Crew Spotlight: Bob Cooper

Happy Friday! Today we have a special Crew Spotlight celebrating the retirement and career of our friend, Bob Cooper!

Bob began working for Facilities Management in 2008 as Energy Manager, and then became Manager of Facilities Information Systems in October of 2016.

Bob has dedicated his entire career to MSU. In 1980, he began his undergraduate career as an Eagle studying Industrial Technology. That same semester, he became a work study in printing services. He was then hired full-time in printing services, while still an undergraduate!  

Bob then left MSU for a while, working in San Diego and Atlanta playing music.

Bob came back home to MSU, and began working part time in the library as Computer Technician. From there, he became full time in the library as an Automation Assistant, where he was instrumental in assisting the library in their switch from the card catalog to the computer based system.

While still in the library, Bob also worked as an Automation Specialist. Following that, Bob began his work in Information Technology as a Video System Consultant, where he installed surveillance videos around campus, and worked on radio towers (found atop building around campus) for police communications. Bob then became a Network Administrator for IT.

After leaving IT, Bob went to work for IET, now known as Applied Engineering Technology, as Lab and Facilities Manager. Then, in 2008, he began working here at Facilities Management!

Bob says he chose to dedicate his career to MSU for many reasons. He enjoyed attaining his education here, and pays credit to his mentor, Dr. Ahmad Zargari, his mentor, for pushing him. Additionally, Bob says he has stayed because of the people, the camaraderie he has built with colleagues and coworkers, and the fact that he has never had a bad or unpleasant supervisor during his time here.

Bob also says working here feels like working with family.

When he isn’t working, Bob enjoys watching movie and is an avid reader. He is also a very talented and professional musician! His plans for retirement include dedicating 100% of his time to his music career. In fact, if Bob could spend the day with anyone, he would choose to do so with T-Bone Burnett.

Bob will be dearly missed by us all, but we would like to wish him the best in his retirement!

Campus wide steam outage scheduled for May

Campus Community,

In an effort to minimize the impact of utility interruptions on campus, Facilities Management has worked with the State to schedule the University’s annual steam inspection for the week following Spring Commencement.

The steam will need to be shut off during the inspection. Steam will be turned off on May 13 and restored on May 18.

The steam outage WILL affect hot water and the heating/ cooling system in the following buildings; AAC, ADUC, Allen Field, Allie Young, Alumni Tower, Baird Music, Breckenridge Hall, Butler, Button Auditorium and Drill Room, Camden-Carroll Library, Cartmell Hall, the Claypool-Young Art Building, the Bert T. Combs Building, Cooper Hall, Eagle Center, Eagle Lake Apartments, East Mignon, Fields Hall, Ginger Hall, Howell-McDowell, Jayne Stadium, Lappin Hall, Laughlin, Lloyd Cassity, Mays, Mignon Hall, Mignon Tower, Nunn Hall, Rader Hall, Recreation & Wellness Center, Reed Hall, The Rice Building, Softball Field, Space Science Center, Andrews Hall, Thompson-Grote Hall, and West Mignon Hall.

The steam outage WILL NOT affect hot water or the heating/cooling system in the following facilities; The Center of Health, Education and Research (CHER), The Water Testing Lab, the Education Services Building, Third St. Eats, The Rocky Adkins Dining, or the Enrollment Services Center.

Scheduling it at this time will limit the number of students and summer programs.
We appreciate your patience during the outage.

Questions regarding this email message may be directed to: Michael Jessee, Assistant Manager of Heating & Water Plant, m.jessee@moreheadstate.edu or 783-2609.

Women's History Spotlight: Dr. Annie Adams

To celebrate the closing of #WomensHistoryMonth, today’s spotlight highlights a special woman on campus! Annie Adams in an English professor here at Morehead State. Dr. Adams received her bachelors in English from the University of Toledo, and her masters and doctorate degrees, also in English, from Bowling Green State University. This woman knows her English!

When asked about her inspirations, Dr. Adams says she is encouraged by the works of Mary Wollstonecraft and Jane Austen, two very inspiring women!

When asked specifically about women’s history and the future generation, Dr. Adams says she would like to see three things. First, she would like to see the workforce evolve into one that values leave for parental care. Additionally, she would like to see men and women both work alongside one another to build up the new generation. Lastly, she would like to see truly cooperative projects in terms of learning.

I chose to highlight Dr. Adams because I believe she has had a role in helping me write my own history. Dr. Adams did not just teach me English. She taught me how to be a better writer, how to think deeper and critically, and encouraged me to use my voice to speak up about issues I care about. I believe that because of her, I have found my voice through writing, and I am empowered to write and speak about my passions.

Crew Spotlight: Debbie Martinat

In this week’s #CrewSpotlight, we would like to highlight Debbie Martinat and her 20 years of service to MSU. Debbie will be retiring in July, and we would like to thank her for all of her work. We will miss her very much when she is gone!

Over her 20 years here, Debbie has worked in a variety of departments, filling in wherever she was needed. Because Debbie always volunteers to assist where she is needed, she has many different experiences and an impressive amount of knowledge.

Debbie decided to dedicate her career to MSU when her former company, US Shoe in Flemingsburg was taken over by another larger company. Once that happened, she decided to go back to school. Now known as MCTC, Debbie attended Rowan Tech, where she studied office and medical office technology. She earned her diploma and maintained a 4.0! Upon graduation, Debbie was hired as a temporary, and then hired on full time in Facilities Management in April of 1999.

Aside from Facilities Management, Debbie has spent time working in the power plant, conference and events services, the work control center, and for the assistant VP. At the power plant, Debbie assisted in setting up offices to expand departments. Additionally, at conference and event services, Debbie was one of only two people handling all of the work! Debbie also worked as a support specialist at the work control center.

In Facilities Management, Debbie does something for everyone! She has worked in building services and recycling, and currently works in construction and engineering services. Additionally, she fills in at the front desk whenever she is needed.

Debbie says her favorite part of the job is the many different people she is able to interact with. She says she knows many people very well, and have seen many people grow up in the community.

When Debbie is not working, she enjoys camping, reading, biking, and walking, all doing so while with family. Debbie loves her big family, as she is the third of ten children, and has ten grandchildren of her own! In fact, if Debbie could choose to spend the day with anyone, dead or alive, she would choose to do so with her own mother.

MSU Facilities Management appreciates Debbie for her 20 years of service to MSU, as well as the work she does here every day. We will miss you!

Women's History Spotlight: Tamara Rivera

 In continuation of #WomensHistoryMonth, today’s spotlight is Tamara Rivera! Tamara has twenty-four years of experience as a carpenter, and is the first woman to ever sit as a council representative for the New York City District Council of Carpenters. Rivera began her career in carpentry as an apprentice, then became a shop steward, and eventually became council representative for a union of more than 200,000 people. Rivera spends much of her time lobbying and advocating for the rights of construction workers, for women in construction, and for fair wages and benefits of blue-collar workers. Rivera says her work is less about her own accomplishments, but for the accomplishments of women in construction and for the industry as a whole. Tamara Rivera’s accomplishments are very impressive, and her work for the advancement of women in her field is outstanding!

Crew Spotlight: Haley Gearhart

This week's Crew Spotlight is Haley Gearhart, who is an accountant for Facilities Management! Haley is originally from Olive Hill, and graduated from Morehead State University in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. She will be celebrating one year at Facilities Management in July! Haley says the best part of the job is the people she works with, whom she says are pretty cool. When she is not hard at work, Haley enjoys many different activities, such as being a Girl Scout Leader and the President of a home-makers club in Carter County, as well as camping, hiking, kayaking, and doing missions work! Haley has even done mission work in Haiti, which she says she absolutely loved. In fact, if she were able to hang out with anyone for a day, she would choose to do so with missionaries. Haley also enjoys going to lots of concerts, no matter who is performing. She says the best concert she ever attended was Kesha. Another fun fact about Haley is that her family lives in California! Facilities Management is lucky to have Haley as a part of our team. We appreciate all of her hard work!

Women's History Spotlight: Edith Clarke

This week’s Women’s History Spotlight is Edith Clarke, the first woman to earn an electrical engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology! Before earning her degree, Edith spent time teaching mathematics at an all-girls school in San Francisco, and then at Marshall University. After earning her degree, Edith began working at General Electric as an electrical engineer in 1919. In 1921, Edith Clarke acquired a patent for her creation, the Clarke Calculator, which was created to solve electric power transmission line issues. Edith worked for General Electric until 1945, and then went on to be the nation’s first female professor of electrical engineering at the University of Texas, where she taught for ten years. Edith Clarke’s passion, drive, and many accomplishments in the field of engineering have served as an inspiration for women in STEM! 

Campus Wide Power Outage

Campus Community,

Kentucky Utilities must make a repair to their substation on Saturday, March 24 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

This will require power to be shut off for the duration of the repair.

Most of campus will be impacted. Those locations not affected are; The CHER Building, the Enrollment Services Center, Third St. Eats, the Water Testing Lab, the Educational Services Building, Allen Field, Softball Field, the Phil Simms Weight Room, and the visitors side of Jayne Stadium.

Facilities Management is not coordinating the shut-off, however our crew members will be on campus to check buildings, generators, and ensure the transition is made smoothly.

In the event of rain on March 24, this outage may have to be rescheduled by Kentucky Utilities.

Thank you for your patience. 

Questions regarding this email message may be directed to:  Shayla Ring, Marketing and Communications Manager, sdmenville@moreheadstate.edu or 783-5281.

Women's History Spotlight: Emily Roebling

When Emily Roebling’s husband, Washington, fell ill, he asked his wife to help him by taking his place as the supervisor over the construction over the Brooklyn Bridge. At first, Emily took charge of day to day planning and supervision until she became the first woman field engineer, and eventually named Chief Engineer for the Brooklyn Bridge. For her work, she was awarded and recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers, and was the first person to cross the bridge upon its completion on May 24, 1883. We are honored to highlight a woman who led the way for women in engineering and leadership! Had it not been for Emily's intelligence and ambition, an important staple in American architecture may have never reached completion. Happy #InternationalWomensDay, everyone! 

Crew Spotlight: David Bowlin

This week’s Crew Spotlight is David Bowlin. David is a Building Service Technician, and has been working here for three years now! Before this job, David worked in maintenance. David says his favorite part of his job is cleaning, and when he isn’t working, he enjoys spending his time working on cars. If David could spend the day with any one, he would spend his time with his wife, Brenda, who is also a part of the MSU Facilities Management Team! MSU Facilities Management greatly appreciates David and all of his hard work! Stay tuned every Wednesday for another Crew Spotlight. 

Women's History Spotlight: Lillian Gilbreth

As part of Women’s History Month, we will be highlighting women who have made history in the fields of construction, engineering, or management. Our first Women’s History Spotlight is Lillian Gilbreth, whose achievements paved the way for women in engineering. She studied industrial engineering and ergonomics, which is the study of workplace efficiency. In 1926, Lillian became the first women to be a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. After years of making contributions to the field of industrial engineering, she was recognized by winning the Hoover Medal of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1966. In addition, she became the first female professor in the school of engineering at Purdue University, as well as being the first woman elected into the National Academy of Engineering. Have you ever heard of the book or movie “Cheaper by the Dozen”? The story and plot line is based on the lives of the Gilbreth family! Lillian Gilbreth made room for women in engineering and workplace management, ultimately advancing the field and making it more inclusive. We should all be thankful for her contributions!