Bookstore manager plans to hit the road, traveling
Glenna Gilson, the retiring director of CEU Bookstore is a pretty special lady. Just ask my dad- he is married to her. For the sake of full disclosure, I am Glenna’s stepson.
Gilson received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the Utah State University Extension in Price.
She a has been a part of CEU since 1998. After working in the mining industry for many years, she joined the CEU business office. After a short time, she moved to the bookstore and became director in 2005.
This archived article was written by: Scott Frederick
Glenna Gilson, the retiring director of CEU Bookstore is a pretty special lady. Just ask my dad- he is married to her. For the sake of full disclosure, I am Glenna’s stepson.
Gilson received her bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the Utah State University Extension in Price.
She a has been a part of CEU since 1998. After working in the mining industry for many years, she joined the CEU business office. After a short time, she moved to the bookstore and became director in 2005.
“Some things have changed,” she says, as she looks over the sales floor from her office. “The store has a website now, and a courier service that delivers bookstore products and mail, campus wide.”
“The bookstore is pretty quiet. The hardest part for me has been trying to keep our prices competitive with online booksellers and Wal-Mart. Each semester, there is more competition as students purchase more textbooks from the web.”
Gilson has four daughters: Miki, Valerie, Paula and Leslie. Three have graduated from CEU and Valerie is currently enrolled. She also has three stepsons and one stepdaughter. One stepson, Scott Frederick is also attending CEU. She wonders which one will be the first to receive their bachelor’s degree.
Several times during our interview she expressed her admiration for the CEU students, administration, faculty and staff.
“I don’t know of anyone at CEU that wouldn’t bend over backwards to help a student. I know everyone at CEU is genuinely interested in the students and wants to see them succeed.”
When talking about the proposed merger between CEU and USU she worries that, “CEU is a gem that could be hidden or covered up by a big school takeover. What will happen if tuition goes up, what about our faculty and staff, and will more students have to take online classes rather than classes from a real live teacher?”
When talking about ways CEU could improve, Gilson was short on answers. “I think everyone is doing a good job,” she said. “We need a new fine arts/music building.” Then after a moment she adds, “I would like to see CEU return to having a football team … I think it would help the school.”
She is looking forward to “lots more camping, traveling and continuing to take oil painting classes from Noel Carmack, sleeping late, more naps and spending more time with her husband,” she says with a wink at me.
She isn’t going away from CEU completely, she will become a part-time employee in the business office and looks forward to getting back to the field she loves … accounting.
“The best thing about my job has been working and visiting with everyone on campus … I will miss that the most,” she says.
“More than anything I want everyone to know how much I have enjoyed working with them … everyone has been great. CEU has the best people on the planet … and the best students in the whole world.”
An open house for Gilson is planned in the bookstore Oct. 31 from 1-3 p.m. If you have a minute, come to the bookstore and say hello and goodbye.
