At the core of the mission of University Residences and Purdue Dining & Culinary is the desire to create a place where students feel at home on campus. Central to this mission are the numerous people who deliver the programs, experiences and services that help students find their place on campus.
The end of the school year is an opportunity to recognize the impact of outstanding staff, alumni and friends for their tireless efforts. From connecting with students one-on-one to working late into the night to finalize details for an important event, these individuals exemplify the spirit found across University Residences and Dining & Culinary.
Christa Pazera and Jessica Scott were recognized with the Bill Berner Staff Achievement Award, which recognizes staff members whose mentorship and personal attention to students and staff reflect that of Bill Berner, a long-time University Residences employee who made a significant impact with his individual attention to students during his tenure. The award is presented through the support of the late Donald Heirman, who created the award to honor the mentorship and personal attention he received from Berner, as well as in memory of his wife, Lois.
Pazera serves as the director of Residential Life for University Residences, where she provides vision, leadership and a student-centered focus for the professional and student staff on the Residential Life team who support the more than 17,000 students who call University Residences home. Pazera began working her way through different levels of student affairs as a student, when she served as a resident assistant, staff resident and graduate intern and was Governess of Meredith Hall. She is lauded for her empathetic leadership and the personal attention she provides to student and professional staff alike. She selflessly supports Boilermakers beyond traditional work hours and has taken on additional supervisory roles to ensure students in University Residences have their needs met. “At her core, I believe Christa is a caretaker as well as an educator,” wrote one nominator. “She truly cares about everyone that crosses her path.”
Scott serves as the student development supervisor in Wiley Dining Court. She receives praise for her ability to coach, develop and encourage student employees, which has created a positive environment where students are welcome and able to share their concerns. She has remained agile through numerous changes to operations to ensure student employees are supported and recognized for their efforts. Scott’s efforts have also helped increase student involvement in the Jumpstart program, which helps students transition to college while working. Her personal attention to students can perhaps be best exemplified by the time she helped a student host a Thanksgiving meal for international students staying over Thanksgiving by opening the doors of Wiley for the student to host the event. “I can truly say that I view the Wiley team as a second family and I owe an incredible amount of who I am to Jessica and Wiley,” wrote one of her student nominators.
The next two staff honorees were selected as Student Life Impact Award winners by the Office of the Vice Provost for Student Life and honored at the Student Life Honors Banquet. These awards recognize outstanding alumni, staff and friends who have achieved noteworthy distinction in their profession and made an impact on Purdue students.
Jen Bannon was honored as the recipient of the Bob L. and Joyce Beery Miles Student Life Mentor Award. Bannon currently serves as the associate director of residential life, where she works closely with RAs and serves as the advisor to the Presidents’ Roundtable, the Residence Hall Association and National Residence Hall Honorary. She also plans and executes the annual Jay Severson Retreat. Her leadership and vision have led to a highly competitive RA selection process that helps University Residences hire 400 students to become RAs every year. She is beloved by students for her close attention and mentorship as well as the countless hours she spends attending meetings and supporting students through social events and programming.
