Magen Besancon, left, senior coordinator of student recruitment in the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences, poses for a photo with Jeffrey Cass, UHV provost and vice president for academic affairs, after Besancon was named the 2014 UHV Employee of the Year. The announcement was made during Tuesday’s UHV Faculty & Staff Recognition Luncheon.

Magen Besancon, senior coordinator of student recruitment in the University of Houston-Victoria School of Arts & Sciences, was named the 2014 Employee of the Year at the university’s Faculty & Staff Recognition Luncheon Tuesday.

University employees attended the event to recognize faculty and staff members celebrating employment anniversaries. For the first time, UHV honored employees who have worked for the university for 40 years. UHV was established in 1973.

Besancon works to help bring in graduate students to School of Arts & Sciences programs. She also helps establish dual credit agreements with local high schools.

“It’s been an exciting year for the school,” she said. “I’m especially proud of my role in starting our dual credit partnerships. It’s a growing program that has a lot of upside, for students and the university.”

During 2014, Besancon helped coordinate a visit to China, which led to a Memorandum of Understanding with Harbin Normal University in Harbin. In August, she also began serving as vice chair of the UHV Staff Council. In addition, she was the point person for the School of Arts & Sciences assessment work during the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges re-accreditation. UHV was re-accredited in December for 10 additional years.

“Through her efforts, we didn’t receive one criticism of any of our assessment materials for SACSCOC,” said Jeffrey Di Leo, dean of the UHV School of Arts & Sciences. “This past year, Magen not only helped us bring about two new degrees, but she also oversaw the prerequisite revision of all School of Arts & Science classes. Without her, the school would be much less efficient and productive. She is extremely well-organized, always pleasant with her co-workers and is widely admired among our faculty and staff.”

Besancon said she was surprised by the award.

“It’s humbling to receive the recognition from my coworkers,” she said. “I really strive to do my best. I’d like to thank Dr. Di Leo and the Arts & Sciences faculty and staff members for all they do to help me do my job.”

UHV staff members cast votes on an email ballot listing each 2014 UHV Employee of the Month. In addition to Besancon, others listed on the ballot were:

• Reese Alexander, recruitment coordinator in the School of Education & Human Development
• Melissa Arnold, administrative secretary in the Office of Admissions
• Mary Borden, instructional technology specialist in the School of Business Administration
• Albert Gonzales, senior maintenance technician in Facility Services
• Nancy Gresham, special events coordinator
• Sandy Mendez, senior secretary in the School of Business Administration
• Tony Rodriguez, interactive video technician in Academic and Technology Student Services
• Leigh Ann Smith, senior secretary in the School of Nursing
• Patrick Sullivan, assistant soccer coach
• Mike Sylvester, security officer
• Becky Townsend, admissions and records analyst in the Office of Admissions

Besancon received a $500 check, a UHV T-shirt and a plaque. Her name also will be engraved on the Employee of the Year plaque displayed in UHV University West.

A second Faculty & Staff Luncheon will take place at UH Sugar Land on March 10 for those UHV employees who work at that teaching center, the UH System at Cinco Ranch and the Houston Community College Katy campus.

Employees who have worked at the university for five, 10, 15, 25 or 40 years also were recognized on Tuesday. Each employee’s name, title and department are listed below.

Five Years

• Lisette Barton, assistant professor in the School of Nursing
• Kacey Lindemann Butler, senior business advisor for the Small Business Development Center
• Olga Chapa, assistant professor in the School of Business Administration
• Deborah George, financial aid specialist
• Dagoberto Gilb, professor in the School of Arts & Sciences
• William Harkey, lecturer in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Theresa Hawken, senior administrative secretary in the Provost’s Office
• Kim Herzinger, lecturer in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Mary Lasater, assistant professor in the School of Education & Human Development
• Jesica McCue, lecturer in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Sandra McNeely, assistant clinical professor in the UHV School of Nursing
• Candice Neill, applications programmer and developer in Student Affairs
• Farhang Niroomand, dean of the School of Business Administration
• Lindsey Ortiz, head softball coach
• Esperanza “Hope” Salgado, financial aid specialist
• Kyle Schlesinger, associate professor in the UHV School of Arts & Sciences
• Ashley Sisson, student receivables specialist in Business Services
• Dmitri Sobolev, assistant professor in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Alireza Tavakkoli, assistant professor in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Erika Vermillion, senior administrative assistant in the Provost’s Office
• Valerie Walden, comptroller in the Finance Office
• Andrea Williams, senior secretary in the Financial Aid Office
• Brian Williamson, head golf coach
• Nikki Wilmoth, administrative assistant in the School of Nursing
• Matthew Wooton, carpenter in facilities
• Jie Yang, professor in the School of Business Administration
• Jun Yang, associate professor in the School of Business Administration

10 Years

• Lou Ellen Callarman, senior library associate at the VC/UHV Library
• Genaro Cortez, safety and risk manager in Business Services
• Janet Foerster. testing specialist in Student Services
• Carolyn Fritz, tutoring specialist in Student Services
• Yvonne Garcia, international student coordinator in the Office of Admissions
• Eunice Mesa, training and development coordinator
• Yixi Ning, associate professor in the School of Business Administration
• Aurora Robinson, senior secretary in Academic & Student Technology Services
• Mary “Esther” Sandoval, senior secretary in the School of Nursing
• Cheryl Shumbera, PeopleSoft functional analyst in the Office of Admissions
• Rhiannon Smith, director of services in the School of Business Administration
• Larry Steen, mail services clerk in Business Services
• Charles Striedel, assistant director of Facilities
• Katherine Sullivan, administrative assistant in the VC/UHV Library
• Roberto Tonsul, instructional technology specialist in the School of Nursing
• Yun Wan, associate professor in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Qi Zhu, associate professor in the School of Arts & Sciences

15 Years

• Matt Alexander, manager of academic user services in Academic & Student Technology Services
• Leonard Buckner, lead custodian in Facilities
• Vicki Causey, instructional technology specialist in the School of Business Administration
• Randy Faulk, director of administrative technology services
• Jane Fry, associate dean and associate professor of literacy studies in the UHV School of Education & Human Development
• Yong Glasure, economics professor in the School of Business Administration
• Richard Gunasekera, biology and biochemistry professor in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Kristy Holly, instructional technology specialist for the School of Arts & Sciences
• June Lu, management professor in the School of Business Administration
• Rosemary McCusker, manager of student recruitment and marketing in the School of Business Administration
• Susie Motal, business services coordinator
• Linda Parr, senior admissions specialist in the Office of Admissions
• Margaret Rice, special assistant to the provost and visiting assistant professor in adult and higher education in the School of Education & Human Development
• Sandy Venneman, professor of psychology and biology in the School of Arts & Sciences
• Deborah Westbrook, coordinator for teacher certification in the School of Education & Human Development
• Chun-Sheng Yu, associate professor of management in the School of Business Administration

25 Years

• Gail Crockett, head of technical services at the Victoria College/UHV Library

40 Years

• Paul Carlson, professor of special education in the School of Education & Human Development
• Joe Ferguson, senior director of Academic and Student Technology Services
• Diane Prince, education professor in the School of Education & Human Development