Heather Ellis has been named the Employee of the Quarter at IUPUC for Q2, 2022. Since the beginning of 2016, IUPUC has recognized an employee every quarter for contributions made that go above and beyond regular work responsibilities.
In her role as Senior Administrative Assistant, Ellis has proven to be the glue that holds the Division of Health Sciences together by organizing events, coordinating with adjuncts, and being an overall support role for the faculty and staff. In addition to supporting Health Sciences admissions and recruitment efforts, she ensures that the Simulation Lab is open for visiting students to learn about the immersive nursing program offered right here in Columbus, IN. Thanks to Ellis, prospective nursing students have the opportunity to view the state-of-the-art SIM Lab prior to making their college choice.
Since joining IUPUC in July 2019, Ellis has earned the praise of her peers in the Division of Health Sciences. “Her attention to detail, superb organizational skills, and meticulous recordkeeping have kept our division working well with accrediting bodies and our clinical partners throughout the challenges of several system changes and a pandemic,” said Karen East, Director of the Simulation Lab. “She has gone out of her way to make sure the faculty and our students had the protective equipment needed for us to go into hospital settings when we did not know what COVID was about. While successfully juggling the above, she coordinates orientation for new faculty, big division events such as the annual IUPUC Advisory Council meeting with our clinical partners, and a Christmas Open house for all IUPUC employees. Throughout this, Heather represents grace and dedication to the IUPUC family with her pleasant, kind disposition and willingness to help anyone out.”
After the votes were counted, Elllis was elected as Vice President of IUPUC’s Staff Council, and she immediately hit the ground running which caught the attention of colleagues. “She has provided direction and leadership at meetings and has gone outside of her comfort zone to support others and challenge herself.” said Jayne Morris, Assistant Director of Enrollment Management.
With the help of Academic Advisor Bree Hobbs, Ellis led the effort to re-introduce the weekly Coffee Club giving staff the opportunity to gather in-person and connect. Additionally, Ellis has gone above and beyond to coordinate social events off-campus in order to recognize her peers. Her efforts to make IUPUC a more welcoming campus for staff has led to her continuous success.
When asked what inspires her to get up and to go work in the morning, Ellis said, “I enjoy the work, variety and people the most. I have always been a helper and my role creates opportunities daily to help those in the division and more recently on the wider campus.”
Upon learning the Employee of the Quarter honor, Ellis responded by recognizing her peers she works alongside: “I feel fortunate to work with such generous and accomplished leaders and role models who are looking for ways to lift others up and recognize them for their hard work. I am grateful for my time with IUPUC and the opportunity to continue to grow in my current and future roles on campus.”