Keeping Us Great: Brower, Dangler, Keeney--ASC 2010 Distinguished Staff Award Winners

 

We are fortunate to benefit from the exemplary leadership, service, and contributions of three of this year’s 12 staff recognized by the University for Distinguished Service:

 

Paul Brower, Office Manager and Fiscal Officer, has made Statistics a model for seamless functionality and collegial cooperation.

Doug Dangler, Associate Director, Center for the Study of Teaching of Writing, ushers writers into the digital age.

George Keeney, Research Associate and Manager/Greenhouse Insectary, takes insects on educational  road trips throughout Ohio.

 

Although their jobs differ drastically, the way they approach their jobs does not. All three are committed to their units, to the University and to their communities and constituencies. All view what they do, not just as work, but as an opportunity to use their talents and skills for the greater good.  

 

 

Paul Brower’s work ethic and professionalism could be called the glue that holds the statistics department together. A one-man organizational powerhouse, Brower literally transformed the department into a well-oiled machine that facilitates faculty productivity and empowers staff.

 

Twelve years ago, Brower was shopping for a department where he could be as happy and productive as he had been in Dairy Science. He said, “Frankly, the statistics department staff was in melt-down mode, but my intuition told me that these people, even though there were problems, were what I was looking for. My hunch was right.”

 

Brower has had a role in hiring, managing, and advocating for staff with department leadership ever since. He believes that staff should be seen as partners with faculty in building department strength and given opportunities to participate in developing new processes and policies.

 

“Frequent, clear communications is the key to success in any area,” Brower said. “People need to know what’s expected of them. And they need to be given useful information to make good decisions. They also need developmental opportunities to gain new skills and experiences and have the chance to move up.”

 

Brower is equally dedicated to improving the work environment for all of his colleagues—faculty and staff. He has served on several staff advisory committees, including the College of Arts and Sciences Staff Advisory Committee and on the Arts and Sciences Business Redesign Steering Committee.

 

 

  

Doug Dangler is on a mission to make good writers better, “Writing is often seen as this challenging intellectual activity, which it is, but it’s not an impossible intellectual activity. We (folks at the Center for the Study of Teaching of Writing, CSTW) want to show the community that you can get better if you keep at it.”

 

The Center is a hub of dynamic writing programs that focus on improving writing, promoting literacy, and celebrating writers. Dangler interviews writers of various genres and writing styles, for “Writers Talk,” broadcast on WCBE, Wednesdays at 8 p.m.; on the Ohio Channel Friday, and Sunday at 4:30 p.m., Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

 

 “Writers Talk humanizes the author by putting a face behind the work. We want to show students that even published writers still have to work at developing their style,” Dangler said.

 

In February, the CSTW created the “Digital Media in a Social World” Conference. Faculty, staff, and students attended presentations that explored digital storytelling, podcasting and marketing with Facebook.  

 

Dangler is very appreciative of being among these 12 outstanding award-winners, but said, “Without Judy (Kauffeld, CSTW’s Admin. Associate) being around to organize our projects and keep me on track, this award and the phenomenal things we do at CSTW would never happen.”

 

 

George Keeney will go anywhere and do anything to promote better public understanding of insects. Keeney has managed the Insectary and raised insects for research and teaching since 1987.

 

But Keeney does so much more than that. Dedicated employee that he is, he has expanded the scope of his job description far beyond raising cockroaches, houseflies, and beetles. He has become a one-man ambassador for the study of insects. He has raised awareness of the importance of insects, in general, and introduced thousands of schoolchildren to the coolness of walking sticks, tarantulas, scorpions, and more.

 

When in teaching mode, which he nearly always is, Keeney is alight with missionary zeal. Keeney clearly loves insects and there’s not much about them that he doesn’t know; if there is, it’s a sure bet he won’t rest until he finds out.

 

His zest and enthusiasm is inspirational and contagious, and is, in fact, responsible for more than one Ohio State student whose interest in studying insects was ignited on a school trip to the Insectary.

 

Yes, he loves his job. ”There’s something new to learn every day—I’m never bored. The intellectual and academic freedom of this job is limitless. I find it very satisfying,” Keeney said.