June 5, 2007 :: No. 225

One covered the duties of two in a busy office; one helped with the creation of a new college; and the third help lay the foundation of the campus website.

In recognition of their achievements, their dedication and sense of purpose, Cal State Fullerton has honored Fullerton residents Kathy G. Moore, Jim Powell and Sharnette Underdue with the 2007 Outstanding Staff Employee Award.

The three were recognized at Staff Recognition and Appreciation Day festivities last Friday, before an audience of more than a 1,000 of their peers.

“This program has been in existence for many years,” said CSUF President Milton A. Gordon, “and each year, the bar is set higher with the exemplary performance of our winners.”

Special assignments are nothing new for Kathy Moore, administrative support coordinator in the College of Health and Human Development. One example cited was her involvement in the formation of the colleges of Education and Health and Human Development, from the former College of Human Development and Community Service.

“Kathy assumed the lead role in assuring that files were properly sorted, organized and transferred and was readily available, warm and helpful in providing mentoring and support to the new dean’s office staff in the College of Education,” said Roberta Rikli, dean of the College of Health and Human Development.

“Kathy went well beyond what was expected, by, in the most competent manner, handling logistics, proving guidance to staff challenged by the process and, most importantly, always being a soothing influence,” said Ashley Bishop, chair and professor of reading who served as acting dean of the College of Education when it was first established. “When times become challenging is exactly when Kathy can be counted on most.”

“Kathy Moore played an astronomical role as the project building coordinator,” noted Tom Grayson, project manager on the office construction. “She was tasked with daily assignments and coordination issues way beyond her normal scope of duties that helped make the project finish ahead of schedule.”

In her eight years on campus — she has served for more than 30 years within the CSU — “all who know and have worked with Kathy consider her to be among the ‘very top’ of all staff on campus with respect to her work ethic, professionalism, helpfulness and dedication,” said Rikli.

“I’ve very grateful and surprised,” said Moore. “It’s a tribute to Roberta [Rikli] and Ellen [Junn, associate dean of the college]. It’s a pleasure to work with them.”

Jim Powell, web design and support lead in Information Technology, is known for his calm demeanor and humorous asides in whatever situation he has faced over three decades on campus. He’s rarely at a loss for words, but when named one of this year’s outstanding staff honorees, he said he was “stunned … it was completely unexpected.”

Powell joined the university in 1976, when he was hired away from his alma mater, UC Irvine, to serve as a communications specialist in the Career Center. His duties were later expanded in Student Affairs, where he had a hand in the development of several publications, including a handbook for new students.

Powell moved in 1983 to Public Affairs, where he coordinated the production of each year’s printed program for commencement, wrote features for the university quarterly and worked to move the production of university publications to the computer desktop. Among the first staff users of desktop publishing software, Powell shifted from writing to publication design and production, coordinating prepress layout of the catalog, brochures, view sheets and other publications. He also was involved in the development of the current university logo and authored the university’s graphic standards and publications policy and style manual.

When he joined Information Technology in 1999, Powell “immediately began to develop, with guidance of the Web Presence Committee, a new look and feel for the campus website,” said Susan Lasswell, director of IT administration and communications. “For his current Web Content Management project, he has designed the feasibility study, which includes designing and conducting two surveys to elicit campus web environment and technical data,” Lasswell noted.

“Jim’s unflappable demeanor enables him to effectively interact with individuals and groups; he has a remarkable ability to break a tense moment with appropriate humor to get a discussion back on track,” Lasswell added. “He is equally comfortable being a team member, always accessible to his IT colleagues and others around campus.”

Sharnette Underdue has served on campus for nearly five years, and as resident director in student housing, also lived on campus, overseeing and organizing social, educational and cultural activities for those in the residence halls.

Most employees can leave their work, but Underdue was available all the time, said Darlene Stevenson, director of housing and residential life, noting that the departure of another resident director made Underdue’s position especially challenging.

“She was on the front lines, responsible for overseeing the general health and welfare of the students living on campus,” Stevenson said. “She’s done it very well and most of all, without complaints. We’re so proud of her.”

Underdue designed a four-day new resident orientation program for approximately 800 residents, advised the Resident Student Association, planned a two-week training program for the 21-resident adviser staff and served as the on-call professional every night.

“It is a credit to this individual’s incredible work ethic that she continued to perform at a very high level and continued to be creative, show initiative and be a great team player,” said Stevenson.

The students “keep every day fresh and exciting,” said the honoree, a Brooklyn native who earned her undergraduate degree at Hartwick College and a master’s in higher education administration from NYU before coming west with her actor husband. The fun part, she said, is that it almost seems like she never left college. “I continue to experience it through the students.

“I’m in awe that the university would give me this award,” said Underdue, who began her new duties as acting associate director of housing and residence life the same day she won the award. “I’m floating on cloud nine.”

The three recipients were presented with $1,500 checks from the Presidents Associates, as well as plaques, season tickets to Titan athletics and cultural events, and special parking passes for a year.

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