Janet Woolery Bids Farewell To ME

“When she first joined us, Janet was new to working in an academic setting such as ours, but she has adapted well over the years and has been a valuable member of our business unit. We will certainly miss her presence in the Department.”

B. Balachandran, Mechanical Engineering Department Chair

After six years of service to the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Business Manager Janet Woolery is transferring to the Office of Extended Studies (OES) to serve as a Business Manager. Janet began serving the University System of Maryland in November 2001 at UMUC and has worked for the ME Department since April of 2005, starting as a Business Services Specialist and working her way up to her current position. As Business Manager, Janet’s responsibilities included handling sponsored research expenditures, placing orders, reconciling accounts, and serving as Inventory Coordinator. When asked about her most memorable experience as a Department employee, Janet chose one that highlighted the camaraderie found in the department: “When we decided to clean out the storage room…we all pitched in and got the job done. It really showed what a team we had.” Commenting further on the Department’s team spirit, she describes her coworkers as “a great group of people…[they] helped me get through the day when the work was overwhelming.” Janet also remarked on how her position served as a learning experience and exposed her to the inner workings of academic life. “The most rewarding part of working for the department,” she noted, “is gaining an understanding of how higher education research works.” Remarking on Janet’s importance to the Department, Dr. Balachandran, department chair, highlighted her adaptability: “When she first joined us, Janet was new to working in an academic setting such as ours, but she has adapted well over the years and has been a valuable member of our business unit. We will certainly miss her presence in the Department.”

Published September 26, 2011