Caroline Venuti honored with Staff Make Students Count award

The University of Alaska honored three outstanding staff members during the June 5 Board of Regents meeting with the Staff Make Students Count award for providing outstanding service to students. Recipients exemplify the myriad ways we can provide outstanding service to UA students. Although they have varied position descriptions, one thing these staff members have in common is their evident care and dedication to the students at the University of Alaska.

Please join us in congratulating UAA's recipient, Caroline Venuti. Caroline is the Learning Resource Center coordinator and writing tutor on the Kachemak Bay Campus, as well as the advisor for the KBC Student Association (she is also affectionately known as the “snack coordinator," which came out of her desire for students to know someone cared about them). Caroline received her B.A. in elementary education from UAF and an M.A. in public school administration from UAA.

In a letter of support for Caroline, one of her students remarked:

"I'm writing to you today to express my heartfelt admiration and extreme gratitude for Caroline. She is, in my opinion, the most valuable employee on campus and the reason why I am still in school. When I first started at this campus, I was terrified. I hadn't been in school for almost ten years, and I was recently diagnosed with mental health issues, so I felt incredibly unprepared and unconfident. Caroline was one of the first people I met, and she was a ray of sunshine. She was immediately welcoming, and somehow managed to settle my nerves with just a chat. She assured me that I could do this, and always made herself available to help with my classwork if I needed it."

Congratulations as well to Carol Hoefler from UAF, administrative assistant for the Art Department, and Louis Scott from UAS, Title III academic advisor.

In congratulating these three outstanding staff members, President Johnsen said, “this is the quality and commitment we see every day across the university and I am proud to serve UA with them.”

Each recipient received an award plaque, a lump-sum of $1,000 and two domestic airline vouchers from Alaska Airlines. The Staff Make Students Count Awards were established in 1999 to recognize outstanding service to UA students. Learn more at the Staff Make Students Count website.

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