The Administrative Support Team Holds Everything Together for UNK’s CBT

In order for any college to run efficiently, it takes a true team effort. Fortunately for the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Stacy Darveau, Suzette Eppler, Carol Koch, and Darlene Sandoval have mastered the art of working as a team. They mainly support the Business Division within the College of Business and Technology. While they each do a stellar job in their respective positions, it is when they come together that the College of Business and Technology is able to run like a well-oiled machine. Stacy Darveau explains that all administrative support staff from the Business Division and Technology Division meet on a monthly basis which has caused their emphasis to shift away from individual business departments toward where they are now, “working together for a common goal.” This pivot has made all the difference for the College of Business and Technology.

On the business side of UNK’s CBT, Stacy Darveau works as Administrative Associate to Dean Tim Jares. Suzette Eppler works as Office Associate to Dr. Kyle Luthans who is the Chair of the Management Department. Carol Koch works as Office Associate to Dustin Favinger who is the Director of the MBA Program and Career Center. Darlene Sandoval works as Office Associate to Dr. Frank Tenkorang who is the Chair of the Accounting, Finance, and Economics Department. 

This doesn’t tell the whole story though. These ladies truly work together to create a cohesive team that makes the business side of the CBT run smoothly. Each of them goes above and beyond. In fact, Suzette Eppler and Darlene Sandoval have picked up the duties for the vacated Office Associate position in the Marketing, Agribusiness, and Supply Chain Management Department. All the ladies of the Administrative Support Team consider jumping in and getting things done for the college simply part of their job. Their selfless nature could not be more appreciated by both the faculty and the students.

Stacy Darveau, whose position allows her to support the Dean and therefore the entire college, coordinates tasks with the other members of the Administrative Support Team. Although it falls within her job description to manage the budgets among other many tasks for the whole college, she shares that she “could not do (her) job without these ladies.” She is grateful for the “real friendships (that) have developed” and appreciates the way they all work together as a team. Having worked at UNK for almost 24 years, Darveau describes her time at the university as “a kind of family affair” since her husband, Dr. Scott Darveau, works close by as one of UNK’s chemistry professors.

Suzette Eppler, a former teacher, sees UNK as “a good fit for (her) family.” She is someone who Dr. Kyle Luthans describes as “always willing to go above and beyond her normal job duties.” Eppler has worked at the University of Nebraska at Kearney for the past six years.  Dr. Luthans shares that he appreciates her “high level of flexibility and adaptability.” Eppler feels like “every day is different” and is grateful that she gets to “work with a great group of faculty and staff.” Dr. Luthans echoes her sentiment as he describes her as someone who “does an excellent job of maintaining a positive work environment, working with students and faculty, and meeting and greeting visitors to the College of Business and Technology.” 

Carol Koch, who technically works part-time at UNK, actually puts in a lot of full-time hours. Her work is crucial to support students as they figure out how their strengths and weaknesses can help them to achieve their career goals. Although she was not hired to assist with the student-run coffee shop, Brewed Awakening, she spends a lot of time there doing just about everything required to keep it running. Koch describes herself as someone who has “been on campus for quite a few years.” She has spent the past eight years working in the College of Business and Technology where she is indispensable to the faculty, students, and the rest of the Administrative Support Team.

Darlene Sandoval describes her time at UNK as years that “have gone by really fast.” She has worked at the College of Business and Technology for almost six years and shares that she “really enjoy(s) working with the faculty of all departments.” She says they “have lots of fun.” Dr. Frank Tenkorang, who is the chair of the department, describes Sandoval as the person who serves as “the backbone of the AFE department.” He goes on to share that she “meticulously” manages budgets which ensures “financial orderliness.” He also is grateful for how she optimizes “class schedules to benefit students and faculty.”

UNK’s CBT simply could not run as it does if it weren’t for these ladies of the Administrative Support Team. As Stacy Darveau states, this team works with “the faculty members in their respective departments.” They “assist them when they need to travel, if there are issues in a classroom, (and) they help procure necessary supplies to assist with teaching.” But their jobs don’t stop there. Darveau explains that they also “assist in paying bills” and “help with course scheduling.” In short, they do everything needed to make everyone else’s jobs easier.

Although what they do is often behind the scenes, everyone at UNK’s College of Business and Technology is grateful for this great team of ladies. During this season of thanksgiving and joy, it seemed like the perfect time to tell each of them what a wonderful job they are doing and how much they mean to UNK.