Donna Zerbian received the University Staff Employee Appreciation award for May at UW-Stout.
Zerbian, of Menomonie, is a food service assistant in University Dining. She has worked at UW-Stout for 30 years.
The person nominating Zerbian stated: “Donna has been here for a long time, and during that time she has made an impact on so many students. She is friendly, positive and just fun to be around. She is a great worker and an even better human. I can say this as a supervisor, but I can also say this from the perspective of a student.
"Back when I was a student worker at Tainter, I worked with Donna. I do not remember everybody I worked with back then, but I remember the people who made an impact. Donna was one of those people. She was firm enough to keep everything under control but remained kind enough to be approachable. Having people like Donna working so closely with our students is huge. That connection students make with full-time workers like Donna may not always be recognized, but it is really one of the most important parts of their daily lives.
"Donna is friendly and welcoming to all people she encounters. She is really an amazing person. University Dining is so lucky to have her as a member of its team. The amount of students she has impacted over her years here is huge, and I really think that is one of the most important things our staff can do."
Each employee of the month receives a certificate of recognition and a gift presented by Chancellor Katherine Frank.
The award, in its 17th year, was established by the Chancellor’s Office and is co-sponsored by the University Staff Senate.
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