Please join us for a retirement reception Jan. 20 for journalism staff assistant Valerie Ellsworth. The College of Journalism is hosting a reception from 3-5 p.m. in the J school's Hitchcock Center. A short program will be held at 4 p.m.
Valerie recently celebrated 25 years of service to the university, including the last nine years as administrative technician at the journalism college. She served as a customer service rep with Printing Services beginning July 1985 when printing was just starting to install a computer system.
"We are very grateful for all of her help with the graduate program and the compilation of two (!) successful ACEJMC self studies," said Gary Kebbel, dean of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.
Frauke Hachtmann, chair of the graduate journalism program, says she will miss Valerie's dedication. "She helps our students navigate through graduate school from the day they start their application to the day they graduate. It's this kind of service that our college is known for and Valerie has always done it with a smile on her face."
Valerie has helped to research the history of the college. Andersen Hall's walls and display cases are filled with names of students who were inducted into honor societies and winners in college competitions such as Hearst. She has collected historical documents such as the Johnny Carson newspapers, Beverly Keever papers, depth reports and advertising campaigns plans.
Valerie says she plans to spend more time with her husband, Bill, and son, Chad, and daughter-in-law and two-year-old grandson, Joey; travel, saying her first trip will be to Key West, Fla.; and pursue her hobbies, which include making dolls.
Ellsworth graduated from UNL in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in home economics. Interested in layout and design, she took classes in the late 1980s with George Tuck and advertising writing with Dr. Linda Shipley.
