We celebrate the heart and soul of our university: our dedicated employees.
From prestigious awards recognizing outstanding contributions to engaging events designed to foster team spirit and camaraderie, we are committed to cultivating a thriving workplace culture where individuals feel valued and appreciated.
Join us in celebrating the achievements, milestones, and successes. Together, we continue to build a workplace that inspires, empowers, and excels.
Employee Engagement
All Year Long Events:
Looking for a simple way to take a break, connect with colleagues, and add some movement to your day? The Campus Walking Club is here!
Here's how it works:
- Pick up your Walking Club card from HR
- Define your walk your way- down the hall, around the building, or across campus, it all counts
- Complete 10 walks, turn in your card to HR, and get entered to win a prize! To qualify for entry, submit your completed card by the end of its session (January-March, April-June, July-September, October-December)
- Want to make it more fun? Team up with coworkers and enter as a group
This is about more than steps; it's about community, connection, and taking a break from our desks. So grab a card, lace up (or stroll in your work shoes), and join us in making movement part of our campus culture.
If you would like to sign up to host or co-host your own Triton Walk, check out our Lead a Triton Walk page:
If you would like to learn more about our 2026-2027 session winners, check them out here:
Explore UMSL: Location specific walking tours!
Do you want to host your own location specific walking tour?
Then check out this survey below! Fill out the information and will advertise your event for campus!
Calling all teams! It's time to lace up those sneakers and hit the pavement for a little friendly competition. We're kicking off the Ultimate Walking Challenge— a race to see which team can log the most walks and claim the bragging rights!
Whether you're a power walker, a lunchtime stroller, or someone who's just in it for the fresh air, this is your chance to get moving, bond with your team, and have a blast.
How it works:
- Form your team: Grab a group of colleagues from your unit and come up with a clever team name
- Walk, walk, walk: Complete as many walking club cards as possible during a session (October-December)
- Compete to win: The team with the most completed walks by March will walk away as champions!
Get ready to move and make every step count! Will your team rise to the top?
Ready to walk it out? Swing by HR for your walking club punch card.
Seasonal Events:
During the summer and fall semester, our HR squad is hitting the road with a mission: to bring some serious snack time joy straight to your desks. We are your snack superheroes, swooping in to help you power through your day. Whether you're tackling deadlines or just need a tasty break, we've got treats to keep you going strong!
Keep an eye out for the UMSL HR crew – we'll be the ones with the snacks and smiles - see you there!
Snack on, champions!
We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the following partners: the Chancellor's office, Academic Affairs, Faculty Senate and Staff Association for helping us host our first ever Dog Days of Summer.
We hope to see you all on August 18th to celebrate the start of the fall semester with some good food and great company! It's the perfect opportunity to connect with colleagues and get into the spirit of the season.
Mark your calendars, bring your appetite, and don’t forget to wear your UMSL pride! We can't wait to see you next year!
Date- August 18, 2025
Time- 11:30 to 1:00pm
Location- MSC Patio
Wear your red and gold and show your UMSL pride!
On random Fridays this semester, members from HR, Student Affairs, and the Office of Enrollment Management will be on the lookout for Tritons sporting UMSL pride. If we spot you, you could win a sweet treat!
Bold tees, funky socks, hats, scarves—if it shouts “UMSL,” it counts.
📅 Random Fridays this semester
🎯 Goal: Spread UMSL spirit across campus
🎁 Prize: Treats for showing your colors
Let’s fill campus with red, gold, and Triton pride—every Friday could be your Fri-YAY!
Thank you to everyone who able to join us this Fall Break for a donut and cider! We donut know what we would do without you!
Your creativity and camaraderie made this event a huge success, and we hope your cups—and your spirits—were filled to the brim. Thank you for all you do to make the UMSL community a special place.
Here’s to the start of the spring semester!
We are delighted to invite you and your child to participate in this year's "Bring a Child to Work Day" event at UMSL. On a day that organizations nationwide celebrate by bringing children to work, UMSL employees are encouraged to bring their child, or a special child in their life, to celebrate all that our campus has to offer.
- All faculty and staff are invited to sponsor a young guest to participate.
- Employees must accompany their young guest(s) throughout the day.
- Employees will need to work with their supervisor to determine if their workspace is safe and available for children.
- Supervisor approval is required to participate in the event and is based on the operational needs of the department.
- Registration is required, along with the completion of a Parent Permission and Liability Release Form.
Date: April 23, 2026
Time: 8 am - 5 pm
Check-in Location: Millennium Student Center, 2nd floor rotunda next to information desk
To participate, please complete the following forms and return to umslhr@umsl.edu by: Thursday, April 16th 2026.
Parent Permission and Liability Release
For a complete list of activities and other information, please check out the following links below:
Employee Team-building
Discover Your Strengths with Strengthscope®
Unlock your full potential with Strengthscope®, a powerful, strengths-based assessment designed to help individuals and teams identify what energizes them at work. HR offers facilitated sessions using Strengthscope® to help you and your team better understand core strengths, improve collaboration, and boost performance. Whether you're looking to enhance personal development, build team dynamics, or elevate leadership effectiveness, we're here to guide the way.
Interested in bringing Strengthscope® to your team?
Contact Heather Floden @ heather.floden@umsl.edu to learn more about facilitation options and how to get started!
Employee Recognition
Established in 2024 to recognize the visionary work and efforts of these incredible individuals, the University of Missouri-St. Louis Chancellor’s Medal is awarded to those members of the UMSL community, as well as community friends and supporters who have made a significant contribution to advance the mission and values of the university.
Each month, the chancellor presents up to three staff or faculty members with the UMSL Hero Award in recognition of their efforts to transform the lives of UMSL students and the communities in which we serve. Such accomplishments may be reflected through consistent exemplary performance, through sustained work activities above and beyond normal job requirements or through the superior support of our core values of trust, innovation, access, success and engagement.
At UMSL, we believe in acknowledging and celebrating the remarkable journeys of our employees.
From the first day they joined our campus community, to the continuous career milestones they've reached along the way, each step represents dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellence. These milestones are a testament to the hard work and passion that our employees bring to their roles.
As we reflect on these continuous career milestones, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to our employees. Your continued dedication shapes our success and inspires us all to reach greater heights together. Here's to many more years to come!
The following colleagues reached a significant milestone in 2026:
5 Years of Continuous Service
- Ryan Adams
- Peter Ayres
- Steven Berberich
- Tracy Brosch
- Aaron Doerr
- Khiryn Drawhorn
- William Dyer
- Joel Erickson
- Brian Ferris
- Heather Floden
- Richard Flynn
- Zaneta Ford
- Negina Friedman
- Charity Galgani
- Cynthia Gherardini
- Kathryn Grumke
- Jenna Haddock
- Rakad Hammami
- Thomasina Hassler
- Lauren Hermann
- Kenneth Hibbler
- Reggie Hill
- Megan Holdridge
- Jill Hunt
- Jessica Hylton
- Trinity James
- Marie Jeep
- Sarah Kellogg
- Phillip Klopfenstein
- Rithvik Kondai
- Evangeline Lettnecker
- Jianwu Li
- Joycelyn Manore
- Kavahn Mansouri
- Susan Marino
- Dustin Massie
- Natalia Mata
- Alicia McCann
- Mary McKay
- Terri Montgomery
- Traci Moore
- Roger Moses
- Brian Munoz
- Kimberly Noland
- Maria Paschke
- Hannah Paul
- Trina Perry
- Matthew Prsha
- Jagan Rajamoni
- Magen Rooney
- Hannah Schleicher
- Glee Schmitt
- Katie Showers
- Daniel Sinclair
- Amber Sisco
- Jacqueline Smith
- Cassandra Sweeney
- Chris Tesreau
- Dayna Vassallo
- Casey Ward
- Stefani Weeden-Smith
- Elizabeth Wheeles
- Carolyn Young
10 Years of Continuous Service
- Michelle Barrier
- Annah Bender
- Sharlee Climer
- Linda Du
- Joy Ekenga
- Jennifer Fisher
- Lauren Green
- Alicia Hutchings
- Jennifer Jezek-Taussig
- Catherine Jochens
- Lynda McDowell
- Olivia Mendez-Alm
- Kevin Nguyen
- Casey Peterson
- Lauren Pflug
- Mark Ratliff
- Chanua Ross
- Ilgin Sager
- Emily Samuelson
- Michael Smith
- Patrick Stark
- Gayle Stewart
- Katheryn Votaw
- Stephen Walentik
- Rachel Winograd
- Claire Wolff
15 Years of Continuous Service
- Amy Banken
- James Bashkin
- Latrina Calvin
- Katherine Fraizer
- Megan Galmiche
- Sheila Grigsby
- Katie Jessie
- Min Ju
- Stephanie Kaimann
- Dejan Karan
- Julie Matthews
- Maureen Quigley
- Tom Stephens
- Ryan Young
20 Years of Continuous Service
- Jeanne Allison
- Bindu Arya
- Eike Bauer
- Susan Bradford
- Adrian Clingher
- Martha Donovan
- Katherine Drewry
- Suellynn Duffey
- Christina Edholm
- Qingbo Fu
- Yong Gao
- Daniel Gerth
- Emily Lane
- Cornell Lewis
- Madalyn Painter
- Robert Paul
- Ekin Pellegrini
- Amber Reinhart
- Justin Roberts
- Rebecca Rogers
- Kristel Schlemper
- Deana Smith
- Antionette Sterling
- Pamela Stuerke
- Matthew Taylor
25 Years of Continuous Service
- Peter Acsay
- Laura Arnold
- William Barry
- Rachel Boehlow
- Kelly Byrd
- Uday Chakraborty
- Sarah Coppersmith
- Michael Cosmopoulos
- Cynthia Dupureur
- Gary Flotron
- Daniel Garrett
- Steven Griffey
- Leighanne Heisel
- Beth Henderson
- Mitchell Hess
- Michelle Hill
- David Kimball
- Brian Lawton
- Robert Lovelace
- Susan Manuel
- Ninfa Matiase
- Laurie Milburn
- Brianne Overton
- Erika Redmond
- Dawn Robinson
- Emily Ross
- Christopher Scheetz
- John Shanklin
- Jennifer Siciliani
- Marc Spingola
- Svetlana Veljkovich
- Michelle Warner
- Kathryn Weber
- Jeanine York-Garesche
30 Years of Continuous Service
- Marcel Bechtoldt
- Michael Schrand
- Christopher Sullivan
35 Years of Continuous Service
- Sanjiv Bhatia
- Francis Grady
- Michael Griffin
- Andrew Hurley
- Cezary Janikow
- Shanta Kyles
- Thomas McKelvie
- Tanya Nettles
- Kenneth Rapsilber
- Robert Ross
- Barbara Van Voorden
40 Years of Continuous Service
- Christopher Daniel
- Kailash Joshi
- Robert Malon
55 Years of Continuous Service
-
Charles Granger
60 Years of Continuous Service
- Lawrence Barton
- Bob Henson
At UMSL, we believe in nurturing and empowering leaders who shape the future of our organization. The Administrative Leadership Development Program (ALDP) stands as a testament to this commitment.
ALDP, a distinguished and time-honored leadership development initiative, has equipped our leaders with the tools, insights, and skills needed to excel in today's dynamic workplace. Over eight transformative months, a cohort of leaders has engaged in a journey of self-discovery and growth, marked by insightful leadership assessments, immersive in-person retreats, and enlightening monthly campus meetings.
By focusing on the five core leadership competencies—Performance Orientation, People-Centeredness, Cultural Competence, Values-Driven Leadership, and Strategic and Integrative Thinking—ALDP has not only enhanced leadership effectiveness but also fostered a culture of continuous learning and innovation within our organization.
Our ALDP graduates embody the true essence of leadership and serve as inspiring role models for their peers and colleagues.
Congratulations to the exceptional individuals who have successfully completed the ALDP journey. Together, we continue to cultivate a culture of leadership excellence and drive positive change across the UMSL community.
ALDP 2025 Graduates
- David Gerstenecker
- Lester Stewart III
- Megan Green Simonds
- Meghan Freeman
- Melissa Daniel
- Traci Moore
- Cedric Carr
- Jessica Swederske
- Leah Moser
- Melissa Laurenti
- Stephanie Kaimann
The UMSL Emerging Leaders Program brings together full-time employees from across UMSL’s campus to strengthen leadership skills within the university setting, build and strengthen relationships across units and roles, and increase our capacity to transform lives.
It is a year-long, cohort-based program consisting of a series of four day-long, in-person retreats featuring a combination of guest speakers, panels, and interactive workshops designed to foster community and allow participants to foster collaboration across campus while learning about their leadership style, working with cooperative teams and leading within the context of higher education.
The Emerging Leaders participants epitomize the core principles of leadership and stand as exemplary role models for their peers and colleagues.
The program’s alumni include employees from all seven colleges and schools as well as many non-academic units as the libraries, physical facilities, and student affairs. It includes professors, advisors, researchers, administrators, librarians, managers, and many others who fill the host of roles necessary for UMSL to carry out its mission.
Join us in congratulating these outstanding individuals who have successfully completed the Emerging Leaders journey. Together, we are fostering a culture of leadership distinction and propelling positive transformation throughout the UMSL community.
Celebrating academic milestones: Congratulating our employees who graduated with an UMSL degree in fall 2024, spring 2025, and summer 2025:
- John Ampomah
- Victor Oluwatosin Anyanwu
- Ronald Babione
- Ashley Bartlett
- Cody Barton
- Robert Beverly
- Pamela Blair-Bruce
- Jillian Bockhorst
- Lauren Boitano
- Robert Boxerman
- Morgan Bradley
- Tracy Brosch
- Lauren Campbell
- Steven Chalmers
- James Craig
- Amari Cunningham
- Prakash Dadi
- Leslie Davis
- Austin Davis
- Alison Davis
- Grace Desjardins
- Meghan Devine
- Madyson Diehl
- Phuong Uyen Do
- Grant Ebert
- Michael Feger
- Julia Fitzpatrick
- Carol Fitzsimmons
- Kathryn Fleddermann
- Daniel Flynn
- Harold Francis
- Alexander Garcia
- Caleb Gerleman
- Joseph Govreau
- Charity Gregory
- Kallie Hall
- Diana Hammond
- Chloe Hayes
- Amber Henderson
- Geoffrey Herr
- Nikole Hoff
- Carissa Hope
- Victoria Inzana
- Haley Johanningmeier
- Catherine Karle
- Eylesa Kellam
- Kim Kelly
- Long Lam
- Emelyne Lane
- Hanna Lenz
- Samantha Lesinski-Haines
- Jonathan Lidgus
- Dhanbir Lingden
- Sunjida Reza Maliha
- Brandon Merrill
- Reatha Neal
- Habeeb Opeyemi Okeowo
- Brianne Overton
- Nia Owens
- Marissa Park
- Brandon Park
- Aiden Peterson
- Dana Pierson
- Grace Puchalski
- Shristi Rai
- Fei Ren
- Felicia Reum
- Janazell Rivers
- Elaina Rohlfing
- Justin Rubin
- Samira Saleh
- Pavan Manikanta Simhadri
- Madison Since
- Rumandeep Singh
- Suengyeon Song
- Paul Sorenson
- Corlia Spears
- Deja Tart
- Tiffani Thompson
- Milo Thompson
- Princess-Abiguail Timothy
- Anna Carollina Tisatto Heinzmann
- Monica Trevino
- Kayla Tusing
- Abigail Vogler
- Kaley Ware
- Jade White
- Iriah Wilkerson
- Yu-Yin Wu
At UMSL, we take immense pride in not only the professional achievements of our staff but also their academic successes. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our colleagues who have recently graduated with degrees from UMSL this past year.
Completing a degree while balancing the demands of work is a remarkable accomplishment that speaks volumes about their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to personal and professional growth.