KU announces June employees of the month


Angela Gere
Angela Gere

Name: Angela Gere

Title: Administrative assistant senior, Undergraduate Biology Program

What that means: Gere serves as the receptionist, with duties including managing the front office, distributing keys, and managing the mail and copy jobs. Gere has helped with three student-centered events: Career Night, the Honors Symposium and the Graduation Recognition Ceremony. 

Notable: For Career Night, Gere contacted alumni board members for business contacts. She then invited those businesses and educated them about the opportunities that Career Night offered as well as benefits to the students. The result was a twofold increase in the number of companies represented at Career Night, which also increased the number of student participants.

As primary coordinator for the annual Biology Honors Symposium, Gere worked with the chair of the Biology Honors Program to compile all necessary paperwork and departmental honors, and she was always mindful of deadlines. She worked with the department graphic designer to create programs and posters for the symposium and arranged for logistics to make sure the symposium was a success.

Classroom scheduling within the Undergraduate Biology Program is an undertaking that involves coordinating scheduling needs among three units and entering scheduling changes for more than 100 biology courses as well as coordinating efforts with central scheduling. Gere volunteered to take over the classroom scheduling for the director, freeing time for the administrator to focus on broader program needs. 

As an assistant for the Undergraduate Biology Graduation Ceremony, Gere is a greeter and helps supervise several undergraduate student workers during the event. She also has improved the daily work environment within program.

 


 

Denise Bridwell
Denise Bridwell

Name: Denise Bridwell

Title: Program assistant, Bioengineering Graduate Program

What that means: Bridwell is responsible for all aspects of the administration of the Bioengineering Graduate Program, from admissions to processing of GTAs, recruitment of new students, management and tracking of current students and faculty, managing the program budget, planning events and planning for the future of the program, which is spread across two campuses. Because it is interdisciplinary, Bridwell must work with faculty from a variety of departments, each with a unique structure and processes.

Notable: Bridwell has taken initiative on several projects, such as reorganizing the student tracking system. She has actively communicated with alumni, allowing the department to track employment of students. She has developed a Facebook page for the program and is currently working with a student to revamp the program’s website. Bridwell took over much of the coordination of the Bioengineering Graduate Program’s seminar series to include recruiting faculty speakers and arranging their travel. She is fundamental in problem-solving and offering students guidance and support, which includes 53 master’s and doctoral candidates.