Secretaries enjoy Keeping Cal U moving forward
By Ester Suchevitis
Professors teach, students learn, but at California University of Pennsylvania, it’s the secretaries who keep the wheels spinning. Secretaries on campus are always there to give a helping hand to whoever needs it, and they enjoy doing so.
“Meeting such a wide variety of students is a reward in itself,” said Jessica Spence, the secretary for the Graduate Students and Global Online office in Eberly Hall. Having been a secretary at Cal U for over 10 years, Spence is an enthusiastic worker who said she loves her job and the institution as a whole. She likes working with the students and experiencing the diversity among them. She said her co-workers are a great group and are able to cohesively work together as a team. In fact, she feels like there’s nothing about the job or her co-workers that she doesn’t like. Spence originally lived in Manassas, Va., and graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School. After graduation, she came to Pennsylvania to study at the Laurel Business Institute. After completing her training there, she found a job at Cal U and now lives in Brownsville. Spence plans on staying at Cal U for the foreseeable future. Across the hall from Spence is Heidi Dolobach, the secretary for the Math and Computer Science Department. She often finds herself with a lot of work to do to help the department and little time to do much else. Originally from Masontown, she attended Albert Gallatin High School and later went to West Virginia University. She worked for Household International Finance Corporation for over 12 years as a secretary before coming to Cal U. She likes the hours that she works, but she can do without the politics her job (and every job) has. Dolobach plans on retiring from her position at Cal U in the future. |
Some secretaries have so much work they need a helping hand. Rachel Pisarcik is a work-study student for the head secretary of the Art Department. When the secretary is away, you can find Pisarcik in the office to assist lost students. Yet, sometimes she gets bored when no one stops by.
As a student in her senior year who plans to graduate in the spring, Pisarcik loves how flexible the hours are and how she can easily fit them into her busy schedule. Being in the graphic design program at Cal U, she is happy to work with the professors outside of class as a secretary aid in the department. With graduation close, Pisarcik hopes to get a good job out of college that not only pays well, but also allots her some free time. “My dream is for a job that allows lots of vacations!” Pisarcik said, laughing. While the secretaries at Cal U are generally unable to choose what department they work for, they are still able to enjoy their work. By doing so and being comfortable in their busy work environment, they help to make the professors and students happier at Cal U. Ester Suchevits is a student majoring in Journalism at California University of Pennsylvania. Read more of her stories at suchevitsreporting.weebly.com |