Twenty-five year secretary reflects on her job
Irofessional
Secretaries'
Week
April 21-25
Professional
Secretaries* 1
Day is
Wednesday.
The week is
celebrated
annually
during the
last full week
in April.
The honor
for secretar
ies has been
a tradition
since 1952.
Thereare
currently
3,349,000
employed
secretaries in
the United
States.
The theme
forthis year's
Secretaries'
Week is
"Bridges to .
Opportunity
for Adminis
trative
Specialists."
CHRISTINA MUELLER
Feature Editor
Sue Hagen has been a part of the
college for 25 years. She is well -known
and respected throughout the college.
She came to Oregon from Wichita,
Kan., in 1970. She was hired two
years later by the college to be a
switchboard operator.
In 1980 Hagen worked for the col
lege Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
Four years later, when budget cuts can
celed the volunteer program, she be
came a secretary in the testing depart
ment
“My job is really not a secretary
position, even though that’s the title.
I do very little typing or even com
puter work. I do more one on one with
people,” Hagen explained.
The testing department is where
placement, GED, and other tests are
administered. IWo days a week the
testing center does GED testing.
“It’s different than any job on cam
pus," she said.
Hagen likes working in the testing
department because it gives her a
chance to Work with people.
Hagen also scores and compiles the
results of the Myers Briggs and Strong
tests. Then Judy Mills or a counselor
goes out to explain the results to stu
dents.
«3 -
“The testing department is kind of
like the mother of the college because
that’s where everyone starts first, and
then from there we direct them to a
counselor,” she said.
The testing department works with
many other departments in the col
lege. The department is also a place
that helps students stay on track. The
department works closely with the
counseling department.
Hagen has seen quite a bit of
change in her many years at
Clackamas.
“If you like change, it’s definitely
what happens around here,” she said.
“It seemed like, for years, I knew ev
eryone and every
thing about them
[other faculty], it
was a small family?’
you like
When Hagen first
change, it’s started, she and
Bernie Nolan were
definitely
the only ones run
ning the counsel
what
ing center.
happens
“One of the fun
around here, things we used to
do here is to start
rumors about our
selves and see how
SueHagen
Teslrg Center fast it gets back to
us. Now the coìr
99
Seaetay
lege has grown so
big, no one really
knows who you are,” she said.
Now there are two full-time and four
part-time employees running the
cpunseling/testing department.
In 1988 Judy Mills came to work in
thè testing départment with Hagen.
Hagen said, “She [Mills] and I work
very close together. It’s a detailed
job, and it helps to be compatible. I
spend more time
with her than I
do with my hus
band.”
Hagen feels
she is ina good
department. She
has a lot of. re
spect for Dian
Connett, and het
boss,
Jan
Godfrey.
“I have to say
that we have the
best president
around.
Dr.
CHRISTINA MUELLER ! Clackamas Prim
Keyser is tops in
my book,” Hagen Sue Hagen, secretary in the testing department,
has been at Clackamas for 25 years.
added.
“I think anytime that you’re on the would know if she was not speaking
front line, like I am, that iris a benefit -right
Hagen will be retiring on. June 30.
to others and yourself if you have a
After that she would like to Work on
good sense of humor.”
As a secretary, Hagen says she has her art. She loves to paint with water
to be a good listener. She also tries colors, and she would like to write a
novel in her spare time.
to manage the office to her benefit.
“I know there’s life after work»” she
Her office is very clean and she ad
mits, “I like to be in control I couldn’ t said.
work in a messy office.”
Some of her other plans include
Hagen likes to be involved in do working with, her husband at the
ing things for others, “ I remember at drive-through espresso and coffee
a recognition party we had a few years shop they own. In addition, she
back I dressed up as Vanna White,” plans to sell everything and travel.
“It feels good, it feels like the
Hagen explained.
“I love to joke and play. Ask the fight time,” Hagen says òf her re
président. I’m always giving him a tirement.
The advice Hagen offers is, “Go
bad time.”
for it, whatever it is you want to do,
Hagen says shé used to fear En
glish instructors because she always because too soon you are dead and
felt that when she talked to them, they they throw dirt in your face."
Division
secretaries
A secretary's job...
to workout
issuesand
challenges.
From left are
•Division Secretaries talk about their jobs
and the benefits of being part of a
secretaries' group.
"Hike it because of this group. It would be much harder
without this group. The strength is that we have enough
commonality that we can sit and do this and help get
through what we need to do."
"This is a great group and, it's really nice that the college
allowed us to form this workgroup."
"We've been able to create processes that help our jobs
function much better."
"We're able to be proactive in our jobs." .
"Humor gets us through some really tough situations."
"We're problem solvers."
"I tike the challenge of thejgfe”
"We 're doing different things all the time."
"Each job has some roles that are unique to that divi
sion."
"It certainly uses all of your skills."
"I think that my favorite is the angry student that gets in
your face."
"We never get bored?’.
"No matter what you need help on you know there's
help available."
Quotes from:
Carole Yates-Division of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences. ‘ Associ
ate Dean Kay Davis.
Lynda Myers- Division of Business. Associate Dean Marcia Keith.
Margie Tosi- Division of Math, Science, Allied Health and Public
Service; Associate Dean Chuck Scott.
Barbara Barrow- Division of Industrial, Health/PE and Community
Recreation; Associate Dean Glenn Ferris.
Becky Carnahan- Division of Instructional Services; Dean Dian
Connett.
Cathy LeDoux- Division of Extended Learning Services; Associate
Dean Rene Zingarelli.
Jeani Preble-Division qf instructional services; Dean Liz Goulard.
Volume XXX, Issue 22
Lynda Myers,
Carole Yates,
Becky
Carnahan,
Jeani Preble,
Margie Tosi
and Barbara
Barrow.
CHRISTINA MUELLER / Clackamas Print.
Appreciation from the deans
• The deans and associate deans gave The Print an inside scoop on their secretaries.
"Jeani is a highly talented individual whose expertise is
indispensible to this office. Her knowledge of the curriculum and
the work of departments and divisions is absolutely vital to our
effective support of instruction. Beside that, she's a lot of fun to
work with and we share a good sense of humor."
-Liz Goulard about Jeani Preble
"She is so committed to learning new things and better ways c
making her job interesting. I like her willingness to be part of
team for the division and making an effort to help with anyone'
requests. She’s just fun. I love coming to work everyday know
ing that I'm going to work with her. She's the greatest!
-Rene' Zingarelli about Cathy LeDoux
"Her best quality is everything! She is extremely efficient, has a
good sense of humor and is always professional."
-Kay Davis about Carole Yates
"She works very independently on projects that she and I havt
discussed. Tve given her responsibility for certain things, and 1
don't have to worry about them. If she has questions, shell ask.'
-Chuck Scott about Margie Tosi
"No one title sufficiently encompasses what she does. She is i
vital member of the Clackamas team. I appreciate her pleasan
attitude and willingness to fit in. I appreciate her, and I'm not the
only one; lots of people da
'Tlike her commitment to excellence. I really get a charge out of
watching people do their job ifthey do it well, and Lynda does."
-Marcia Keith about Lynda Myers
Wednesday, April 23,