Empowered women on USU Eastern staff

This archived article was written by: Dean Thacker

Many women at Utah State University Eastern empower everyone around them. These women are faculty, staff and students. These are women who push people around them to be better, stronger and more confident people. In this three-part series, USU Eastern women who are key to helping the institution run smoothly, empower others and create the amazing environment on campus will be featured.
Part one is staff members, department directors, academic advisors, dining and food services, janitors and educational services who are the glue that keep the institution running. These are some of the women who are that glue.
The first woman is Emily Bradley. She has been at USU Eastern since March 2017 and is over all dining services, catering and events on campus. Bradley is extremely involved with the students and wants what’s best for them. She has plans to completely change the dining services to help the students have a better dining on-campus by renovating the grille, bringing more options to the cafeteria and asking students what they would like to see.
“I try to lead by example. I am willing to do any job I expect my crew to do.” she said. ”I like to work with others, to find their strengths and push them to excel in that area.”
The next female staff person is Gypsie Everett, director of student life, leadership and diversity. She is an alumni and worked at Eastern for just over four years.
Everett’s job is to help students have a better experience on campus. She works to improve the lives of students by overseeing student involvement programs such as the Queer Resource Center and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion.
She advises the Eastern Utah Student Association. The EUSA helps students by being the liaison between the students and administration, putting on events like homecoming week and welcome week, and sponsoring diversity events. Everett is someone who empowers everyone around them to be better people.
“I think the most important thing when empowering people is giving them a voice so that they are invested. I think if people aren’t invested in things… why would they do it,” Everett explains.
Tammie Pantelakis, who works in the One-stop student shop, is the financial aid counselor, and is involved with scholarships, withdrawals and financial aid.
She was worked at USU Eastern since August 2007. Holding many different positions, she started as a student worker, then was promoted to the counseling center, and later hired in the position she holds now.
Pantelakis loves working at Eastern, “I love how we have a hands on touch… We get to help students and watch them grow.”
She empowers people around her by support and education. She says that if you teach people certain skills and support them along the way, they will be able to go out into the world with the tools and knowledge that they need to excel.
Positivity overflows in Sharon Jones. She is the administrative assistant for the vice chancellor of student services and housing. As a jack of all trades, she is the go-to person if you have any questions. She is involved with housing, meal plans, travel, p-cards, and so much more.
A College of Eastern Utah alumna, she started working at Eastern in 2001, and held this position since 2005.
She empowers people around her by staying positive. She says that if you stay positive and always remind the people around you that things get better, they will.
Last but not least is Aimee Lauritsen, the public serves manager for the Library Learning Center. She has worked in the library since July 1998, where she started as a student worker. After working there four years, she was hired to the position she has today.
Lauritsen oversees the student employees, patron accounts and circulation department. This department keeps the LLC clean and organized.
“My most favorite part of my job is definitely the students. I love interacting with the students,” she says. “I love meeting new students from semester to semester and gaining new friendships.”
Lauritsen loves that she is empowered by others everyday. “You can learn so much from others if you’ll just allow yourself to have an open mind. We live in such a big world and come from such a large nation, that cultures and traditions are different for everyone… being open to others is in empowering,” she said.
Note* Women chosen to be spotlighted in this article were chosen random and because they have a professional relationship with the author.