 When Paula
Dungjen received word that she had won the 2003 Staff of the Year Award
from the College of Engineering, her reaction was not all that
surprising to those who know her.
“I was thrilled,” she said. “The Dean’s
assistant delivered a confidential envelope. At first, I
joked about its contents, but when I opened it, I couldn’t’ stop
reading it over and over! I was granted this years’ staff
award? Me?”
Paula added that receiving the recognition is a sign of
success at a job she really loves, adding that working with
her premier faculty, staff, and students make the honor more
meaningful.
Paul joined The University of Akron in 1997 as Word Processor
III in the Department of Geology. Less than a year later,
she was promoted to administrative assistant for the Department
of Mechanical Engineering.
“I have always had an interest in the science,” she
said. “Previously, I worked with mechanical, electrical,
hydraulic, and computer engineers in the industry and thoroughly
enjoyed it. Joining the College of Engineering was an opportunity
to once again work with engineers.”
Among her duties are directing the day-to-day office operations,
serving as a DARS liaison and providing preliminary transfer
articulations to students and coordinating special events
and public relations activities. However, she says the most
enjoyable aspect of her job is researching, collecting and
interpreting data.
“I enjoy gathering data and compiling large reports,
such as academic activity reports for the Ohio Board of Regents
and grant account and student ethnicity reports for the National
Science Foundation,” she said. “The most interesting
aspect of my job learning is new technologies and having
the opportunity to demonstrate individual skills and abilities.”
Prior to The University of Akron, Paula was the office manager
for the Medina County Board of MRDD. Before that, she was
the secretary/reprographer for the Mechanical Engineering
Department at Ebner Furnaces in Wadsworth.
She holds an Associate Degree in Science from The University
of Akron and is certified in Novell Administrations and Novell
Networks. Paula also has a certificate of Applied Training
Technology in Grant Writing and received a Business Administration
Award from the American Red Cross.
In her spare time, Paula enjoys amateur astronomy. But this
activity will soon be replaced with a more precious project. “I
am going to be first-time grandmother,” she beans, “now
most of my spare time will be spent doing over the baby.”
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