MAXIMIZE IMPACT BY LEARNING TOGETHER
Brenda Curry
We’ve noticed an exciting trend: more intact teams and departments are choosing to attend workshops together.
When teams learn side by side, they:
• Build shared knowledge and language
• Align on best practices
• Return to work with a unified approach to implementation
Attending as a team accelerates collaboration, strengthens cohesion, and ensures everyone is equipped with the same tools and vision — maximizing the impact of professional development.
Take advantage of this opportunity! Register individually for our upcoming workshops in Workday, then sit together as a team to make the most of your learning experience. See all that Workday Learning has to offer.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES OVERVIEW — NOW AVAILABLE ON DEMAND!
Brenda Curry
Did you miss one of our live Professional Development Resources Overview sessions? Good news — a recording is now available in Workday, so you can watch it anytime that fits your schedule!
Feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive, with participants sharing that they gained valuable insights into the wide range of professional development resources available to all Miami faculty and staff.
In this recorded session, you’ll learn how to:
• Find in-person and online learning opportunities
• Set learning content preferences
• Manage your career profile
• Assign learning to your team …and much more!
Take advantage of this convenient resource to explore everything Workday Learning has to offer. Scan the QR code to access this session in Workday Learning!
Scan to learn more at Workday Learning
CELEBRATING JON ELLIOTT, GOGGIN’S NEW SENIOR DIRECTOR
Rhett Butler
We’re excited to share some great news. Jon Elliott has been named the new Senior Director of Goggin Ice Center!
Jon has been part of the Goggin family from the very beginning. Starting as a student employee, he’s worked his way up over the past 19 years, dedicating himself to making Goggin one of the top ice arenas in the country. Now, he’s stepping into the well-deserved role of senior director.
As David Goodman put it: “We are excited to have Jon Elliott as our new senior director. This is a person who has been here from the beginning and who has dedicated himself from day one to making Goggin Ice Center one of the top ice arenas in the country.”
Jon’s colleagues couldn’t agree more:
• Rachel Gentry shared, “Jon has worked his way up from a student employee to the senior director, making him the head of the table at Goggin Ice Center. He’s receiving the acknowledgment he deserves for all of his hard work and dedication throughout his career.”
• Kevin Ackley added, “Miami hit a homerun with the hiring of Jon. He’s a person of high character, integrity, and passion for Miami hockey and Miami Athletics. Jon has the experience to make an immediate impact on the facility, its programs, and patrons. Miami has set itself up for success with Jon and the team around him.”
• Kaitlyn Johnson summed it up perfectly: “Jon’s 19 years of experience within Goggin makes him the perfect person to take over. He is a lead-by-example leader and has the support of the staff behind him.”
Jon’s story is one of growth, dedication, and leadership. We couldn’t be happier to see him take on this role, and we’re excited for what’s ahead for Goggin with him at the helm. Congratulations, Jon! You’ve more than earned it.
NORTH QUAD FITNESS CENTER EXPANSION OPENS
SUCCESSFULLY THIS FALL
Rhett Butler
This fall, Miami Recreation proudly opened the newly expanded North Quad Fitness Center, delivering on its promise to bring more space, more equipment, and more opportunities for movement to the north side of campus.
The opening has been a success, with students, faculty, and staff already taking advantage of the upgraded facility. The expansion provides easier access to health and wellness resources for those who live, work, or study near North Quad, making it a convenient option for incorporating fitness into daily routines. With the additional square footage, the center now offers:
• More cardio and strength equipment, reducing wait times during peak hours.
• Enhanced functional training space for stretching, bodyweight workouts, and mobility work.
• A welcoming environment designed to support everyone, from beginners just starting their fitness journey to seasoned athletes seeking new challenges.
The renovation reflects Miami Recreation’s commitment to building a healthier campus community. By expanding this facility, we’ve created more opportunities for movement, balance, and wellness right where our students and colleagues need it most.
Western Dining Team
Dining Services
To all the folks at Western Dining Commons — huge shoutout to each and every one of you! Thanks to your hard work and dedication, Western (a.k.a. Bestern) keeps running strong. The entire Miami Dining team is grateful for all you do and sends you major kudos!
— Amy Allen
Scoreboard Market Team
Dining Services
To the amazing teams at Scoreboard Market, Martin Grill, and Coaches Grill — thank you for doing an outstanding job! With the new menus and locker systems, you’re absolutely crushing it on the north end of campus. You rock!
— Amy Allen
Garden Dining Team
Dining Services
Garden — thank you for being you! From supporting summer groups to pre-semester groups and now diving right into fall, you’ve done a tremendous job every step of the way. You’re keeping the vibe so positive, and we couldn’t be prouder. Thank you for all you do!
— Amy Allen
Maplestreet Dining Team
Dining Services
Team Maple — you’re absolute beasts! Every day, you crush it by taking care of students and all of our guests. There may be bumps along the way, but your teamwork is tremendous. Thank you for helping each other out every single day. We are so proud of all of you! Keep up the great work.
— Amy Allen
Joseph DeVaughn
Dining Services
Thanks to Joseph for his kindness, patience, and willingness to help me in my first few months on the team. He makes our office a fun place to work, and has been very helpful onboarding our new interns and marketing manager, too.
— Christina Temmel
Kaelin Tippitt
Dining Services
Huge thanks to Kaelin for his outstanding help and support with our dining commons events this fall. He’s gone above and beyond to assist with organizing and decorating for multiple events, including Homecoming and RedHawk Rally. He also played a key role in setting up our DIY Toast Bar event, which was executed flawlessly. His kindness, reliability, and willingness to go the extra mile make a real difference.
— Christina Temmel
Chris Weitzel
FBS-IT
Chris Weitzel is a rock star in the eyes of General Accounting! He helped us through our first yearend with Workday and continues to help us make improvements to reports we pull from Workday. Having his support has saved General Accounting staff countless hours of data manipulation in Excel or having to process bulk transactions one by one. In one example, he showed us how to perform a mass disposal of assets via a journal entry upload, rather than needing to process each asset disposal individually.
Great work, Chris! General Accounting looks forward to a long partnership with you collaborating on reporting solutions!
— Holly Sheehy
Barb Bradley, Brenda Curry, Jeff Shaver Human Resources
Over the last several months, I’ve had the honor of working with Barb, Brenda, and Jeff on a special project. Our mission: assist the Miami community by providing guidance on HR actions, job aids and training. During the project, we hit a lot of roadblocks… but their dogged persistence and creative solutions have been inspirational.
In August, we announced the HCM Job Aids and Training platform in Workday, a unified location to find all of your Workday HR-related information. I wanted to say a personal THANK YOU to this amazing team… thank you for your expertise, tenacity, and dedication to this important work. I couldn’t be more proud of what we’ve accomplished together.
— Lauran Franklin
Our Amazing Quad Managers and their teams - Jeff Ballard, Chris Chafin, Becky Conrad, Sherry Feltner, Peggy Morrison, Joe Suman Building and Grounds Managers
Another wild and crazy summer is in the books. I couldn't have survived without all the coordination this team delivers on top of their hard work getting these huge buildings ready in time for conferences, contractors, and of course our students. Thank you for every text, call, note in the spreadsheet. Sorry for the times we had to come in after you already cleaned something. Most of all THANK YOU for the laughs along the way. Y'all are the best!
— Tracey Soppanish
Jason Spraggins
FBS Marketing
Huge thanks to Jason Spraggins for always being so creative, accurate, and timely with our HR Professional Development website updates. We greatly appreciate his hard work and attention to detail to make our website look incredible and be a user-friendly resource for our campus community. Jason's speed and efficiency made the entire process incredibly smooth — we appreciate his great work!
— Brenda Curry
Jim Huth
Internal Audit and Consulting Services (IACS)
Shoutout to Jim Huth, who joined the IACS team in April! His deep knowledge, experience, and positive attitude have already made a huge impact on our department and the university. We're lucky to have him!
— Terry Moore
Bill Adams, Rick Costello, Jeremy Davis, Andy Mushaben, Ryan Taeuber, Julie Schlichter
Multiple Departments
Move-In 2025 included sign mounted, cell phone scannable, QR codes with Miami Move-In parking information. These Miami Branded signs were strategically located in residential hall areas near vehicles in move-in lines. Scanning a QR code revealed highlighted interactive map parking locations unique to, and best suited for each residential area. Everyone's response to getting this resource in place was prompt and met with enthusiasm. Special thanks to Bill Adams and Rick Costello for their energy, collaboration, and resourcefulness!
This resource provided yet another warm welcoming gesture to Miami families and students in their new living spaces. After all, even with thousands of new arrivals, everyone wants to park close to home!
— Steven Feck
Joyce Looby
FBS-IT
Joyce worked diligently with colleagues across the university to transition staff from a homegrown system to the vendor-specific ID-based door access and scheduling system. She developed clear training materials and met individually with staff to provide hands-on support, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition. Thanks Joyce!
— Angeline Poling
