University announces 2025 Staff Fellows

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has announced participants selected for the 2025 Staff Fellows Program, which seeks to strengthen the university by developing leaders at all levels of the institution.

The KU Staff Fellows Program offers staff an opportunity to build their leadership skills, gain experience to advance their careers and work together on a strategic campus project that benefits the university. Each participant is matched with a mentor from KU’s senior leadership.

The Office of the Provost and Human Resources jointly coordinate the Staff Fellows program. Ten Staff Fellows were selected this year.

“The Staff Fellows program is one of the best investments we make in our staff and our institution,” said Barbara Bichelmeyer, provost and executive vice chancellor. “Staff Fellows gain institutional knowledge and forge connections that support their career growth at KU.”

In 2022, University Governance leaders worked with the vice provosts for Human Resources; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging and others on a project to renew KU’s culture. The effort — the IRISE Culture Charter — articulated the expectations Jayhawks have for themselves and for how they interact with one another. The IRISE values — Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, Excellence — are foundational to the academic experience that furthers KU’s vision to be an exceptional learning community that lifts each member and advances society.

The 2025 Staff Fellows will be part of a larger campus initiative to integrate these values across the university. 

The Staff Fellows cohort will join the IRISE Fellow Cohort in researching the current level of integration of IRISE values across the university.  They will research best practices in values-based organizations both internally and externally and make recommendations for integrating and sustaining these values across the university. 

Visit the Staff Fellows Program webpage for more information about the program.

The 2025 Staff Fellows:

• Becca Grube, IT director, Information Technology
• Dina Massoud, academic adviser, Jayhawk Academic Advising
• Joe Fearn, landscape manager, Facilities Maintenance Services
• Kendra Ikenberry, education program coordinator, Recreation Services
• Kim Beets, research analyst, Analytics Institutional Research & Effectiveness
• Stephanie Schmitz, education program manager, School of Business
• Wyatt Haywood, administrative associate, Department of Slavic, German, Eurasian Studies
• Christopher Anderson, career adviser senior, School of Engineering
• Trina Weekly, business director, Accessible Teaching, Learning, and Assessment Systems
• Mariya Borisova, administrative associate, Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies, Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies.