Chrisa Potthast is December EOM

Chrisa Potthast tried to call in sick on Friday morning, December 12, but her supervisor, Suzy Woods, asked her to come in for a meeting anyway.

The "meeting" was actually Chrisa's own party to celebrate her as the Employee of the Month for December!

"I'm sorry I made you come in, but I hope you understand now!" Suzy laughed.

Chrisa is a disability services specialist, specializing in adaptive technology, in the Office of Disability Services.

"You have been selected because you have exhibited outstanding courtesy toward others and an exemplary performance in your job," Suzy noted. "You have also enthusiastically supported UIS."

"And let me just say," Suzy added, "that not only is she an exemplary employee, she is the sweetest person in the world. I'll be stuck on this side of campus without an umbrella in the rain, and she'll come and get me. So many people, when they found out you won, called me and said 'I'm so glad it's Chrisa!'"

At first Chrisa was unsure why the PAC restaurant was full of people who erupted into cheers when she walked in, but she was grateful for the honor, even if it meant coming in when she was sick.

"Thank you, everyone," she said.

November EOM is Rowena Vail

When Rowena Vail walked into the Public Affairs Center restaurant on Monday afternoon, November 17, she thought she was coming to a meeting about budgets. Instead, Rowena was surprised by numerous coworkers and friends who gathered to celebrate her being named November Employee of the Month.

Rowena held a position in the cataloging department of the library at UIS in her earlier years, before leaving to pursue other job opportunities. She then came back to UIS to work for the Capital Scholars honors program a year and a half after it began.

Rowena now serves as the assistant to the director of the honors program.

"She jumped right in, she became indispensable immediately, the students loved her immediately, and we came to depend on her absolutely because she is extremely dependable," said Karen Moranski, associate vice chancellor for Undergraduate Education and associate professor of English. "And over the years, she has continued that service to the Capital Scholars honors program."

"So many of you know her through the honors program and others in other ways, but she is a tremendous asset to UIS," Karen added.