UHV alumnus, IT professional named Employee of the Year
The University of Houston-Victoria named Randall Jasek, senior network administrator, as the 2024 Employee of the Year during the university’s annual Faculty & Staff Recognition Luncheon.
Jasek is a UHV alumnus who first started working for the university as a student worker in 2017. Over the years, he has held many positions, including as a student success advisor, before he was hired as the senior network administrator in 2023. In addition to his position, Jasek also is the co-advisor for the Jaguar Esports student organization on campus.
“Randall is an excellent example of the great people who are part of the UHV family,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “I am pleased to see him earn this recognition, and I applaud all of our employees who have dedicated themselves to helping promote and provide higher education in our area.”
The Employee of the Year was chosen from among the university’s 2024 Employees of the Month, who were nominated by their peers and selected by a staff committee. At the end of last year, a poll was sent out to campus to choose the Employee of the Year from the monthly winners.
“I’m excited to receive this award,” Jasek said. “I have so much personal history at UHV that it feels like home to me. There are so many people here that do such great work, and I love to see how my work impacts them both directly and indirectly.”
When he was nominated for Employee of the Month in April 2024, Jasek received praise for his professionalism and willingness to help others and support the university’s different events. His work with Jaguar eSports hosting events for area high school students and securing funding for those events shows how dedicated he is to lifting up those around him, his supervisor said.
“I’m thankful for all the departments I’ve worked with throughout the years and the examples of great leadership that I’ve had the opportunity to learn under,” Jasek said. “Their examples have helped shape me into who I am today.”
In addition to Jasek, others listed on the ballot were:
- Erika Vermillion, executive administrative assistant
- Ana Laura Pineda, director of International Programs
- Joy Bergeron, HR specialist
- Julie Buchhorn, international student coordinator
- Amanda Martinez, admissions counselor
- Mallory Smolik, academic advisor
- Ashley Sisson, senior budget analyst
- Owen Campbell, manager of Campus Operations
- Valerie Rodriguez, academic advisor
- Tyler Williamson, PC specialist
- Harry Bashaw, instructional technology coordinator
Jasek received a $500 check and a plaque, and his name also will be engraved on the Employee of the Year plaque displayed in Conference Room A in University West.
Employees who have worked at the university for five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 35 years also were recognized on Monday. Each employee’s name, title and department are listed below:
Five Years:
- Shelbie Ayala, coordinator in the Career Development Center
- John Bochat, Financial Aid specialist
- Amalia Chavez, travel specialist in Finance
- Hailey Crow, senior secretary in Facilities Services
- Esther Cuenca, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Hardik Gohel, associate professor in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Humberto Hernandez, assistant professor in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Rebecca Heron, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Kayla Hutson, senior financial aid specialist in Financial Aid
- Tong Kang, assistant professor in the College of Business
- Kwan Lee, assistant professor in the College of Business
- Sneha Nayar-Bhalerao, assistant professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
- Tamera Steele, admissions counselor in Enrollment Management & New Student Experience
- Brooks Sterritt, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Raymond Stricklin, assistant professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Amy Sylva, lecturer in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Cynthia Trevino, senior accounting analyst in Information Technology
- James Williams, senior director of Facilities Services
10 Years:
- Moira Baldwin, associate professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
- Drenica Dervishi, systems analyst in Information Technology
- Lauren Emerson, communications manager in Marketing & Communications
- Helen Johnson, academic advisor in the College of Business
- Kristen Kelly, senior library associate in the UHV Library
- Ruben Monroe, senior maintenance technician in Facilities Services
- Steve Montes, assistant director of Facilities Services
- Joanna Montez, administrative secretary for Enrollment Management
- Jason Moseley, groundskeeper in Facilities Services
- Jennifer Reeder, senior academic advisor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Aisha Sadiq, lecturer in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Ashley Shields, student receivables specialist in Student Billing Services
- Anita Strange, telephone receptionist in Information Technology
- Sherry Vafa, associate professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
15 Years:
- Olga Chapa, professor in the College of Business
- William Scott Harkey, senior lecturer in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Theresa Hawken, library business operations manager in the UHV Library
- John Kagochi, professor in the College of Business
- Jesica McCue, associate clinical professor in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Farhang Niroomand, professor in the College of Business
- Lindsey Ortiz, head softball coach in Athletics
- Kyle Schlesinger, professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Dmitri Sobolev, interim dean of the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Erika Vermillion, executive administrative assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs
- Matthew Wooton, senior maintenance technician in Facilities Services
- Jie Yang, professor in the College of Business
- Jun Yang, professor in the College of Business
20 Years:
- Rachel Martinez, dean of the College of Education & Health Professions
- Yixi Ning, professor in the College of Business
- Aurora Robinson, administrative secretary in Marketing & Communications
- Rhiannon Smith, assistant dean in the College of Business
- Yun Wan, professor in the College of Natural & Applied Science
- Qi Zhu, professor in the College of Natural & Applied Science
25 Years:
- Matthew Alexander, director of Capital Projects
- Kristy Holly, instructional technology coordinator in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
- Sandy Venneman, professor in the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
35 Years:
- Barba Patton, professor in the College of Education & Health Professions
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.