NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s 11th episode of the Living Library: Everyone Has a Story was for those whose workday is not necessarily 9 to 5 and whose work week is not always Monday through Friday.
This semester’s installment, “Unsung Heroes of NSU – Part 2” spotlighted NSU employees who work behind the scenes to support university faculty, staff and students in ways that might otherwise go unnoticed. Featured guests were Maggie Bossier, assistant director of Counseling Services; Wanda Gilbert, executive staff at the President’s Home; Emily Perritt, assistant director of Electronic Learning and Global Engagement; Jason Pugh, associate athletic director for External Operations; Zachary Sepulvado, technical support specialist with NSU’s Technical Assistance Center, and Crissey Smith, director of Accessibility and Disability Support. Roni Biscoe, executive director of Institutional Advancement and Human Resources, moderated the panel.
Watson’s Living Library: Everyone Has a Story series is a concept that encourages individuals to share their experiences so that listeners get a first-hand account of what the person saw or lived through. The panels are recorded and become part of the collection at Watson Library that researchers can use to supplement books, journals and other traditional resources for research.
A common thread in Wednesday’s program was how each individual’s job enable them to help others.
Maggie Bossier, Chrissey Smith and Emily Perritt talked about their work behind the scenes at NSU with panel moderator Roni Biscoe.
In his position in Athletics, Pugh oversees marketing, communications, ticketing and corporate sponsorships and development in addition to duties in Sports Information and some broadcasting.
“There is not typical day for me,” he said, with long hours and weekends filled with sports coverage. He joined the staff in the Sports Information Office in 2014 and said the best part of his job is getting to know student-athletes and the relationships he has formed with coaches and colleagues over the years.
Gilbert has served as housekeeper of NSU’s President’s Home for 26 years and five administrations, beginning with her hiring by former First Lady Brenda Webb. She prepares the home for all events, from casual parties to large formal dinners, overseeing set-up, cleaning and other household tasks. Highlights over the years include meeting media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who visited Natchitoches in 2002, and New Orleans chef and restaurateur Leah Chase who lectured at NSU in 2017. Gilbert said her idea of service is to help others and be available and she particularly enjoys getting to know the international students.
She shared advice given to her by the late Dr. Randall J. Webb: “If you love what you do you, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
Sepulvado’s duties include resolving technical issues across campus and “making sure technology doesn’t get in the way of people doing their job.” He is a junior-level student majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Computer Information Systems. He joined the staff in NSU’s Warehouse in 2019 before transitioning to his current position in IT where he maintains updates, responds to tickets, communicates with people and uses critical thinking to identify and solve technical issues.
The rewards of the job: “What I do directly affects people and prevents disruption. The best work is when people don’t even know you were involved.”
Bossier has been with NSU’s Counseling Center for 12 years. She does all forms of individual and group counseling, oversees interns and teaches University Studies each fall. A mantra that she learned in grad school continues to guide her career: “Relax – you are never in control over a situation, but you may be able to have some influence.”
“I never know who is going to walk through the door,” she said, as college students seek help for a variety of reasons that can include depression, anxiety, learning to deal with failure and learning coping skills. “Patience is a must. Patience, empathy and compassion.”
Smith shared similar sentiments about helping students who need extra support. The Office of Accessibility and Disability Support “helps students with accommodations to help them thrive.” She does intakes of students signing up for services, verifies documentation and helps them to learn to advocate for themselves. She, too, emphasizes patience, empathy and meeting students where they are to determine what they need. The rewards are “seeing a student who is unsure find a solution to help them.”
She would like to create more awareness of the Office of Accessibility and Disability Support. Information is available athttps://www.nsula.edu/student-resources/office-of-accessibility-and-disability-support/
Perritt, a graduate of NSU’s Louisiana Scholars’ College, has many tasks in the newly renamed Office of Electronic Learning and Global Engagement. She works closely with IT to oversee Moodle support (NSU’s learning management system) and professional development for faculty who teach online courses. Her office maintains the eNSU website, works with adult students returning to school and dual enrollment high school students and oversees non-credit classes that are available to the public. She also maintains a professional development website and creates the monthly Tech Toolbox newsletter.
In addition to a master’s degree and professional experience in education technology, Perritt has classroom experience as a math teacher and brings all of those skills forward in helping faculty stay current.
“I focus on online teachers, new technologies and applying accessibility standards,” she said. Her challenge is navigating ever-changing technology and communicating to faculty that her office is a resource for them. Information on ELGE is available at https://www.nsula.edu/electronic-learning-global-engagement/.
The next Living Library episode, “Taste of Natchitoches,” will take place in June and will feature area chefs.
Debbie Huntington, head of Collections at Watson Library, is coordinator of the Living Library program. For more information, contact her at huntingtond@nsula.edu.