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Cheri Langill, a business associate at the Center for Healthy Living, receives her Foundations for Success completion certificate from John Russell, assistant vice chancellor for human resources. |
Foundations for Success is a career development and networking series open to office service staff at UNMC. The goal of the series — which is held annually — is to strengthen employees’ skill foundation so they experience the highest level of functioning in their current position and are motivated to advance forward as leaders in current or future UNMC positions.
John Russell, assistant vice chancellor for human resources, told the graduates that leadership comes in many forms and is often best displayed in the day-to-day actions of employees who may not hold formal leadership positions.
“The foundations course helps instill those vital qualities of leadership that can be practiced by anyone at anytime regardless of position,” Russell said.
The program was sponsored by UNMC Human Resources and was directed by employee relations director, Carmen Sirizzotti.
Participants met on four occasions for the 24-hour program and took part in the following sessions:
- Managing relationships with bosses;
- Conflict resolution;
- Communication skills at all levels within the organization;
- Strengths management;
- Stress and time management;
- Diversity;
- Humor in the workplace; and
- Motivation, rewards and recognition.
The program culminated in the graduation ceremony at the W.H. Thompson Alumni Center on the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus.
The ceremony included — for the second time — the presentation of awards for students who were most likely to apply certain principles taught during the class.
Rosemary Nolan, an optician in the department of ophthalmology, and Johna Belling, a human resources associate in the department of pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, each took home two of these awards.
Nolan was named the “most influential participant of the class” and person “most likely to use the problem solving tools presented in the class.” Belling was recognized for having the best sense of humor in the class and for being the most collaborative.
The course graduates were Paulette Araujo, Debra Baer, Johna Belling, Lenal Bottoms, Shaun Capurro, Barbara Carter, Jill Daley, Peggy Finch, Patricia Gallagher, Kathy Gregg, Gail Hackendahl, Jill Hallgren, Marlene Hawver, Carolyn Helmberger, Glennys Hirsh, Tina Hovorka, Robin Jaeckel, Molly Jelinek, Tina Johnson-Randle, Christine Julian, Linda Kelly, JenelleKerger, Larry Kerger, Cheri Langill, Leslie Leake, Stephanie Manifold, Rebecca McCaw, Alex Mohr, Kacey Moreland, Rosemary Nolan, Dorothy Northwall, Patricia Nowicki, Susan Oestmann, Jenelle Pomicter, Rhonda Prewitt, Kelly Rapier, PatrickRejda, Tina Renner, Cynthia Sands, Jeanine Schademann, Jacqueline Shellberg, James Slagle, Maggie Stewart-Grant, Mary Stoffel, Samantha Straw, Amanda Tuttle, Ladonna Tworek, Pamela Walker and William Wassom.
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The 2008 Foundations for Success graduates. |