Jill Ralph has been named the University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Month for February 2023. She is an administrative assistant for UIS Facilities & Services.
Her nominator says she always has a “welcoming personality” and a willingness to help others.
“I cannot tell you how many times I have called or emailed her with a question and she has responded with a positive attitude and if it’s not something she can help answer, she has helped me find the person who can,” her nominator said.
Ralph’s supervisor, Chuck Coderko, says her integrity to get the job done right and on time has been a considerable part of her success.
“She is always prepared,” Coderko said. “If a question or topic comes up she isn’t familiar with, she is inquisitive and takes the initiative to find the answer. She clearly understands this is an institution of student-focused teaching and learning and her work is critical in supporting Facilities and Services mission within the university.”
Coderko calls Ralph “a self-starter” who constantly looks for more efficient and accurate ways to accomplish the Facilities and Services mission.
“Jill’s job knowledge and skills well exceed expectations,” Coderko said. “The quality of her work and the attention to detail she demonstrates daily is nothing short of outstanding. She is very efficient and is well versed in the duties and responsibilities of her job.”
Ralph always keeps “the big picture” in mind when challenges arise. She handles pop-up tasks and challenges throughout the day while monitoring and answering the main phone line, the unit’s email inbox and the SchoolDude work order system.
“Whether it is coordinating and communicating with UIS craftsmen and labors to handle urgent work or directing an outside contractor to the right location or person, Jill is very resourceful and has a deep understanding of the Facilities and Service mission that enables her to anticipate potential problems and handle them before they become a problem,” Coderko said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ralph became the point person who ordered the protective materials the university needed. She even did research to determine what type of masks would be most comfortable for professors to wear while speaking in the classroom.
“She genuinely cares, and it shows in the work she does and the relationships she has built,” her nominator said.