University News

Chambers Named Employee of the Month at WIU

January 15, 2014

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MACOMB, IL – Derinda Chambers, a medical transcriptionist II at Beu Health Center, has been named the Al and Elaine Goldfarb Civil Service Employee of the Month for January.

Chambers was hired at WIU in October 2004 as an extra help clerk at Beu. In August 2005, she was hired as a full time clerk at the health center and in September 2009, she was reallocated per audit as a medical transcriptionist I. In August 2012, she was reclassified to her current position.

According to her nominators, Chambers participates in University and departmental morale boosting.

"She routinely takes the initiative to come in early or to work through lunch to decorate the office for campus events and holidays," the nominators said. "She volunteers during the holiday season to ring the bell for the Salvation Army as a department representative, and she also volunteers every year to coordinate the department's participation in Big Pink Volleyball."

Chambers is also considered an advocate for students, sometimes going the "extra mile" to help.

"She recently took the initiative to help find alternate funding for a student who was unable to pay the balance of a hospital bill left after the insurance paid, which was causing anxiety for the student and affecting academic performance," the nominators said. "Derinda's constant can-do attitude is an inspiration to others."

In August 2010, the Goldfarbs established an endowment to permanently fund the University's Civil Service Employee of the Month award. The Goldfarb endowment is used to fund a $100 award for the recipient of the Civil Service Employee of the Month, as well as a plaque. The WIU Foundation provides a $500 stipend for the Civil Service Employee of the Year.

Western faculty, staff and administrators, as well as community members, wishing to nominate a civil service employee for the monthly recognition should contact Civil Service Employees Council (CSEC) representative Alisha Barnett at AA-Barnett@wiu.edu.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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