loves to collaborate and work on projects with her colleagues to improve on the services and implement new services to the FAU community.
Dr. Oge Marques is a professor of Computer Science & Engineering, An ACM Distinguished Speaker, Co-Editor-in chief of the 3rd Edition of the Encyclopedia of Multimedia (Springer), and the author of more than 100 publications. Dr. Marques is a popular and decorated teacher, whose lectures are interesting, fun and motivating.
James has made significant contributions in support of our enterprise-level cloud computing and infrastructure for many years. Specifically, his specialized expertise in VMWare, Citrix, cloud desktops and storage as well as general computer information systems support has enabled him to provide remarkable support to all department faculty and staff. We are so grateful for his hard work and service provided to the College for over 20 years.
We're extremely proud of Coach McCormack, his leadership and his success with our baseball program. Coach McCormack has been a valued member of the FAU Athletic Department for over two decades now and we look forward to many more years of success with him leading the Owls. Thank you for your service and your leadership.
Michael Obiala has served FAU for over 20 years. During Michael’s tenure he has witnessed the university’s growth as buildings were added, expanded and renovated. While buildings have become ever more technical Michael has supported the campus throughout with a combination of leadership, foresight and mentorship. Michael currently manages Preventative Maintenance services within the Engineering and Utility team. Michael supervises a team of PM mechanics provide services to ensure maximum equipment uptime thus enabling building occupants to work in a safe and comfortable environment in order to advance the university’s mission.
Dr. Oleinik’s research primarily investigates life at high-latitude regions during Cenozoic Era. During the past decade, he spent each of his Spring Breaks leading students on a week-long Field Camp in the Appalachian Mountains. For many summers, he was also the leading instructor running a 6-week capstone Senior Field Camp, which visited a dozen National Parks or National Monuments, travelling through 15 states. He has inspired many to study Geology at FAU.
As Program Coordinator for the Environmental Science Program and the lead for its undergraduate initiatives, Dr. Owen has introduced class after class of students to the wonders of South Florida’s unique natural areas. Some students discovered biting insects. Others found rare plants or glimpsed a secretive animal. All became better scientists and stronger advocates for our environment.
We are indebted to Dr. Poulson for 20 years of vision and leadership. Along with notable departmental service, she has also served as: inaugural Associate Dean (then Interim Dean) for the Honors College; co-PI of the grant leading to FAU’s HSI status; advisor to FAU’s award-winning chapter of the Nat’l Collegiate Hispanic Honor society (& VP for the southeastern US); President of FAU’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi; and Chair of the Florida Humanities Council. ¡Enhorabuena!
Professor Prusa has been an oustanding professor and reasercher in the department of visual arts and art history for 20years. Her work is exhibited and collected by institutions worldwide
Throughout the years, Apolinar has contributed in transforming the telecom and network infrastructure of the FAU Broward campuses. A great team player with a great, can-do attitude, Apolinar best reflects what well-known author Tammy Cohen once said: “A great employee is like a four-leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have”. In this case, Apolinar is our FAU Broward campuses four-leaf clover!
Dr. Rhorer holds a PhD in Comparative Studies from FAU. He serves the College of Business as Assistant Dean for Accreditation and Assessment. Marc makes sure that the College is always ready for our AACSB accreditation.
April Schimmel, Dir. of Academic Support Services for Biology, is a founding member of the Wilkes Honors College. In addition to being one of the most organized and efficient employees in the college, April, also known as “MacGyver” for her problem-solving skills & ability to fix almost anything, has planned & designed several labs and coordinated multiple lab moves. April plays a critical role in mentoring & advising students applying to medical & graduate schools.
As a Computer Lab Manager of the Fort Lauderdale campus, Joe has been essential in running and supporting faculty and staff. In the past few years, as the Fort Lauderdale campus reduced its size, Joe was left with the task of acquiring more IT responsibilities as the number of employees diminished. Nowadays, that campus would not be able to operate without Joe’s expertise, excellent support, and involvement.
Lillian joined FAU’s Facilities Management unit in 1999. Over the past 20 years her career has included a variety of promotions and professional growth. While being a valued employee, Lillian has also been dedicated FAU student earning her Bachelor’s' in Art History – graduating Cum Laude. Lillian was recognized for her professionalism and commitment by being awarded the Exemplary Service Award in 2002. Congratulations on achieving such an impressive milestone!
A founding member of Wilkes Honors College, Tim is a highly-regarded scholar of Latin American politics and religion. As a colleague and administrator, he is quick to recognize and reward others’ accomplishments. He betters the local community through nonprofit work, founding a center that assists immigrants and a program that seeks to transform the community through student-led projects.
Melissa has been the face of the physics department for twenty years where she is currently budget coordinator. She has been surrogate mother to countless students whom she patiently helps in all matters academic and personal. She continues to be the driving force behind the department’s annual pumpkin drop, listed as one of FAU’s traditions. She received a Gabor exemplary employee award in 2008.
Tania has served the College of Business advising office for the past seven months. She hit the ground running and the students benefit greatly from her expertise. She is an asset to our office and a wonderful colleague.
Teresa Van Dyke has been a dedicated public servant for 20 years, team player, and role model for the library staff. Teresa is currently serving as the Assistant Special Collections Librarian, she is instrumental in the day to day operations of Special Collections, leading tours for students in the NAVITAS program, and teaching interns about Special Collections.
Cathy has worked with the university tirelessly for over 20 yrs. Cathy has been a reliable, honest, positive, and diligent employee, her work as a Parking Enforcement surpassed our expectations. Cathy always goes above and beyond to help her co-worker in succeeding and getting the work done. She consistently performs additional duties and completed them with no financial gain or request. Our students, faculty, staff, and outside community is always impressed with her proactive approach in reminding them of the rules and regulations of the university.