The University celebrated the season on December 16 with its annual holiday party in the Hafter Student Center. The afternoon was filled with good food, fun, and conversation with friends and co-workers, but was also a great time for faculty and staff to be recognized for their years of service.
Attendees enjoyed appetizers passed by the members of President’s Council, buffet luncheon provided by Williamson’s Culinart staff, games and door prizes, and music by
DJ Darryl Burrs from the Office of Technology and Library Services.
This year’s service award recipients were:
- 45 years: Dr. Satya Verma
- 40 years: Crystal Jackson
- 35 years: Dr. Francine Pearlman-Storch
- 30 years: Barbara Balaicuis; Dr. Connie Chronister; Dr. Holly Myers; Ruby Singleton
- 25 years: Lisa Lonie; Glenn Roedel
- 20 years: Rosemary Egan; Pamela Hunter; Willistine Jackson; Hughie Jenkins; Aliceanne Manning; Virginia Scott
- 15 years: Dr. Jamie Neiman; Stephanie Heaton
- 10 years: Dr. Teresa Duda; Francis Hettich; Cheryl Keslar; Deanna Martin; Julie O’Donnell; Betty Pembleton; Donald Ricketts; Jaime Schulang; Dr. Melissa Trego
- 5 years: Theresa Hayes; Jamie Lemisch; Jamie Maffit; Dr. Margaret Mulligan; Damian Ostrowski; Wakim Pearson; Arif Shikaleski; Christopher Speece; Donna Tomlinson; Dr. Melissa Vitek; Lornix Williams
Some of TEI's residents enjoying the festivities
Other celebrations took place at Salus on December 19. The Office of International and Continuing Education held a holiday party for the MSc in
Clinical Optometry mixed cohort of students. These students—from China, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand—have been in the United States since the summer, with most away from their families for the first time. They celebrated their first holiday here and a hard-earned vacation break with a potluck feast. Students cooked and brought in some of their favorite traditional meals to share with one another, president Dr. Mittelman, faculty, and staff.
In addition, Dr. Mittelman announced The Eye Institute’s door decorating contest winners. “If anyone who doesn’t work at the Oak Lane Campus wants to get into the holiday spirit, I strongly suggest you stop by The Eye Institute to see all those beautifully decorated doors,” he said. Dr. Mittelman, Dr. Janice Scharre, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, and John Gaal, vice president of Clinical Operations, served as judges of the contest. The winners were:
- 1st place: Billing Department
- 2nd place: Drs. Erin Jenewein and Bisant Labib
- 3rd place: Drs. Noah Tannen and Tara Franz
- Honorable mentions: Neuro Team, Drs. Harshpreet Chawla and Sarah Nowicki-Duczeminski, and Dr. Bhawan Minhas
See Door Decorating Photos