Professional Development Center

Rebecca is a very giving and kind person, always offering to help anyone in need or not. She makes breakfast, offers to buy food or coffee for staff or students whenever she is with you. Not just Acts of Kindness week but all the time.

Rebecca volunteers with many programs on campus. She has spearheaded the New Employee Orientation Program for many years, which is welcoming and informing our new hires. This program helps new staff to understand the mission of the University and anything else that might be needed.

Rebecca meets each person where they are and takes the time to listen to what they need. She does so many little things behind the scenes to make lives better.

Rebecca works hard to show a positive attitude in whatever she does by being respectful and considerate of others wellbeing, some examples are provides many helpful and uplifting workshops ie: Meditations, CPR courses, yoga, hot chocolate social, ice skating & many others. Our wellbeing is important to her and I know the staff appreciates this.

Rebecca exhibits teamwork throughout many offices on campus by sharing her time and knowledge with the ASWG group (Administration Staff Working group) by running meetings and helping to provide resources and finding answers for questions brought up in those meetings. Rebecca works with the full range of people across campus in IT, human resources, equity and diversity, instructional design and distance learning, the Teaching & Learning Center, and so many more.

Rebecca has demonstrated flexibility and adaptability positively by taking on new responsibilities and coworkers when her supervisor left the University. She made sure that the programs that were in place did not stop while keeping the momentum going strong. One thing I would like to say about Rebecca is, she goes beyond the scope of her job by being patient and continually communicating to be sure we are all on the same page. Her Motto should be “I can do that!” Rebecca’s “can do” attitude brings out the best in all those around her.

Rebecca is always willing to take on new tasks. Often, she will share that she is working on something and a colleague or I will make a comment that it is interesting she is working on that particular thing because it doesn’t seem to fit in her wheelhouse and she says, “Yes, I know, but it needed to be done and they didn’t have anyone to do it so I volunteered.”  Annually, Rebecca organizes Winterim. It is a weeklong series of activities that are held on campus to support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of faculty and staff. She reaches out and encourages any and all staff and faculty to either host an activity or attend one. It is something that I look forward to and get excited about! I have not only presented my own workshop on health and nutrition, I also attend as many as I can. One of my favorites, is Cheesy-Does-It, a wine/beer and cheese education and tasting. Rebecca is responsible for finding spaces, assisting with setup, and processing the reimbursements to the presenters for the materials they used at their sessions.

Rebecca thinks about the individuals on the campus and how she can best utilize them for specific campus events. For example, she reached out to Admissions, Instructional Design, IT, and Honors to create a diverse panel for New Employee Orientation. She selected individuals from different age groups, genders, and race. The personalities she selected were warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. I had the opportunity to sit in the panel twice now and because she chose a group that is acquainted with one another and work well together, the conversation was fluid and the new employees were comfortable and exited to here at Buffalo State. She always shares what her goals and expectations are with those she requests to assist in such events. I feel strongly, it is due to her work ethic, her strong belief in personal development, and campus involvement that the campus is more interconnected. Whenever you see Rebecca and catch her eye, she is ready with a smile. She reaches out to various colleagues campus wide to see what they can contribute to various activities and events on campus. For example, I sit on the ASWG committee. After we lost a member on the ASWG subcommittee she asked me if I wanted to join. I gladly accepted and it has been a pleasure to work closely with her.

Professional Development runs tandem with the ability to provide improved service. I feel Rebecca’s work ethic - how she promotes growth, personal education, and positivity encourages those who’s spaces she touches to be the best we can for the students, faculty, staff which enhances our ability to have valuable relationships within the community, with our family, and friends. She leads by example with her CAN-DO, WILL-DO attitude and she motivates others to excel.

Rebecca doesn’t just embrace change. She is the change! She is constantly working to improve methods, processes, and procedure. She chairs the ASWG committee and that is our main purpose, to work within a shared governance as efficiently as we can. She is the driving force behind the committee and the subcommittee. She keeps up with the meetings for both, checks our calendars for availability, sends out the calendar invites, creates and distributes the agendas, follows up with any additional information, and manages new committee members. She is committed to collaboration and inclusivity. When there is a new professional staff, she the joins the campus she asks them to be part of the ASWG committee and encourages the other members of the committee to advertise and invite them to our committee. When her previous boss left, she picked up can continued to do as much as she could to keep the Department running. I feel this speaks to her flexibility to adapt to change and the needs of the campus.

Consistently and selflessly performs acts of kindness that contribute to building and connecting Buffalo State’s mission with our campus & community. Rebecca goes out of her way to be kind, inclusive and supportive in all her duties and endeavors.

Promotes a positive culture of engagement within their immediate team and across the campus; volunteers and/or takes part in university events, programs, and committees; serves as an ambassador for the college.

After two of the three creators and organizers of Administrative Support Working Group (ASWG) left, Rebecca stepped up to continue the group and foster it’s continued growth. Under her leadership she opened the group to additional support staff. This group engages support staff across campus.

Fosters a community of diversity & inclusion with their cheerful, welcoming attitude, and respectful demeanor.

Rebecca always has a positive, friendly, and inclusive demeanor whether one on one, in-person meetings or online meetings. She leads the ASWG and Caring Bengals Committee meetings with a welcoming, friendly, down to earth style.

Develops and generously shares resources, methods, and solutions to benefit the campus; exemplifies cooperation and teamwork across campus; mentors colleagues and students.

The purpose of ASWG, which Rebecca has continuously promoted and worked to improve, is to share knowledge and solutions and cooperation across campus. This includes encouraging peer support and communication, arranging for administrators to join us to share information, and for us to share concerns and issues with them. All to better Buffalo State.

Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability; positively reacts to new and emerging realities, while preserving the core Buffalo State values.

Rebecca has embraced many changes—including the pandemic, Jonathan leaving, her position being in flux, reassignment to a new area, ASWG leaders leaving—all with strength and poise and positive outcomes.