Let's give a 'We Are!' to these Penn Staters — Feb. 26

As part of our regular "We Are!" feature, we recognize 19 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what's asked of them in their work at the University.

This week, on behalf of the entire Penn State community, we'd like to say thank you to:

• Abigail Brunner, international faculty adviser at Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: "Shout out to Abby for leading the international faculty advising team during our assistant director's leave of absence this past semester. 'Grace under fire' sums up Abby's response to ongoing policy changes and communicating those to university stakeholders and colleagues. Thank you, Abby!"
• Jennifer Cain, financial associate for Penn State Extension, whose nominator wrote: "Jennifer is in charge of payroll changes for part-time employees, which is a very busy job. When two county Extension offices had a dire need for funding redirection, Jennifer set aside her own task list and devoted two days to resolving the problems. She went way above and beyond for us!"
• Alyssa Copp, Salesforce administrator in Enterprise Constituent Relationship Management (ECRM), who received multiple nominations. One nominator wrote: "Alyssa's exceptional work ethic, impressive knowledge and team-first attitude have been key to the success of the ECRM Learner Org project and to the ongoing stabilization and maturation of the system. Thank you, Alyssa, for your dedication, collaboration and leadership!" Another nominator wrote: "Alyssa consistently goes above and beyond, jumping in to help, sharing her Salesforce expertise and serving as the backbone to getting the team's work to production. She brings her best every day with kindness, thoughtfulness and a true team-first spirit."
• Alessandra DeJesus Restrepo, a graduate student and global outreach assistant in Penn State Global, whose nominator wrote: "Alessandra is a super organizer who takes initiative to solve problems at a high level with the utmost professionalism. She is great at building systems and frequently receives positive feedback from others. The Global Careers Institute and Penn State Global are lucky to have her."
• Denise Fey, recruitment coordinator in the College of Health and Human Development (HHD), whose nominator wrote: "Denise has shown incredible professionalism and grace in handling change. In less than two years, she's grown tremendously and has stepped up during the short-staffed stretch - filling gaps, supporting the team and making a big impact. Thank you, Denise!"
• Linda Fultz, accountant in the Office of the Bursar, whose nominator wrote: "Linda has recently taken on the challenge of billing for Career Studies at Penn State Harrisburg. Linda goes above and beyond to ensure that this complicated process is done correctly. She faces each obstacle with positivity and kindness. Her dedication and professionalism are truly appreciated."
• Shannon Palma, Behavioral Lab manager in Smeal College of Business, whose nominator wrote: "Shannon manages research activities for a busy lab with boundless energy, extraordinary attention to detail and a compassionate heart, not only for the faculty and graduate students who need data, but also for the students serving as participants. Her ready smile and can-do attitude are a gift!"
• Alayna Kilic, events specialist in the College of Education, whose nominator wrote: "Alayna is the ultimate team player. She is personable, hardworking and always willing to help with any need - whether planning standout college events or supporting a colleague's project. Her positive attitude and dedication embody the 'We Are' spirit every day!"
• Dawn Lavera, financial specialist in Eberly College of Science, whose nominator wrote: "Dawn is a true team player. While always being busy with the large load of finance work that she needs to take care of, she is always on top of things and always reaches out when she is 'caught up,' offering to help anyone else in our office that needs it. She is a true asset to our team and college!"
• Alexandra Lloyd, grant writer in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), whose nominator wrote: "Alex recently helped plan a 100-person, two-day event in under four weeks, with no prior event planning experience. It was completely out of her wheelhouse, yet she rose to the occasion with enthusiasm and professionalism. Alex's can-do attitude in the face of event planning adversity was remarkable."
• Tina Lucas, accounting manager in the Office of the Bursar, whose nominator wrote: "Tina has demonstrated exceptional leadership in establishing and guiding the newly formed third-party contract team within the Bursar Finance OST HUB. Her dedication and sustained effort have been instrumental in uniting the group and laying a strong foundation for the team's continued success."
• Kristin Nasal, educator in the Bennett Family Center, whose nominator wrote: "Kristin is a source of positivity and kindness to everyone that knows her. She always has a smile and a kind word to inspire those around her. We appreciate all the light and love she brings to children, families and her co-workers at our center each day!"
• Diana Nolten, landscape architecture academic program coordinator in the College of Arts and Architecture's Stuckeman School, whose nominator wrote: "Diana consistently goes above and beyond her regular responsibilities, embracing unfamiliar duties with remarkable positivity, adaptability and professionalism. She demonstrates outstanding patience, leadership and a genuine desire to support others. She is an invaluable asset to our school."
• Charlene Paquette, academic adviser, senior supervisor in the College of Agricultural Sciences' Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education, whose nominator wrote: "Charlene went above and beyond to help me complete my degree. After walking at graduation without finishing coursework, she guided me step by step through community college credits and Penn State World Campus. Her constant support ensured I finished my degree."
• Nickie Potter, administrative assistant at Penn State World Campus, whose nominator wrote: "Nickie consistently goes above and beyond. She jumps in wherever needed, often doing more than asked, and leaves everything she touches better than she found it. Her exceptional tech skills, positive attitude and genuine care for colleagues make our team stronger every day."
• Diana Rebarchak, supervising educator in the Bennett Family Center, whose nominator wrote: "Diana is the definition of a lifelong learner! She challenges herself so that she can best support the children and families in her care. Diana is a thoughtful and reflective leader. She is always cheering on others, so today we celebrate her and all the work she does on behalf of our center."
• Garrett Roen, campus registrar at Penn State DuBois, whose nominator wrote: "Garrett's humor makes difficult days bearable and good days better. When I'm in need of a sounding board for a complex situation, I know I can count on him to provide solid, student-centered advice. He's always quick to help a colleague and has mentored countless newcomers in his time at Penn State."
• Mike Shanafelt, director of graduate enterprise technology systems in Fox Graduate School, whose nominator wrote: "Mike is always quick to respond and consistently helpful. He tackles system issues and delivers software enhancements that keep everything running smoothly. Mike keeps things light with a great sense of humor while being totally reliable. We couldn't ask for better support!"
• Randall Stacy, stock delivery clerk for Auxiliary and Business Services, whose nominator wrote: "Randy always delivers our General Stores boxes with a smile. He is a pleasure to work with, and we look forward to getting our packages. Thanks, Randy!"

Thank you Abigail, Jennifer, Alyssa, Alessandra, Denise, Linda, Shannon, Alayna, Dawn, Alexandra, Tina, Kristin, Diana, Charlene, Nickie, Diana, Garrett, Mike and Randall - and to everyone who helps make Penn State such an incredible community!

Do you know someone who deserves a shout out? If you do, consider nominating that person by filling out a short online form.