Cheryl Faust Named KU Employee of the Month for April 2020

KUTZTOWN, Pa. - Congratulations to Cheryl Faust, administrative assistant for the College of Education, on being named KU Employee of the Month for April 2020.

Faust's nomination comes from four faculty from the College of Education:

Dr. Carissa Pokorny Golden:

"Cheryl brings a wealth of dedicated time and experience to the Office of the Dean of the College of Education. Her work at Kutztown University in the nursing department, fine arts department and the bursar's office makes her indispensable; she knows how varying offices work and how to reach out to others at the university to do her job in an exemplary way. Cheryl's work ethic is also second to none. She is usually the first person in the office in the morning and her enthusiasm for her getting the job done right is contagious. Cheryl is the utmost professional when it comes to completing her commitments. Whether it is her work with Title II and candidacy (which is challenging and time-consuming), or her extensive knowledge of the paperwork that keeps our office going, Cheryl knows her job well. Everyone in our office and those outside our office, faculty, staff and students, rely on her extensive knowledge and her willingness to help.

Cheryl's ability to achieve the goals of our office and that of the university has been even more apparent since we have transitioned to working in an online environment. Since the new transition, Cheryl ensured that our faculty and students are able to get their work accomplished in an expedient manner. She has ensured that our department chairs have the resources they need to get their work done. Cheryl has also acted as a mentor to both of our new department secretaries, creating and holding a weekly meeting for College of Education secretaries to get together and talk about their needs and ask questions.

Lastly, Cheryl's work as a volunteer at Hawk Mountain has also benefited the university and its mission to its surrounding community. Her work with raptors, her work with owls and their banding and her work as a mentor at Hawk Mountain has brought many new students to the university. Cheryl has volunteered her services as a handler at the university in the past, giving demonstrations at various campus events, as well as working with several faculty and staff members to volunteer to speak at Boy Scout Meetings and other events. Honestly, Cheryl's work at the university in this area goes greatly unknown, despite its importance to her work here as a staff member at Kutztown.

Cheryl is an asset that we couldn't work without. Her work is greatly appreciated."

Dr. Anne Brawand:

"As new department chair, there were several areas in which I needed direct guidance this year and Cheryl was always available and willing to assist.

Upon appointment in May 2020, I was immediately tasked with hiring paperwork, which can be extremely overwhelming to navigate. Cheryl was meticulous and patient in knowing what components I needed to finalize that process. As this next year of hiring arrived, Cheryl continues to guide department chairs and faculty in the right direction to secure temporary faculty. Teacher Candidacy is another area Cheryl is the expert at and she guides many students to problem solve requirements still needed. I honestly don’t know how she keeps track of all the names and recalls specific situations but her organizational system is amazing. I have a lot to learn from her filing strengths and am fortunate to have her in the College of Education.

No matter how busy Cheryl is, she takes the time to check in with you if you are in the dean's office, and this has been since I began at Kutztown several years ago. She's very personable and has built rapport and connections with all faculty and students she encounters. This ability makes stressful events much more bearable. On a daily basis recently, I have individualized instruction, internship and change-of major requests. Shortly after dean approval, Cheryl has forwarded approvals to all departments needed. This is extremely helpful as we transitioned to online and all the forms are very easily tracked with her focused work ethic to provide quick turnaround times.

This is only a small sample of the degree of quality work and positive educational environment produced by Cheryl. I am ending my first year in a leadership position at the higher education level and I have witnessed firsthand the vital role all secretarial staff including Cheryl contribute to the seamless function of the college and institution. I am very appreciative for all the administrative assistants I encountered through my time at KU and Cheryl’s dedication to the success of the college is well apparent."

Dr. Helen Hamlet:

"Cheryl demonstrates professionalism in every task. She has a role that incorporates working with many, many faculty, students and staff. In each interaction, Cheryl is caring and empathic while maintaining her professionalism and boundaries. She has consistently demonstrated integrity and maintained the high standards of KU. No matter how many times the department faculty lose their way in the hiring paperwork, etc. - Cheryl is patient, kind and facilitates the success of all those with whom she interacts.

Cheryl's contribution towards achieving the goals of the College of Education and KU is immeasurable. Cheryl goes far and beyond expectations to facilitate student success and student retention. She is the front line when working with students who are upset or having difficulty achieving candidacy or passing the PRAXIS. She works with all students with the goal of supporting their college career and enhancing their experience here at KU. From another perspective, Cheryl has a knowledge of processes, offices and procedures that is just unbelievable. When lost - I call Cheryl. Her historical knowledge and current knowledge combine to create an unbeatable resource.

Cheryl communicates her pride of KU in so many ways. For example, in College of Education chair meetings, she will point out aspects of (e.g. Admissions or Accepted students’ events) various events that worked well, didn't work well and - most importantly - provide suggestions about solutions. Cheryl works to make KU shine - Cheryl is KU strong!"

Dr. Andrea Harmer:

"Cheryl has one of the most difficult positions on campus, in my opinion, because she is a college dean's main secretary; yet, she performs her tasks in the most efficient and straightforward manner possible and does so with good humor.

Since we have gone totally online, I've found Cheryl's help to be even more invaluable and her manner even more helpful. For example, if I am missing a blank form that is due to be filled out, that she has already previously sent it to me, she does not admonish me for not having it, but happily resends it so that I can get the work done that I need to and make the deadline.

Cheryl is the go-to person in the College of Education and I cannot imagine having anyone else in that position who would do the job that well. Dean Ward is lucky to have her as his right-hand person and we, in the College of Education, are fortunate that we have someone as efficient, helpful and friendly as Cheryl."

Nominations are collected from students, faculty and staff, and the Employee of the Month is selected by the Human Resources Advisory Council. A winner will be selected each month, and out of the 12 monthly winners one will be selected as Employee of the Year. The Employee of the Month will receive a plaque, reserved parking and a $100 monetary gift sponsored by President Hawkinson.

For more information on the award or to nominate someone, please visit the KU human resources website.