What began as a "bold idea" in the 2017 Bold Ideas Challenge has now come to fruition in Fresno State's newest employee recognition program — High Five. Click here to read about how the program began.

High Fives are easy to give — simply go to the High Five website on the Organizational Excellence webpage, click “Give a High Five” and fill out the form to send kudos to anyone on campus. Your message will be delivered straight to their inbox, and recipients will be acknowledged weekly in Campus News.

Read below how your colleagues are going above and beyond to help the campus community.

(Note: Campus News edited comments only for misspellings and missing or incomplete words. They appear mostly as written for each employee.)

Goes Above & Beyond

Alex Jarell, Economics/Marketing
Ashley Smith, B.A.S.E - Craig School of Business
Carrie Moore, Management/Marketing
Courtney Meinhold, Craig School of Business, Dean's Office
Dayna Matsumura, Craig School of Business, Dean's Office
Haile Fitzwater, Craig School of Business, Dean's Office
Holly Jamison, Graduate Business Program
Rowan Chng, University Business Center
Sam Ray, Kremen School of Education & Human Development, Dean's Office
These stellar colleagues were part of the Craig School of Business commencement team; we could not have pulled off the ceremony preparation without them. The colleges had a short amount of time to organize a commencement ceremony and it takes dedicated staff members who are willing to step up to the plate to make an event a success. I want to give a very big shout out to Sam Ray for volunteering since she was also the coordinator for the Kremen Education commencement. Thanks to everyone for demonstrating your Bulldog Spirit. We are Craig School proud!

Alexis Holladay, College of Science and Mathematics, Advising and Resources Center
Crystal Leal, College of Science and Mathematics, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department
L. Dawn Moate, College of Science and Mathematics, Mathematics Department
Lindasue Garner, College of Science and Mathematics, Biology Department
Nancy Gomez, College of Science and Mathematics, Dean's Office
These special colleagues were volunteers for the CSM commencement. They offered their time and help when we needed it the most and our commencement would not have been possible without them. A very special thanks to Nancy and Alexis, our CSM team members. Nancy always shows up with a smile and radiates her kindness to everyone she speaks to. She brings great, positive energy to everything she does. We also appreciate Alexis for her amazing support. I think students loved seeing her there, since she advised many of them in their academics. Thank you, team — we are grateful for your help and contributions!

Amy Allen, Student Involvement
Brianne Scoggin, Student Involvement
Eddie Dominguez, Student Involvement
Mehrzad Zarrin, Student Involvement
Patricia Benavides, Student Involvement
Shawna Blair, Student Involvement
This group of dedicated student affairs professionals planned and executed an outstanding weekend of commencement ceremonies under a short timeframe and in a new venue. Your efforts made this event look like water off the back of a duck, in reality, so much work when into this event behind the scenes. You made memories for our graduates and their families and your work does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all you did to make this a great weekend! You all definitely went ABOVE and BEYOND!

Cecilia Ceniceros-Garcia, Kinesiology
You are always on top of it. You take the ball and run, which allows me to move on to other tasks. Thank you for stepping up and assisting. You come in, take charge, and get the job done. I can always count on you. Thank you so much for your willingness to be out in the heat on a Friday night. I really appreciate you.

Chris Beck, Advising and Career Development Center, College of Health and Human Services
You are amazing. You participated in the Friday morning ceremony as an M.S. degree student and then you volunteered to assist with the Friday evening CHHS ceremony. Wow ... you really went above and beyond. That was a long day for you, and you did it with such a positive attitude and amazing outlook. Thank you for helping organize the graduates’ line up, walking them in and then assisting with many other tasks during the event. It was so much fun having you on the team. I really appreciate your assistance and your eagerness to step up. Thank you!

Christy Smith, Social Work Education
Thank you so much for stepping up and assisting with the CHHS Commencement ceremony. Your assistance with helping get the students lined up (especially in the heat) was greatly appreciated. Your department line went on and on and yet you managed to get the students organized and kept them on task. Thank you for taking the time on a Friday night to help out. I am so thankful for your help.

David Foster, Central California Training Academy
I am so grateful to you for stepping up and lending your assistance with our CHHS Commencement. It was hot standing out in the sun all that time. Thanks for helping our graduates get lined up and march out on time. Your help with this task was greatly appreciated. I am so thankful for you.

Donna DeRoo, Central California Center for Health and Human Services
Donna is remarkable. She stepped up and worked the CHHS "will-call" table at commencement flawlessly. She is so friendly and courteous to everyone who crossed her path. Her pleasant attitude and ease in which she greets people was just what we needed. Thank you, Donna, for your organizational skills and for keeping the faculty and staff pointed in the right direction. I really appreciate your eagerness to participate and help with this event. Thank you!

Lily Marquez, Nursing
Thank you for stepping up and helping out with the CHHS Commencement on a hot Friday night. Your assistance was not only needed but greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking time out to help us to make this event very successful for our graduates.

Lucia Ramirez-Muñoz, Lyles College of Engineering, Advising Center
Lucia is very student-focused and always advocates on behalf of the students she works with. She has a hard work ethic in providing exceptional services from the LCOE Advising Center to students. Every time there are issues, she is readily available to jump in and assist or to diagnose the problem to see who or what department can help resolve the issue while advocating on the student's behalf. Way to go!

Jaymin Kwon, Public Health
I am so appreciative of your assistance helping with the Public Health Department's student line up. You not only stepped up as a volunteer, but then you took your place in the faculty line-up as well. You played double duty at Friday night's commencement ceremony and I am so grateful for that. Thank you so much for your willingness to help.

Jennifer Roos, Physical Therapy
You really went above and beyond! You not only stepped up to help us with our CHHS commencement on a hot Friday night, but you also noticed a staff member having some heat-related issues, helped get some liquids in her and then drove her home. You are amazing and I cannot thank you enough for your participation all the way around in this event. Thank you for being there to notice that our colleague needed assistance. Thank you for staying with her and making sure she got home safely. Thank you for everything you did to help with our event. You are a rock star!

Jenna Sawdon-Bea, Physical Therapy
Jenna and her daughter, assisted with the CHHS commencement ceremony. They played an important role working with the faculty to get them lined up, marched in and seated. They were friendly, happy, courteous and really did an outstanding job with their assigned task. Thank you, Jenna and your daughter, for helping make this a great experience for our students. Your help was greatly appreciated. I really appreciate you both so very much.

Jeanine Craven, Public Health
Thank you for volunteering at our CHHS commencement on a hot Friday night. Your help in working with the graduates in your department to get them lined up, marching them in and getting them seated was most helpful. Your assistance helped aid in our successful event. I am grateful for you. Thank you.

Jerry Gomez, Student Involvement
Andrew Esguerra, Student Involvement
In addition to the other members of Student Involvement, Jerry and Andrew are to be commended for their contribution to success of the Commencement weekend. An awesome team of Student Affairs professionals!

Kathleen Rindahl, Nursing
Thank you, thank you, thank you for going above and beyond by not only helping with the graduate line up for the School of Nursing, but also for participating with the faculty as well. Your willingness to step up and play this dual role is greatly appreciated. It was a hot Friday night and with your assistance we had a successful event. Thank you.

Kara Zografos, Public Health
Your willingness to help at our CHHS commencement was greatly appreciated. Your bright smile and upbeat attitude were so helpful at this very warm event! Thank you for assisting us with the faculty line up and making sure that we had the help we needed. I really appreciate your kind heart and warm soul. Thank you for helping to make this event a successful one.

Melissa Perez, College of Science and Math, Dean's Office
Melissa Perez was the head coordinator for the CSM commencement. She put in her time to plan and make sure everything was perfect for the 2020 and 2021 graduates. She goes above and beyond, and it shows.

Michele Falk, Social Work Education
Thank you for stepping up and helping at the CHHS commencement on a Friday night! Your help in getting the students in your department lined-up and seated in a timely manner was greatly appreciated. It was a very warm evening, we didn't have any shade, and you managed to keep your cool! Thank you for stepping up and assisting. I am so grateful for your support.

Pakou Thao, Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies
Thank you for stepping up to assist with the CHHS commencement. Your placement at the CHHS "will-call" table was the perfect spot. Your shining personality and helpfulness with the faculty and staff were wonderful. I appreciated you taking time on a Friday night to sit and greet our colleagues in the heat! It was warm, made for a long day, and you were awesome! I appreciate you assisting with this event and cherish our working relationship. Thank you.

Rocio Casillas, College of Health and Human Services
Rocio was an awesome support for the CHHS commencement ceremony. She really stepped up and went above and beyond to help with this event. It was a long Friday night and she worked hard to make this experience so exciting for our students. We had two years of graduates participating and Rocio was right there in the mix assisting the entire time. I couldn't ask for a better colleague and friend. Thank you, Rocio, for all you do!

Ruth Brisco, Public Health
Your help and support at our CHHS commencement ceremony as most helpful. Thank you for working with your department's graduates to get them ready for their big event. You worked hard out in the hot sun on a Friday night and I am so grateful to you. Thank you for your time.

Sierra Anderson, College of Social Sciences
We appreciate Sierra Anderson for her leadership especially coordinating the COSS graduation ceremony. She communicates well with faculty, staff, and volunteers and keeps us informed on the change of plans. Thank you, Sierra!

Scott Sailor, Kinesiology
It's a Friday night and it's hot and we don't have any shade, where are we? Oh, that's right! We are at the CHHS commencement. Thank you for bringing your positive attitude, your quick wit, and your warm charm to help with this event. You always have a way of making things fun. I really appreciate your assistance in making this a great experience for our graduates. Thank you.

Student Involvement
The Student Involvement team worked day and night to organize six Commencement ceremonies for two graduating classes during a pandemic. Without their leadership and determination, thousands of graduates would not have been able to celebrate in person with their loved ones. Thank you to everyone who helped make this historical weekend happen.

Student Involvement
Amy Allen, Shawna Blair, Dr. Colin Stewart, and all those who worked behind the scenes for Commencement. This was an unusual year with the pandemic and a switch from a virtual to face-to-face commencement. This team made the process run smoothly. They led our staff throughout the process and worked tirelessly to make sure our students were served. We could not have done it without them.

Student Involvement
Student Involvement went Above and Beyond to make the in-person commencement ceremonies perfect! They were fielding questions from students and staff across campus and did a great job communicating the necessary information as quickly as possible. Everyone worked long hours to get everything done and the work did not go unnoticed. Also, thank you Amy and Shawna for working with the staff to make sure the ceremonies ran as smoothly as possible. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Student Involvement
Student Involvement worked tirelessly to ensure that the Spring 2020 and Spring 2021 Commencement Ceremonies went well. Their hard work and dedication in preparing and coordinating this important event is very much appreciated.

Provided Excellent Customer Service

Boon Mo, Technology Services
Our program staff continues to receive excellent support from Boon for all IT-related inquires. He always ensures our office technologies are updated and secured. We appreciate his willingness to always educate our staff on particular, IT-related functions, processes and procedures. Boon is extremely knowledgeable, practical, accessible and reliable. Fresno State is fortunate to have him!

Erin Connor, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Erin has been supporting our TRIO, SSSP, and SSSV programs, and administering our supplemental grant aid to students every semester. She works with diligence and always responds to our requests in a timely manner. We appreciate her excellent customer service!

Joseph Evans, Traffic Operations
Officer Evans was the bright smile (under the mask) each day I came onto campus to teach. While checking my temperature, we had nice conversations that always ended with a giggle and a huge dose of positivity.

Mike Harding, Accessibility, Technology, and Media Specialist
A shout out to Mike who has, over the last two semesters, been very quick to remediate our TRIO Student Support Services Program and TRIO Student Support Services Veterans monthly newsletter, which is available to our students, staff and faculty. We very much appreciate his helpful nature, especially his patience. Thank you, Mike!

Saved My Bacon!

Cory Cowan, Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Just wanted to give my OIE colleague, Cory, a big shoutout! Since I don't have Tableau publishing rights, I would often ask our director to publish my dashboard for me. However, when the director was unavailable, I had to turn to another OIE colleague for help. Thank goodness Cory worked on my request right away and I was able to immediately re-publish my dashboard. Thank you, Cory! I appreciate you!

Principles of Community!

Joseph Evans, Traffic Operations
Officer Evans modeled Principles of Community by being extra kind in checking me in for the daily safety screening. It was my first time back in the office since November 2019. I took maternity leave in November 2019 and returned during the pandemic, remotely, so today was a bit of an emotional day for me. He took time to walk me through the screening process, pulled up the form, was so kind and personable and showed extreme heart, consideration and kindness in his interactions. He made my morning that much better. I am proud to be working alongside him.