Brenda Kring started working for the University of Nebraska at Kearney as a student worker and has been a secretary in the Department of Industrial Technology since 1991. Her nominator indicates that Brenda's contribution to high staff morale and sound judgement is excellent. The department has been able to capture money for equipment and remodeling (over $450,000), increase enrollments by over 64% over five years, and add new faculty. These things could not have been accomplished if the staff and faculty did not have a positive attitude and sound judgement. This starts with Brenda, since she is the first person that everyone sees when entering the Industrial Technology office. She is able to meet students, parents, and faculty in a positive way each day. The department chair has asked Brenda to work with departmental budgets and many accounts, and she is always able to balance it to zero at the end of each fiscal year. Brenda is asked to accomplish many activities in her position, but when that person is as capable as Brenda is and she wants to contribute more than secretarial work, the department is able to move in a positive direction.
During an eight week period this spring, Brenda Kring organized and headed up the first Telecommunications Career Fair for the department, completed three bulk mailings to over 1,500 people, organized a tour of the department for 35 schools that attended the Construction Career Fair held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds, assisted Construction Management students in hosting the West Central Home Builders, and assisted with the Epsilon Pi Tau honorary's golf outing for companies and students. Assistance was received from two work-study students and student organizations, but Brenda directed their work and also conducted the normal daily departmental activities.
Brenda's teamwork attitude was shown by the way she handled the above tasks. She developed teams of students from student organizations, faculty, and work-study students to accomplish the activities. The department chair indicates that the teamwork between the secretarial staff and the faculty has been excellent.
The ten faculty members in the department of Industrial Technology all use Brenda to check over any material before it is finalized. That includes tests, course outlines, letters, and any other material that is leaving the office. She is an excellent proofreader and has the ability to make suggestions that improve upon any document. Brenda takes pride in the type of work that is done in the office and really takes ownership in the activities of the department.
Besides being in a very busy office, Brenda serves as a member of the Office/Service Advisory Council and represents the Council on the Professional Development and Performance Management Committees of Staff Senate. Brenda has a vast working knowledge of the University of Nebraska and has a willingness to support its activities.
Because of her enthusiasm, excellent work ethic and commitment to the University and her department, Brenda Kring has been named the Employee of the Month for October 1998.