Four employees were recognized for going above and beyond their work duties as part of the 2026 University Awards.
The Outstanding Work Performance Award recognizes performance beyond what is normally expected of an employee, including increased workload, special projects, developing or modifying procedures and improving effectiveness and efficiency.
Kathryn Blakeman
Secretary for the Common Council, Blakeman took on extra work last year when she stepped up to chair the University Staff Awards and Programming Subcommittee. She was not on the committee, nor on the University Staff Council, but saw a need and filled it. She also volunteered to review the 200-page University Handbook, a huge project of the Constitution and Handbook Revision Subcommittee. She gave many hours to the project, providing detailed annotations, finding inconsistencies and outdated references. Her work improved efficiencies, readability and searchability of the handbook for all UWSP employees. Kathryn has also served as the administrative director of the Wisconsin Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies for more than two decades, contributing to the organization’s mission and future. She has also played an important role in recent efforts to streamline positions and electoral processes for the Common Council and helped keep records of recent directives for the restructure of the General Education Program.
Dan Kieliszewski
A dependable and hardworking presence in the Dreyfus University Center, Kieliszewski’s custodial work for Facility Services provides stability for daily operations and sets an example for others. During his 18 years with UWSP, he has had perfect attendance and has offered a positive attitude that maintains morale and ensures continuity during times of change. He takes great pride in the DUC’s clean, safe and welcoming environment, paying attention to detail and responding promptly to the needs of staff and visitors. His behind-the-scenes efforts have a meaningful impact on those who work in or visit the DUC.
Ken Kulich
A custodian in Facility Services, Kulich was recently assigned to the Communication Arts Center and has improved both the physical space and the building’s working culture. He holds himself and others to a higher standard and works with people to make sure all needs are met and exceeded, all with a big smile on his face. While he is very efficient in his work, it is his interpersonal skills that go above and beyond, said one CAC faculty member. He stated: “Myself and my colleagues are more effective at what we do because of Ken’s incredible work.” He is also friendly with students, asking them about their work and motivating them through difficult parts of the semester. Ken treats everyone with respect and performs his job at an exceptional level, making a big impact on campus.
Colleen Meis
An administrative assistant in Continuing Education, Meis has made a significant impact since joining the staff in March of last year as registration lead. With an unexpected retirement, she became the “go to” teammate while new to the position. She took on new and unexpected tasks and sought ways to work smarter and make procedures more efficient. She documented new Workday processes, learned Finance and Accounting back up procedures and created quick notes for a new Momentus upgrade. She established new workflows for her additional duties, learned various AI query procedures and improved the registration process. Her work has created better experiences for customers and partners in conferences, youth programs, Adventure Tours, Small Business Development Center, personal enrichment, the Institute for Behavior Health and Wellness Training and Learning is ForEver.
