Northeast South Dakota News

Jamie Jacobsen, program assistant in the South Dakota State University Graduate School, has been named Civil Service Employee of the Month for October. 

She will be honored from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Oct. 25 in room 104, Morrill Hall.

Jacobsen has been employed at SDSU since March 2007, starting in the sociology department and moving to the Graduate School in August 2016.

Graduate School Director Nicole Lounsbery called Jacobsen a “people-centered problem-solver who uses creative solutions to address new challenges. No matter what is thrown at her, Jamie handles it with efficiency, professionalism and a positive attitude.”

“Jamie works closely with faculty and staff across campus to ensure graduate students receive and maintain assistantships and provides critical guidance on how to complete necessary paperwork. Jamie is patient and kind to others, including international students who may be experiencing issues related to communication and understanding cultural differences,” Lounsbery wrote on Jacobsen’s nomination form.

Professor George White, from the Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences, said Jacobsen is indispensable to SDSU for her knowledge, wisdom, experience and stability.

“Whenever I have had a question or needed someone’s help, Jamie has always been there. I greatly appreciate how Jamie has never dismissed or discounted any of my concerns or needs. She has always found my questions reasonable and usually knows the answers or best courses of action,” White wrote.

Graduate School Assistant Director Kristen Kponyoh added, “Jamie is a huge asset to not only the Graduate School, but also SDSU. She has a huge wealth of institutional knowledge and common sense that allows her to flourish in her job and assist others with getting the information they need to be successful in theirs.”

“Faculty and staff speak highly of Jamie’s ability to assist with problems that impact their department and/or students,” Kponyoh wrote.

Jacobsen and her husband, Ryan, have three sons and have lived in Brookings for 20 years. Their oldest son graduated from SDSU last spring with a bachelor’s degree in geography and GIS, and Ryan received his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at the same time. Jacobsen enjoys reading, traveling and watching her youngest son play hockey.

“I am very grateful to have an exceptional supervisor and outstanding coworkers,” she said.

All SDSU Employee of the Month selections are determined through a nomination process by the Civil Service Advisory Council. Each civil service employee of the month receives an appreciation monetary gift from the F.O. Butler Foundation. The trustees of the foundation recognize the importance of civil service employees and take this opportunity to thank them for their exemplary service.

Original source can be found here