Jessica Nunez knows change can be intimidating. However, she also knows sometimes a nudge is what you need to gain new professional experiences. It’s that attitude that has her motivated to begin her role as the 2023 President’s Office Staff Fellow.
Jessica Nunez
The fellowship program began in 2022 to allow an NIU staff member to experience the full spectrum of work in President Lisa Freeman’s office and to develop skills and relationships to enhance their NIU career. Eligible employees submit a letter of interest, a resume and a letter of recommendation from a supervisor to be considered for the role.
Nunez has seen consistent progress during her nine-year NIU career, which she began as a cashier in Campus Parking Services. Taking on added duties in two additional roles, she was then promoted to Coordinator of Parking & Traffic in 2021. Managing a diverse staff with a variety of responsibilities, she helped lead the recent switch to license plate recognition technology for parking permits, which is projected to save NIU more than $200,000 over the next five years.
“My roles within the department have allowed me to understand the intricate processes that are involved and develop a better program overall,” she says. “It’s my job to ensure that Parking’s operations run smoothly, and that changes made to the program are done with the overall mission and vision of the university in mind.”
A graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor’s in psychology, Nunez earned an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2022, with a focus on Organizational Leadership. She says she’ll use what she learned in that program to help NIU continue to foster creativity and innovation. “I’m looking forward to helping bring an understanding that departments not always at the foreground of a university experience can still play a positive role in both student and employee lives.”
In the role, Nunez will work closely with Chief of Staff Matt Streb, members of the President’s senior leadership team, the NIU Board of Trustees and departments across the university. Streb is pleased with the first year of the program and says Nunez is well-prepared for the role.
“She’s had experience implementing a campus-wide program and is used to working in an environment that can be stressful,” he says. “She has a great reputation as someone who is collaborative and always is looking to learn.”
Nunez expects the fellowship to be an eye-opening experience.
“Sometimes it’s easy to make assumptions as to how decisions and ideas evolve,” she says. “Being able to have direct insight into some of these decisions will hopefully aid in making me a better leader.”
Is she nervous? Nope. Enthusiastic? For sure.
“I’m excited to get an up close and personal viewpoint of the innerworkings of how a university functions,” she says. “And, I’ll be able to gain unique understanding and perspective from various university leaders.”
Michaela Holtz served as the first President’s Office Staff Fellow in 2022. Now Executive Director for Strategy, Impact & Academic Partnerships in the Division of Student Affairs, she says the experience completely surpassed her expectations.
“It was an excellent opportunity to enhance my skills, gain new perspectives and step out of my comfort zone – reasons I applied for it,” she says. “One of the most exciting aspects of being a staff fellow was interacting and collaborating with colleagues and areas on campus I have not had an opportunity to work with before and probably wouldn’t if it wasn’t for the fellowship. I am thrilled we are expanding such opportunities for our staff at NIU.”
“Michaela was an exceptional inaugural fellow who was a great addition to our team,” says Streb.” “She set the bar high for future fellows.”
Nunez says Holtz already has given her valuable feedback as she’s transitioned to the new role. “I’m honored to have Michaela as my mentor this year and look forward to absorbing her insight,” she says. “Her largest piece of advice was to not be afraid to ask questions or ask to be involved in different tasks. By the end, I’m hopeful I’ll have a better understanding of what goes into running a university and continue developing as a professional.”
The President’s Staff Office Fellowship is open to all full-time Supportive Professional Staff with rank or Operating Staff with at least three years of leadership experience as a supervisor, in shared governance or other roles.
