Staff Accolades
Employee of the Month (EOM)
Sephora Jean-Claude
October 2026
Student Organizations and Involvement
Sephora Jean-Claude serves as the Administrative Associate for Student Organizations and Involvement under Student Engagement. Sephora coaches student organizations through the registration process and supervises SOI student workers, as well as maintaining the administrative functions of the office.
In the words of her nominators, "Through our transition to FSU HQ, Sephora has truly been the unsung hero for our student organizations. With over 700 students navigating a new system, you can imagine the questions, emails and phone calls have been nonstop. Somehow, Sephora continues to tackle every single one with patience, professionalism and a smile. The transition has been a huge undertaking, and Sephora's dedication to making sure our students have the resources and support they need has made all the difference."
"What makes Sephora's contributions especially noteworthy is the manner in which she approaches her work. No matter how busy the day or how complex the issue, she consistently responds with patience, professionalism, and grace. Sephora's student-centered approach has been so impactful that students have taken the time to tell me individually how supportive she has been."
Thank you Sephora, for "going above and beyond her regular responsibilities, making a meaningful difference for our office and the campus community"!
DSA Team, we want to celebrate your success!
Presentations and Conferences
Jake Czaplicki
Jake Czaplicki (New Student & Family Programs) served as a presentation reviewer and awards review committee member for the NODAC: Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education 2026 Annual Conference held in Atlanta, GA, in November.
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.
Honors and Awards
Jake Czaplicki
Jake Czaplicki (New Student & Family Programs) has been asked to serve as a faculty member for the NODA: Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education Graduate Student Symposium (GSS). GSS is designed to support master-level graduate students by providing informational workshops, mentoring opportunities and networking with professionals and peers.
Kaylee Webb
Kaylee Webb (Career Center) was nominated by FSU’s Student-Athlete Academic Services and participated as an honorary football guest coach at the FSU vs. University of Virginia game Oct. 3. She gained insight into the student-athlete experience and FSU Football program.
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.
Service
Nell Robinson
Nell Robinson (University Health Services) was reappointed as a Commissioner on the Tallahassee-Leon County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls for a two-year term. This appointment marks her fourth term.
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.
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.
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.
