EFSC Employees Cited for Exemplary Performance

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Nine Eastern Florida State College employees were named STARS Award winners Monday for their exemplary performance during the past year.

The honors were announced during a meeting of the Board of Trustees, with EFSC President Dr. Jim Richey praising them as valued professionals. 

The employees were cited for their efforts in areas such curriculum, public safety, student advising and facilities. 

“These staff members labor behind the scenes and are essential to every aspect of college operations. They are true professionals who bring their talent, ideas, and dedication to campus every day, helping make EFSC a leader in higher education in Florida,” said Richey. 

The letters in STARS stand for Superlative, Teamwork, Attitude, Responsibility and Service.  

Here are the winners: 

• Kristi Busca is an Administrative Support Specialist for Accounting on the Cocoa Campus where she is known for her strong work ethic. Said one colleague: “I work in another department and Kristi is always helpful. She treats me as a teammate rather than seeing departments as boundaries. She responds quickly when help is needed and genuinely cares how people are doing.”
• William Busca is a Technician in the Fire Science Program at the Fire Training Center on the Palm Bay Campus. A professional firefighter before coming to the college, his knowledge, skills, and ability to connect with others has had an important impact on training students to save lives and property.
• John Dansby is a Specialist in AC Maintenance on the Palm Bay Campus. As an example of his dedication, he came to work on the Fourth of July to complete repairs to a malfunctioning system to ensure it was working properly when people retuned to work the next day amid a heat index of more than 100 degrees.
• Dr. Catherine Johnston served as Director of Curriculum Development on the Melbourne Campus before recently retiring. Her contribution to the College is beyond measure as she has guided faculty for years in revising and developing innovative and meaningful curriculum and programs of study. She has been called “a delight to work with” and someone who works seamlessly with other departments such as the Website team.
• Barbara Matthews is an Advanced Training Coordinator at the Public Safety Institute on the Melbourne Campus. Despite the overwhelming amount of work she must complete daily, she always finds ways to help and trains new co-workers with a sense of dedication that is unmatched.
• Jackie Pellmann is an Administrative Support Specialist at the Public Safety Institute on the Melbourne Campus. Supervisors say she is the glue that keeps the departments functioning seamlessly together and goes above and beyond on everything she does.
• Janelis Rodriguez is a Student Advisor on the Melbourne Campus. Her dedication to providing exceptional service to students is remarkable with a friendly demeanor that immediately puts them at ease and makes them feel valued and appreciated, including those from Ukraine, Puerto Rico and the military. She is also a tireless volunteer for the EFSC Foundation.
• Emily Tonn is the Associate Dean of Student Support and Success Services on the Melbourne Campus. She was called the “kind of co-worker you dream about having” because she cares deeply about her many responsibilities and the people who report to her, always bringing a smile and kind word to everyone.
• Katelyn Vollmer is an Administrative Support Specialist for Health Sciences on the Cocoa Campus where she works diligently on every task and is a wealth of knowledge on the college’s policies and procedures. She is an integral member of the health sciences team who embodies what STARS is all about. 

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