Annual Springfest to celebrate Stanford’s long-serving staff, honor President John Hennessy

Multicultural Springfest was started in 1995 as a way to celebrate the diversity of Stanford’s staff with a gathering that included ethnic food, live performances, and arts and crafts. Now the event also includes the Celebrating Staff Careers program, which recognizes staff members who have reached milestones of service.

This year’s event, which takes place Thursday, May 26, at Frost Amphitheater, will kick off with the third annual Celebrating Staff Careers ceremony at 11 a.m. A special presentation to President John L. Hennessy will take place at 12:15 p.m.

Multicultural Springfest includes the Celebrating Staff Careers Program honoring milestones of service. This year’s celebration honors 133 staff members who marked 30, 35, 40 and 45 years at Stanford in 2015. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

“We hope the Stanford community will join us in thanking President Hennessy and his administration for recognizing the unique contributions staff make in supporting faculty and students and for their efforts to enhance diversity and make Stanford a more inclusive community,” said Rosa Gonzalez, director of the Diversity and Access Office.

The Latin Rhythm Boys will be back again this year to provide music and entertainment throughout the event. Anita Black, meeting services coordinator in the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Affairs, and Victor Madrigal, senior manager for student and alumni outreach for the Stanford Alumni Association, will reprise their roles as emcees. Lunch will be served and complimentary T-shirts will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis – be sure to bring your Stanford ID.

Celebrating Staff Careers

This year 133 staff members marked their 30th, 35th, 40th and 45th years at Stanford in 2015, and of those 72 will attend the ceremony.

“I’m looking forward to attending my first-ever Celebrating Staff Careers ceremony to honor our long-serving staff,” said Elizabeth Zacharias, vice president for University Human Resources. “Our honorees’ commitment to Stanford is commendable, and I’m pleased to publicly recognize those who have reached three and four decades of service to our community.”

Among the six staffers who reached their 45th year in 2015 is Hattie Roy, a data control specialist for Stanford University Libraries. She started out as a library processing specialist, typing 3×5 cards for the card catalog. While working in a variety of roles in the libraries, she completed the system administration program at OICW, in Menlo Park, which has since changed its name to JobTrain. Currently as a library expert partner and the liaison to SUL-Tech Support, she supports 19 staff computers in her unit.

Her advice to her fellow staff members: “Never stop learning. Take advantage of the many resources Stanford offers. Be all that you can be.”

Since her arrival 35 years ago, Lori Wisneski, service desk manager in the Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs & Chief Financial Officer, has worked as a receptionist in Project Management, an administrative assistant in Administrative Services, a personnel coordinator in Residential & Dining Enterprises, and as a senior technical analyst in IT Services. When asked what she enjoyed most about working at Stanford, she said, “The opportunities, the people, the knowledge, the culture, the list goes on.”

Wisneski’s most memorable interactions on campus include working with the late Amy Blue, an associate vice president for administrative services and facilities, who died in 1988, and professor, former provost and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

“I served champagne to [former U.S. Secretary of State] George Shultz and other dignitaries at a reception on campus, and helped webcast a Breakfast Briefing featuring [football Hall of Famer] Steve Young, whom I was able to meet and shake his hand.”

Hector Prado, customer relationship manager at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, started working at SLAC as a contractor in 1978 and was hired permanently in 1981 in the computing division of the lab. In 1996 he transferred to the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), where he worked until 2009, when he transferred back to the SLAC computing division.

“I love the research areas of SLAC because I know that what our scientists are doing is going to help us cure diseases and create or learn the characteristics of new materials which will help clean up or improve the environment. I also love the Stanford Golf Course and the opportunity that I have through the Stanford Men’s club to play golf at many of the beautiful country clubs throughout the Bay Area.”

Profiles of many of the honorees are available on the Celebrating Staff Careers website.