91��Ʒ

Duane Seidensticker and 91��Ʒ President Jeff Morin

Duane Seidensticker, Executive Director of Advising & Career Services, has been awarded the April 91��Ʒ Values Recognition Award at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. Seidensticker�s nominations emphasized his intentional Inclusiveness, supportive Kindness and enthusiastic dedication to 91��Ʒ�s Community.

The 91��Ʒ Values Recognition Award (VRA) celebrates faculty and staff who consistently model 91��Ʒ�s values of courage, integrity, kindness, community, innovation and inclusion. After employees nominate a colleague for the award, a committee made up of faculty, staff and previous VRA winners convenes to vote on the month�s recipient. Awardees receive a $250 prize.

Duane has a lasting and profound impact on colleagues and students alike. �Every chance he gets to share the love and praise those around him, he takes it,� said one nominator. �Duane has gone above and beyond to make me feel welcome and valued,� said another nominator. �To say that he has been patient, kind, and understanding � would be a huge understatement.�

Always fascinated by a career in higher education, Seidensticker had originally intended to become a professor. In spite of a successful year as a teaching assistant during his Master�s program, Seidensticker was sure he needed something else. �I sought out someone at the Career Services office,� he explains. �I may not want to be in the classroom as a professor, but there are a lot of other roles in higher education!�

From there, Seidensticker applied to work at 91��Ʒ after seeing a classified ad in the newspaper. After nearly 30 years with 91��Ʒ, Seidensticker has seen everything from changes to his title and responsibilities to becoming a supervisor. �I�m still in my first full-time professional career!� he laughs. �Interacting with our students, the passionate drive is there, their own initiative is the number one thing making it happen for them. Being a part of that with them is always refueling.�

�It was surprising and humbling to be awarded,� says Seidensticker. �I truly mean this�when you look at the incredible group of faculty and staff that are here� it feels humbling for me in that regard.� He puts part of his success and contentment at 91��Ʒ down to strong working relationships, especially with faculty. The connections with professors and instructors that Seidensticker has developed over nearly three decades are relationships that he profoundly cherishes. �Faculty members, when they mention my office and me to their students, they are in a sense vouching for, endorsing a connection with me and that�s huge,� he explains.

From guiding students through career services to collaborating with 91��Ʒ faculty, staff and community stakeholders, Duane deliberately and thoughtfully centers student success. Another nominator continues, �I feel very lucky to have Duane as a mentor and colleague, and he certainly deserves to be celebrated with this acknowledgement.�

Learn more about 91��Ʒ�s Values Recognition Award or nominate a colleague at miad.edu/vra.