Staff Employees of the Month

Update | Friday, September 12, 2025

Lori Gage - September FT SEOM

Hawi Leta - September PT SEOM

Abeer Awooda - August PT SEOM

Three people were named Staff Employees of the Month at last week’s First Wednesday in WD: A full-time and part-time employee for September and a part-time employee for August who was out of the country last month.

Lori Gage was named the Full-time Staff Employee of the Month. She is a coordinator for the Columbus State Foundation and has been with the college for nine years and was nominated by Chief of Staff Rob Messinger. 

While they may not know her name, graduates, families, supporters, and many other key Columbus State stakeholders have great experiences with the college because of Lori’s attention to detail and professionalism,” said Messinger in his nomination.

“Find any big event, and Lori will be sweating the details to provide a great experience for people who engage with the college. Lori handles both the big picture decisions and the small details. Her job is about balancing competing priorities, what event organizers want, what visitors will experience, and how the logistics marry up with our ideal experience. She is a fantastic partner in all of these facets to deliver the best experience for all who attend Columbus State events.”

Student Services Specialist Hawi Leta was named the Part-time Staff Employee of the Month for September. She was hired last year to assist in Student Central.

“Hawi is knowledgeable on computer science programs and frequently guides students to see opportunities in the field,” said her nominator, fellow Specialist Sally Brackbill. “Hawi juggles multiple students and is able to handle multiple complex cases while still delivering excellent service.”

Science Laboratory Technician Abeer Awooda was named the August Part-time Staff Employee of the Month. She was hired in 2018. Last month, she was promoted to a full-time position in the Biological & Physical Sciences Department. Awooda was nominated by Biology Instructor Ryan Homsher and Delaware Campus Specialist Marcia Holleman.

In his nomination, Homsher said he Abeer’s professionalism and attention to detail is unmatched. As a new physics lab was being added to the Delaware Campus, Abeer was there to help with the move and set up. Homsher said. “Abeer always asked me what would be best for me and my students.”

Holleman echoed those comments, saying, “Abeer’s enthusiasm and willingness to go above and beyond make a tangible impact on our campus community.

 

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