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

Tiffany Burmeister, Warehouse and Property Services
Tiffany rocks it! She goes above and beyond for her colleagues to help them when they need it. Her "can do" attitude is to be admired. Thanks, Tiffany, for all you do for us!

Zafar Sumler, Student Health and Counseling Center
We would like to recognize Zafar for his willingness to always go above and beyond in his efforts to make sure that he provides the highest quality of service. Always willing to answer any questions and does all this with such a positive attitude. We want to congratulate him on his new position, and I am sure he is giving the same level of service in his new department.

Stephanie Moua, Accounting Services
Stephanie is always ready and willing to support students beyond measure. She has been very helpful to RSP students in providing the support and guidance that we need. Thank you, Stephanie, for always providing the support that translates into hope for students to continue their education!

Kelly Russell, Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
I would like to thank Kelly for being an amazing campus colleague! I provide backup assistance on the campus operator line and sometimes we get complaints about callers unable to reach various offices. On a few occasions, I have had a caller on the line complain that they cannot reach someone in Financial Aid (and Scholarships). Before I reach out to Kelly, I will confirm the complaint is valid as I have transferred the caller several times and/or I have attempted to reach Financial Aid myself. Each and every time that I reach out to Kelly for assistance in connecting our caller, she is more than willing to assist. She has a positive energy and collaborative spirit!

Juan Herrera, Food Science and Nutrition
Juan is very dependable and always willing to lend a helping hand when needed. Juan has gone up and beyond on several occasions saving my bacon! Thank you, Juan for your continued support and willingness to help.

Svetlana Korol, Admissions and Recruitment
Lana has gone above and beyond to not only ensure that Fresno State reporting is clean, but also worked heavily with the Chancellor's Office to test the new admissions basis so that other CSU's can effectively and without headache submit a clean report. Thank you, Lana for all of your time spent to assist the CSU community as a whole.

Departments

University Advising Center
The entire staff of the University Advising Center has managed to continue to provide spectacular student services through all of the hurdles 2020 has thrown our way so far. What a great team — they support one another well, always do their very best, and have students' best interests at heart in all they do. Thank you, UAC!

Support Net
The Support Net team is hard working, innovative, and student focused, even in the face of all the trials that 2020 has thrown their way. This group is high impact because they have complementary strengths, lean on one another, and are dedicated to ensuring their students have all the support they need to succeed inside and outside the classroom. Thank you, Support Net!

New Student and Family Programs
The New Student and Family Programs team manages to persevere through even the toughest conditions to ensure students and their families find support as they begin their journey on campus. This seasoned team has spectacular creativity and energy, and always strives to improve and develop their programming. We are lucky to have this crew as the face of our transition support programming. Thank you!

Saved my Bacon!

Nicole Lane, Auxiliary Human Resources and Payroll
I would like to extend our highest gratitude to Nicole Lane. Nicole and her team have been a tremendous part of our team success this summer and now moving forward into the fall. No matter what we have asked of her she was so prompt and understood the urgency of our requests. I am just so grateful to have the chance to work with such a wonderful lady.

Lori Ann Walters, Child and Family Science
Lori Ann has had the most patience and understanding when it comes to her willingness to help when one is in need of help. Lori Ann is very knowledgeable and I truly appreciate her help.

Provides Excellent Customer Service

Amanda Andalon, Mail Services
We would like to thank Amanda for her exceptional customer service whether it is over the phone or in person. Even though she is fairly new, Amanda is doing such a wonderful job and so knowledgeable. Amanda is always willing to assist me solve any issues I may encounter and does it all with such a pleasant disposition.

Amanda Andalon, Mail Services
Amanda has been the new face of Mail Services since mid-summer, after the retirement of Lenora Young and the departure of Zee Sumler to a new position on campus. Working remotely, I come to campus every other week to drop off and pick up the mail for my department, and nearly every time I have seen Amanda handle the concerns of upset or stressed fellow staff with a high level of patience and care. I can't imagine the level of precision and skill it must take to keep Mail Services running during a pandemic — let alone by someone new to the job! But Amanda deserves all the kudos in the world.

Monica Solis, Bulldog Connect, University Advising Center
Monica keeps Bulldog Connect running smoothly for the campus, which supports faculty and staff efforts to ensure student success. Monica is hardworking, plans ahead, and troubleshoots well. She's always readily available to help and responds quickly when issues and questions arise. She's also great about providing support to new users, and constantly seeks new ways for her software to fit and assist the community. Thank you, Monica!

Department
Agricultural Operations
I would like to thank Arlan Hartmann and the crew at the FMC shop for getting my service truck back on the road in a timely manner. Arlan replaced my starter and also did a complete maintenance on my truck, he even delivered it with a full tank of gas.

Modeled Principles of Community

Venita Baker, Academic Senate
Her commitment to the campus, not just her department made an impact in several colleges and for faculty. She provided a service that saved "a ton" of manual labor hours. It took her time, but she helped for the greater good. Thank you, Venita, thank you for your quick response and your clear willingness to help us.