What originally attracted you to GVSU?
I had lived in Allendale a few years and wanted to find something close to home. I was already an adult student there and thought it would be great to work at GVSU as well, so I applied for a job in the Registrar's Office.

Share a favorite Grand Valley memory:
I had become friends with an employee who sat in front of us at the football stadium. We often went out to lunch, and one day I shared that it was my wedding anniversary. Her face lit up; it was hers as well! We were married on the exact same day and year. We brought our photo albums to the next lunch date and just sat there smiling. We are still friends today, despite the long distance with me in Arizona.

What was your proudest achievement during your time at the university?
When I arrived in my department, a good number of our processes were paper form -- RA Application, Helping Hands, Early Arrival Requests -- and I was able to streamline all of these to a convenient online form. I was always looking for ways to improve convenience for staff and students/families.

Who was a mentor or colleague who made a significant impact on your career?
Janet Walls was my supervisor when I moved to the Housing and Residence Life Office. I knew very little about student affairs, and she was very helpful in acclimating me to everything.

What have you been doing since retiring, or what do you hope to do in retirement? Tell us about your hobbies, interests, and anything new you would love to learn.
My husband and I love being in Arizona full-time, and the weather affords us time to be outside, ride our bikes, take our dogs on walks, and our community has great amenities. I continue to use my organizational skills to assist/volunteer at my church. I took over the Benefit Golf Scramble after it had been abandoned several years ago. In 2024, I took off running -- looking for sponsors (and not knowing ANYONE in the area, but I learned), recruiting golfers, gathering prizes. I had an easy venue at my community -- golf course and ballroom for dining. I raised $7,700.00 my first year, $12,500.00 my second year, and $18,500 this past March. I have been able to recruit a team to assist me moving forward as this past event was a bit much to handle with almost 100 golfers and an additional 30 lunch attendees. My plan is to get a younger group of volunteers trained to take this over.....since I am retired! This has been an extremely rewarding experience.