This past March Cal Poly Partners staff learned just how engaging their colleagues are as the C.A.R.E I.S. recognitions came pouring in.
Throughout the year Cal Poly Partner’s ongoing culture campaign, C.A.R.E. I.S., will continue to celebrate colleagues and staff who truly show and represent the organization’s core values with monthly recognitions.
During the month of March Cal Poly Partners staff were invited to recognize colleagues who demonstrate the months Cultural Descriptor: Engaging.
An engaging culture fosters an environment where individuals actively participate, contribute and collaborate. It promotes inclusivity, active involvement, and curiosity.
“Every time I have worked with Jenn (Michels) she has brought so much to the table. Be it the knowledge, and expertise that she has in her role or the way that she offers suggestions and feedback when meeting to discuss the implementation of a comprehensive plan or simple question, she is always present and engaged in the conversation and ready to help.” – Aaron Lambert
“With every meeting and interaction, Ellen (Curtis) is engaging to say the least! Something specific I noticed recently was that in student meetings, Ellen makes sure to not glide past students’ comments. If a topic arises, Ellen asks questions, takes verbal surveys, and opens up curiosity to how students feel and perceive things on campus. It’s much appreciated, as that level of intentionality towards being engaging creates for innovation and positivity in our whole MarCom team.” – Megan Stoneson
“Crystal (Castillo) is always ready to embrace people’s backgrounds to make sure everyone is comfortable and included. She is engaging with her coworkers as well as the many students she interacts with through outreach work.” – Shira Greenbaum
“Tiffany Kramlich does a fantastic job of keeping our team informed of campus initiatives and changes, seeking our thoughts and views. She ensures we work on things we find interesting and valuable to our own goals. Tiffany is adept at listening to concerns and keeping an open mind, especially when someone may be struggling. I find it impressive when she’s able to get conversations back on a productive and meaningful path. She is always open to our team sharing their expertise and knowledge to solve new and old issues as they arise.” – Jennifer Luedtke
“Rose (Avalos) helps me navigate all matters concerning payroll; and I ask her to help me out quite often. She is always quick to help me when I am confused about something, or if I made a mistake. Rose is a very gracious team-member and quite engaging.” – Sydney Anthoni
“She (Melanie Bélanger) was describing new pictures that she had ordered for Panda, and she described them so detailed that in your mind you could actually picture what they were going to look like when they were installed on the wall.” – Bryan Lloyd
“Megan (Stoneson) is a delight to work with because she includes everyone in the conversation and wants to hear from others. When working in a group or during a meeting, Megan is always empathetic and shows understanding for others’ perspectives. She also offers positive constructive feedback for the students with the goal to make them better in their future. We can all learn to be more engaging from Megan! – Kassidy Church
“Mohammad (Amir Aghaee) always has something to share. His knowledge of history and philosophy as well as his love for all types of food make him a great conversationalist. He has such a wide variety of interests that there is always something interesting for him to share, regardless of the situation. This is a great contribution to the workplace, making the Strawberry Center a more interesting place to work.” – Gerald Holmes
“One of the first things I noticed about Dawn (Ventura) was how engaging she is! With every interaction and meeting, she brings a sense of joy and life to it. When leading team projects, she makes sure to include and engage everyone present.” – Megan Stoneson
“Erin (Scherer) applies herself 100% to all opportunities that come her way. With her can-do approach, Erin has gained the confidence of many stakeholders on campus earning the Conference and Event Planning team the event management contracts for Mustang Madness, Rodeo, Commencement and year-round support of Athletic events. When Cal Maritime conference services asked for help, Erin jumped in to offer her and the team’s support on registration, collection and event settlement. Erin sets the example as a motivated engaged leader in Cal Poly Partners Commercial Services Division.” – Andrea Burns
“Engaging is a great word to describe Aaron (Lambert)! Having worked closely with Aaron for a while now, I’ve seen so many interactions between Aaron and others (team, students, stakeholders in the university) that only end in positivity and energy. He always finds a way to relate to who he’s talking to, engaging in lively interactions. His engaging spirit is much appreciated by me and many others!” – Megan Stoneson
Throughout the year and our ongoing culture campaign, C.A.R.E. I.S., we will continue to celebrate our fellow colleagues who truly show and represent our core values with these monthly recognitions.
Congratulations to all the nominees, they will be entered into a raffle for a prize at the end of the academic year.
Creating culture is an ongoing task that we all participate in and benefit from, and we look forward to you joining us as we foster a thriving, more engaged workplace.
The C.A.R.E I.S. descriptor for April is Innovative. Staff members can start nominating their innovative colleague here.
Want to share the love in other ways? Zoom backgrounds, flyers, posters and e-cards that can be easily sent to colleagues to share your appreciation for what they do are available on the Partners’ SharePoint. There is no reason to wait for the monthly recognitions, let your colleague know how you feel any day of the week.
