Staff Accolades
Employee of the Month (EOM)
Gen Ramirez
September 2026
Center for Leadership and Service
Genesis (Gen) Ramirez serves as the Student Program Coordinator for Leadership Development with the Center for Leadership and Service (the Center). Gen coordinates and supports all leadership development programming for students, faculty and staff across campus.
In the words of her nominator, "Gen is the heartbeat of the "vibe" of our office. Her smile, friendly demeanor and attention to detail make our team stronger and more collaborative." "Gen, without hesitation and a calm confidence took the lead with convening the LEAD Working Group and led the campus through the first Carnegie Leadership for Public Purpose Elective Classification application. Gen is the true embodiment of an innovative and supportive campus partner; a caring colleague that will hype you up when you feel your worst; and a researcher that is determined to ensure that we are all seen and valued within the literature. Our office would not be what it is without her...my sincere gratitude and admiration for how she has shown up for herself, the Center, and colleagues throughout the year."
Thank you Gen, for your "power, confidence, and expertise as a leadership educator"!
DSA Team, we want to celebrate your success!
Service
Li P. Pon
Li Pon (Career Center) was selected to serve on the National Association of Colleges and Employers Honors and Awards Committee for a second year.
Michon Ashmore
Michon Ashmore (Career Center) accepted an invitation to serve on the Pre-Health Abroad Advisory Committee of CEA CAPA Education Abroad, an international internship provider whose pre-health programs offer students opportunities abroad to shadow physicians and gain clinical exposure.
Tracey Dowling
Tracey Dowling (Career Center) was elected to serve as president of the Cooperative Education & Internship Association for 2026-2027. Her term began in April.
Dr. Zduy Chu
Zduy Chu, Ed.D. (Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs) was appointed to the Vice President of Student Affairs and Associate Vice Presidents Colleague Conversations Planning Committee for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Dr. Zduy Chu
Zduy Chu, Ed.D. (Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs) facilitated the discussion “Charting Senior Leader Learning Needs and Pathways” with vice presidents and associate vice presidents of Student Affairs for the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Bylines and Publications
Mackenzie Fisher
Mackenzie Fisher (Career Center) published the article "Navigating Parental Involvement in Career Conversations with College Students" in the National Development Association Web Magazine.
Darryl Lovett
Darryl Lovett, Ph.D. (Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs) co-authored the feature article "Engaging the Student Affairs Workforce: The Link Between Staff Satisfaction and Student Success" in the Fall 2026 edition of Leadership Exchange magazine. The article explores the critical relationship between employee experience and student outcomes, providing practical strategies and institutional examples for engaging, supporting and sustaining the student affairs workforce.
Honors and Awards
Anissa Ford
Anissa Ford was selected to be one of the 2026-2027 SoACE LEAD Fellows, which helps develop emerging leaders across the SoACE community.
Justin Hultman
Justin Hultman, Ed.D. (Career Center) obtained the National Career Counselor certification awarded by the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Joi N Phillips
Joi Phillips, Ph.D. (Center for Leadership and Service) received the Kris Knab Service Award from United Partners for Human Services for her leadership, courage, compassion and commitment to the community.
Alexandra Clayton
Alexandra Clayton won the Favorite Lead Actress in a Mainstage Musical award for her portrayal of Velma Kelly in the Spring 2026 production of Chicago.
Presentations and Conferences
Emma Massaglia
Emma Massaglia (DSA Marketing and Communications) presented “Our Website is a Mess! Preparing for and Leading a Major University Website Redesign” at the 2026 EduWeb Summit Marketing and Web Conference in Orlandol in July.
Justin Hultman
Justin Hultman, Ph.D. (Career Center) and Serena Bujtor (doctoral student) presented a workshop using the CSI-Clarity Scale to create career decision-making models that explore resiliency and career choice at the National Career Development Association Conference held in Minneapolis in July.
Michon Ashmore
Michon Ashmore (Career Center) presented "Building Bridges: Collaboration Between Career Services and Pre-Health Advising" at the 2026 National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions National Conference in June, highlighting FSU's collaborative model between the Career Center and the Office of Pre-Health Advising.
Megan Crowe
Megan Crowe (Career Center) co-presented the session “Catching the Wave of Prelaw Societies from a Centralized Advising Center” with pre-law advisors from Vanderbilt University and Auburn University at the 2026 Southern Association of Pre-Law Advisor Regional Conference.
Other Accolades
Christy Mantzanas
Christy Mantzanas (Career Center) was one of 50 professionals who attended a week-long immersive leadership experience at the National Association of Colleges & Employers Management Leadership Institute in July.