A Jackson County resident recently was named fourth quarter employee of the month at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus.
Amy Hunter, an enrollment coordinator and webmaster in the Division of University College, said in a news release that she loves her job.
“In my position at IUPUC, I meet new students through orientation events, and I work on campus with the student orientation leader,” Hunter said. “My office is always full of students. It’s the best part of my job.”
Those nominating Hunter for the recognition wrote that they did so because of consistent volunteerism to support multiple events and projects during the late summer and early fall semesters.
They said she also organized materials and people, contributed graphic design skills, ordered and delivered food and kept everyone cheerful when human energy demands were nearly maxed out.
They also wrote that Hunter stepped up for Launch Friday, Early Start and Exito Latino.
“Amy has become the epitome of IUPUC’s desire to be a welcoming campus,” they wrote.
Hunter and her two children enjoy the sport of mud obstacle course racing, a team game that is well known for building perseverance and stamina, she said.
“I have been racing for three years and the kids for two,” she said. “Our favorite race is Tame the Terrain located in North Vernon. It is a team-building sport. The team we run with is all about helping others out. No man left behind, if you will. It is good for my soul.”
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Hunter’s level of perseverance and stamina were put to the test, she said.
As a cancer survivor, Hunter said the experience has affected her life forever.
In the future, she said she hopes to volunteer at cancer centers to be a source of education and encouragement.
“I would like to help cancer patients as they go through the process and help them understand things not just from a medical perspective but from a perspective of someone who has personally experienced what they are going through,” Hunter said.
In 2010, the university began a tradition of recognizing one outstanding employee each month to show appreciation for his or her dedication and effectiveness. Their supervisors and other staff members nominate employees.
The tradition was modified in January 2016 from monthly to quarterly nominees. Selection is made based on the submissions. The IUPUC vice chancellor and dean, Reinhold Hill, seeks consensus from division and department heads for each nomination.