February employees of the month
Brenda Maigaard, Unclassified employee
Brenda Maigaard
Started at KU: 1993.
Current title: Director, Office of Student Financial Aid.
What that means: Each year, Maigaard oversees the disbursement of more than $160 million in financial assistance to 17,000 KU students-almost 65 percent of the student body. She supervises 24 permanent staff members and 20 student staff members and has overall responsibility for administering federal, state and institutional financial aid programs and meeting the complex regulations, policies and procedures that govern them.
Notable: Maigaard's office administers the KU Tuition Grant, which provides $8.6 million to KU students each year. The office also coordinates scholarships from outside donors and alternate loans such as those from KU Endowment.
Ken Blackwell, University support staff
Ken Blackwell
Started at KU: 1976-1981 and 2001-present.
Current title: Building operations lead custodial, Burge Union.
What that means: Blackwell is responsible for supervision and control of daily activities, including custodial services, light maintenance, audio-visual and room setups. He establishes cleaning and maintenance standards and monitors physical appearance and building security.
Notable: Blackwell's ability to anticipate needs and address concerns promptly has reduced the need for emergency maintenance projects that might disrupt scheduled activities and increase costs. The quality of service has made the Burge a preferred facility among many users, which has increased the number of reservations. He knows the regular users of the building and remembers their setup needs and requests. Blackwell is willing to dedicate as many hours as necessary to be sure the building is clean, set, and ready every day, and he has accommodated the increased traffic flow without asking for additional staff.
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