Department Head's office supported by true dynamic duo

8/25/2016 Julia Cation

  Mona Nordbrock and Paula Moxley in MechSE's Office of the Department Head.In MechSE’s Office of the Department Head, Paula Moxley and Mona Nordbrock enjoy positions that require tracking an incredible number of details about a wide variety of projects and people.

Written by Julia Cation

 
Mona Nordbrock and Paula Moxley in MechSE's Office of the Department Head.
Mona Nordbrock and Paula Moxley in MechSE's Office of the Department Head.
Mona Nordbrock and Paula Moxley in MechSE's Office of the Department Head.
In MechSE’s Office of the Department Head, Paula Moxley and Mona Nordbrock enjoy positions that require tracking an incredible number of details about a wide variety of projects and people. They often are the support system behind the department’s most vital meetings, committees, and top-level projects.
 
Paula, an administrative aide, and Mona, office support specialist, prepare letters, memos, presentations, and reports, and organize the programmatic functions of the office. They help manage both the day-to-day tasks in the life of the department head and also play vital roles in the department’s strategic efforts and committee work.
 
Paula’s role in overseeing many faculty-related tasks requires detailed communication and coordination with MechSE faculty members and College administrators. Among other responsibilities, she manages the process for faculty chair and professorship appointments and is recording secretary for MechSE’s Named Appointments Committee. Her support of the Promotion and Tenure Committee includes solicitation and coordination of support documentation from multiple sources. 
 
Mona takes the lead on coordinating the daily calendar for Professor and Department Head Tony Jacobi, and assists with administrative projects that include faculty correspondence, reports, departmental emails, and preparation of documents for Jacobi’s travel—all of which require a strong eye for detail. She has also established herself as the go-to person for preparing faculty BDFs and plans departmental receptions and celebrations. She also provides assistance for strategic planning, independently researching and benchmarking peer institutions and preparing comprehensive reports for Jacobi. 
 
“Most of my interaction with the department head office has been in my capacity as chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee, which required working closely with Paula and Mona,” said Moshe Matalon, the Caterpillar Distinguished Professor in MechSE. “I have no words to thank and praise them for their diligent work in preparing for the meetings, taking notes during passionate discussions, and drafting minutes that often went through numerous iterations before approval. They were unquestionably instrumental in ensuring that the committee functioned smoothly and timely. Both Paula and Mona were always courteous and personable, and I was delighted to work with them.” 
 
Paula and Mona are often some of the first staff that people meet when they arrive at MechSE. The pair helps host departmental visitors—including faculty and others from Zhejiang University, which is part of a new engineering college partnership with the University of Illinois called the ZJU-UIUC Institute. They help manage all aspects of the visitors’ trip, from hotel and transportation to meetings and meals. 
 
“I like being able to make people feel welcome and appreciated here in the department. Even if it’s just with some candy on my desk! Some days, that’s the best I can do, but I like to be as helpful as I can,” said Mona, who has worked at the university for the past 15 years. 
 
Paula, who has been on the Illinois campus since 1988, said her interactions with MechSE faculty and staff make her job truly enjoyable. 
 
“Paula and Mona keep this office running in meaningful ways. Some of the things that are at the core of the careers of our faculty, they do with great professionalism and in ways that are of great assistance to me. They bring a great deal of experience to their work, and are very good at knowing what’s important,” said Jacobi.
 
 
 
 

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This story was published August 25, 2016.