Staff Spotlight: Jeanne Walker

This month’s staff member in the spotlight is Jeanne Walker, the Administrative Generalist Coordinator for the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. We asked her a few questions and here’s what she had to say:

What is your name and what do you do; how long have you worked here in OVPUE?

My name is Jeanne Walker and for the last two and a half years I have been the Administrative Generalist Coordinator for the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning. My job is to support the director, staff, and programs at CITL, including: Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, Service-Learning Program, Campus Writing Program, Associate Instructor Support, and Faculty Learning Communities.

What three traits define you?

• Strategic: I look for ways to do a job efficiently from the beginning to the end. I am an out-of-the box thinker especially when the task at hand needs an alternative way of being accomplished.
• Responsible: I take psychological ownership in what I do at CITL. My work ethics have shown that I am a very dependable team player who has a vested interest in our department.
• Organized: When faced with a complex situation involving many factors, I enjoy managing all the variables, aligning and realigning them until I am sure I have arranged them in the most productive way possible.

What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

I don’t think I could be specific about what I would be doing in a different career. I can say that whatever it was, it would be working with and helping people. I am a customer service-oriented person who takes great pride when I can help people. It is what I like to do.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

If I could learn to do anything…this is a hard question for me as for most of my life I have been around horses until June of 2018 when I lost my riding partner, Comet. During those years I have said this more times than I can count “I have a dream….to ride like an Olympian, not compete in the Olympics, but to ride like I am”. I don’t think that will ever change in my mind.

What challenging thing has happened (to) for you, and what did you gain from it?

I would have to say my biggest challenge was when I was in my early 30’s and was diagnosed with a chronic arthritis. At first it was quite devastating as pain can affect a person’s mobility and their quality of life. It took all of 5 years to get it under control and get me back to where most people would never know I have it. Since that time, I have spoken with two others who have also been diagnosed with this disease just to give them a sense of what I had and was still dealing with. I was also a guest speaker for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program for Lone Star College Tomball, TX for 3 years where I talked with students about what it was like living with this disease. What have I learned from this? To live for today!

How do you define success?

I would define success as achieving goals or accomplishing what we set out to do. Success for me is being proud of what I have done in my life, having a happy marriage and family, and setting bigger and better goals for the future.

What do you do in your spare time?

In my recent spare time, I work with my husband on either upgrading or repairing projects on our home we purchased 3 years ago. It is always great to see the end results after putting in the hard work. During the summer months, I enjoy planting flowers and finding new art to add to our flower gardens.

What is a favorite book, movie, and/or tv show that had an impact on you?

One of my favorite movies is Schindler’s List. A true story of an extraordinary man who was willing to sacrifice his personal wealth to save hundreds of Jews and often put his life on the line to rescue people from a grim demise. Wow a very inspirational movie!

Where would you like to go on a dream vacation?

If I could go on a dream vacation it would be to revisit Livorno, Italy. For 3 years I lived in Livorno while my husband was in the military. It would be so nice to visit old friends, eat great Italian food, drink wonderful wine, walk through the street markets, and visit the dunes along the sea in Tirrenia.

What is your favorite thing about working at OVPUE?

The best thing about working at OVPUE is the people. I enjoy being a part of a great group of colleges in the CITL department and have had the opportunity to work with several supportive team members in our business office.