Dear Colleagues,
We are nearing the end of an eventful and successful fall 2024 semester and Thanksgiving is approaching next week, so there is no better time to express my gratitude to each of you. Thank you for working so hard throughout the year as we have made needed changes and innovations here at NKU. I appreciate how much you are all doing to guide our students, lift our community and move us forward as an institution. We are certainly making progress, NKU!
This is a community that supports one another, where we should all feel like we belong. So many of you do amazing work every day here and I want to make sure you know we see you and we appreciate you. I could write all day about thewonderful people on this campus, but here are just a few stories of some of the unsung heroes at NKU:
As director of graduate education, Sheena Brooks is unwavering in her advocacy for student success and that is not only reserved for the graduate students she serves. Sheena has instructed several UNV 101 courses where she always fosters an environment where students know that she is more than just an instructor — she is a mentor who will be there for them throughout their entire journey at NKU. Sheena has the respect and admiration of students, faculty and staff alike. In fact, one colleague commented on how Sheena has taught them so much about mentorship, recruitment and leadership, and has selflessly taken the time to share her expertise and thoughtful guidance.
Joyce Couch has dedicated 27 years to this university and TRIO Student Support Services (SSS). She currently serves as the director of TRIO SSS, where she directly supports low-income and first-generation students through proactive advising and programming. During her tenure as director, TRIO SSS students have exceeded federal and institutional metrics on student retention and graduation. If you attend theSSS graduation ceremony, you will hear countless students celebrate Joyce and her support for them throughout their time at NKU.
Randy Cutler has served NKU as clinical psychologist for a little more than 10 years and has consistently served students by providing counseling services, administering tests and assessments, facilitating relevant mental health discussions and so much more. Randy is dearly loved and respected by students, but also by colleagues who say he is warm, welcoming and friendly and always has a genuine smile, kind word or cheesy “dad joke” to share.
Karen Dawn is widely known as the glue that holds the Office of Operations and Maintenance together because she helps the entire department succeed. One of her colleagues said, “Anytime you have a question, she never says she doesn’t know. She always finds the answer!” That attention to detail and stewardship of NKU serves theentire campus.
Of course, these are only a few of the outstanding people who make NKU the great place it is today. I would encourage you all to take a moment to recognize your colleagues through the Staff Congress Norse Uppreciation program for their hard work and dedication, and to tell your co-workers thanks for all they do. It really means so much.
I hope you will take some time over the next week to pause and take stock of thethings you are thankful for and all the people you love and appreciate. And enjoy a much-deserved five-day weekend ahead of a busy last couple weeks of the fall semester!
All my thanks to each of you and happy Thanksgiving,
Cady Short-Thompson, Ph.D.
President
