College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee

Let Your Voice Be Heard

The College of Engineering (COE) Staff Advisory Committee is here to serve as an advocate for the COE staff and as a conduit to the Dean and College Administration

2023 Staff and Dependent Education Award

Staff Education Award

The Staff Advisory Committee would like to extend our congratulations to the recipient of the 2023 Staff Education Award, Benjamin McMullen. Benjamin is currently an academic adviser and is enrolled in the Higher Education Doctor of Education program at Penn State University, with classes set to begin full-time in August 2023. According to Benjamin in his application letter,

“I am excited to begin classes full time in August of 2023 in a graduate program designed to help me engage in higher education as a research professional, bringing that experience to bear in my work at this institution every day.” (Cont’d): “With my participation in the higher education doctoral program, I hope to research groundbreaking work in higher education accountability and environmental interactions with students in order to wholistically view the way institutions shape our students and the decisions they make…I seek to improve the way that the College of Engineering can engage with students and help to build a supportive and inclusive environment centered around a mission of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.”

Benjamin’s goals greatly reflect the goals that the College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee, and Penn State as an institution, set forth to achieve each day. We are proud and honored to bestow this award on Benjamin to assist him in his pursuit of educational and professional development goals.


Dependent Education Award

The Staff Advisory Committee would like to extend our congratulations to Jamyson Focht, recipient of the 2023 Dependent Education Award. Jamyson is the daughter of Jaime Focht, department head staff assistant for the Ken and Mary Alice Lindquist Department of Nuclear Engineering. She is a third-year student, currently enrolled in the Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, working to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. In her application letter, Jamyson states,

“I strive to master fundamental nursing skills, facilitate communication and interpersonal skills, and develop leadership skills.” (Cont’d): “My coursework in nursing school…plays a vital role in helping me to achieve my career aspirations. My education provides me with a comprehensive understanding of nursing theory, clinical practice, and patient care. It also involves multiple clinical rotations which are beneficial in gaining hands-on experience in various healthcare settings. I believe all of these aspects of my coursework and education are beneficial in contributing to my career aspirations of becoming a CRNA or CRNP.”

It is our honor to bestow the 2023 student award to Jamyson to assist her in her ongoing pursuit of her Nursing degree so that she may one day fulfill her goal of becoming a skilled healthcare professional.

Staff of the Semester Award

Fall 2023

Kiersten Kling

The College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee would like to extend our congratulations to Kiersten Kling, an Administrative Support Coordinator in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and recipient of the Fall 2023 Staff of the Semester award. Kiersten’s nominator states that she is proactive in all the tasks she manages and works tirelessly. She is excellent at mentoring new assistants and does a great job of inspiring the staff of EE and CSE to work in a cohesive manner as a team. Kiersten takes ownership of her job and feels a great level of responsibility for the school.  She managed the P&T for the entire school and proofreads every dossier, all committee letters and all of my letters for inconsistencies or errors in terms of policy.  She successfully learned the financial system (SIMBA) due to a vacancy and is willing to pitch in wherever needed. We would like to thank Kiersten for upholding the virtues of the Staff Advisory Committee’s mission: facilitating communication and nurturing a spirit of community. It is our honor to bestow her with this award.

Summer 2023

Tom Houck

The College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee would like to extend our congratulations to Tom Houck, Business and Operations director in Mechanical Engineering, and recipient of the Summer 2023 Staff of the Semester award. Tom displays tremendous leadership and commitment to supporting his team in Mechanical Engineering. His dedication to teamwork, camaraderie, and fellowship is exemplified in his duties every day.  He is always leading by innovation and keeps his team at the forefront of his mind when implementing new processes and ideas. Tom successfully utilizes communication and community traits in his duties every day, and the trickle down-effect to his team is evident, and has led to the creation of a vibrant, well-functioning unit. We would like to thank Tom for upholding the virtues of the Staff Advisory Committee’s mission: facilitating communication and nurturing a spirit of community. It is our honor to bestow Tom with this award.

Spring 2023

Lisa Timko

Congratulations to Lisa Timko, administrative support coordinator for the department of Electrical Engineering, and the SAC Spring 2023 Staff of the Semester award recipient! According to her many nominators, Lisa demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities that have left a significant impact on Electrical Engineering.

Lisa has innovated and streamlined grading procedures for research courses and took the initiative to collect and record many student records electronically. She has a remarkable ability to manage all the research teams and graduate students in the department, even under challenging circumstances. She is currently supporting the EE Graduate Office, in addition to the normal duties of her position, and often works during weekends to keep up with the heavy workload. This level of professionalism is a great asset and demonstrates her team commitment. Additionally, Lisa is very committed to improving the sense of community among the graduate students and faculty. She initiated and organized two social events for graduate students. Both events involved extensive effort from Lisa. She values diversity and promotes an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome and respected, which is extremely helpful to new graduate students and new members of the department. We appreciate her deep understanding of the importance of her role, and her promotion of a positive work culture and contributions to an environment that supports creativity, innovation, and excellence.

It is with great enthusiasm that we present Lisa with this well-deserved award. She has truly earned this recognition through her unwavering dedication, exceptional performance, and remarkable leadership skills.

 Recognizing Staff for Their Years of Service

The College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee (SAC) honors staff members for their years of service to Penn State. This year we are hosting the annual SAC Awards Banquet on Friday, November 17. 

  • Eduardo Granata-Rodriguez
  • Danielle Salerno
  • Stacie Schlesinger
  • Stephenie Coffman
  • Sree Madduri
  • Mark Garlicki
  • Benjamin Carr
  • JR Watson
  • Jason Anderson
  • Bryan Costenbader
  • Caleb Mitchell
  • Anand Swaminathan
  • Scott Fishbone
  • Jessica Wilson
  • Maria Anderson Dreese
  • Chelsea Bilyeu
  • Mariah Germello
  • Austin Powell
  • Sarah Small
  • Tabithia McKean
  • David Jacobs
  • Stephanie Miller
  • Jeff Popadines
  • Lisa Petrine
  • Roy Derr
  • Melissa Wandrisco
  • Christine Woytowich
  • Ellis Dunklebarger
  • Richelle Weige
  • Christopher Anderson
  • Brittany Ondish
  • Angela Lesko
  • Christopher Hine
  • Brian Wolfgang
  • Alisha Simon
  • Scott Landes
  • Travis Richner
  • Michael Zimmerman
  • Kristin Harpster
  • Lindsey Garner
  • Michelle Smith
  • Annette Brown
  • Sandra Krout
  • Scott Milander
  • Andrew Miller
  • Adam Hackenberg
  • Mandi Stamm
  • Maria Mosely
  • Erin Rogers
  • Christine Popvich
  • David Jones
  • Sarah Rhyner
  • Lisa Timko
  • Andrew Krebs
  • Cathy Holsing
  • H. Hassinger
  • Kimberly Fox
  • Aaron Parks
  • William Genet
  • Brandy Bower
  • Gene Gerber
  • Joe Lanager
  • Abigail Smith
  • Earl Deshong

James Carras

COE SAC professional development

Professional Development Award

The College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee is pleased to announce the new Professional Development Award specifically designed so staff may receive funding for professional development activities that they may not ordinarily participate in as part of their current position.

This award provides up to $1,500 in financial assistance to staff members (full-time/approved reduced schedule under HR105 full-time staff or technical service employees) so they may participate in a professional development activity such as a conference, workshop, or non-credit class. Travel costs such as lodging, mileage, car rental and fuel, airfare, baggage fees, applicable meal per diems, and registration fees may be covered by the award.

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College of Engineering Staff Advisory Committee at Penn State