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April employees of the month

Pamelia Willits , Unclassified employee

Pamelia Willits

Current title: Research assistant, Research and Training Center on Independent Living.

What that means: Willits is in charge of finances and personnel for the center, serves as the director's administrative assistant, proofreads and edits, and assists with special projects and grants.

Notable: Recently the center, in partnership with several other universities, submitted a multi-million dollar grant proposal. With the deadline approaching, it was clear the materials submitted by some of the partners could not be imported into the proposal. She reentered information and data, reformatted tables and text and ensured that the proposal followed the agency's format.

Penny Lynn Fritts, University support staff

Penny Lynn Fritts

Started at KU: 1993.

Current title: Graduate secretary, Department of Sociology.

What that means: Fritts keeps current on policies and procedures and ensures that faculty, graduate students and staff are informed of changes. She handles a wide variety of correspondence and organizes graduate applicant data so the committee has all necessary information.

Notable: Fritts has taken on responsibility for maintenance of the department's Web site and regularly reviews and updates content, tests the site and links to ensure proper operation.

TOPONYMS

The Adams Alumni Center is named for K.S. “Boots” Adams, who went to work for Phillips Petroleum to earn money to complete his KU business degree and retired as chief executive officer. When the building opened, executive director Dick Wintermote requested that the address be changed from 1246 Oread Ave. to 1266 Oread in honor of Phillips 66 executives who were alumni and donors to the project.