Kristina Hancock named employee of the month

President Jane Conoley named Executive Assistant to Dean Marquita Grenot-Sheyer October’s employee of the month.

Hancock’s passion for her family and enthusiasm for Cal State University Long Beach shine through her work on campus.

“I bring my strong work ethics, morals and positive outlook to my job,” Hancock said, “[That] helps create an inviting work atmosphere that I hope translates into a positive experience every time staff members, faculty or students come to the dean’s office.”

As the executive assistant to the dean, Hancock coordinates her schedule, takes care of administrative tasks, helps organize college wide events and serves as the social media coordinator for the department of education.

Hancock said she completes much of the dean’s work because the dean is often travelling to various board meetings discussing the development of new teaching standards and guidelines.

“But I talk to the dean everyday, and she is always very supportive,” Hancock said. “My coworkers are helpful as well, especially my student assistants!”

She is also the College of Education’s commencement coordinator, which is a position that coordinates ceremonies that acknowledges several outstanding students

“This is a tough event to put on,” Hancock said. “Last year, there were five thousand people who attended, and I’m the one in charge of getting all the students organized in their correct spots.”

Every month, CSULB’s Human Resources office sends a ballot to a specific department to nominate their choice of employee of the month. The employees of each department vote on who best illustrates the standards set forth in their department.

Education Assessment Coordinator Brenda Gallegos has only worked for Cal State Long Beach for a year, and she said Hancock deserved acknowledgement.

“Whenever I’m stumped, which is often because I’m new, I’ll give Kristina a call, and she’s always eager to help me out,” Gallegos said.

Hancock was introduced to CSULB as a transfer student back in 1997.  She left CSULB to focus on her marriage and her first child.  Hancock then attended University of Phoenix earning her master’s degree in the fields of education, and business administration.

Both off and on campus, Kristina receives love and support from her husband Joe Hancock, a college of education student here on campus.

“We get lunch together all the time,” Kristina said. “It’s pretty funny, we talk about how his classes are going, so I get the scoop on both the professors’ side and students’ side.”

Across the campus, Hancock said she receives guidance from her mother, Jeanene Berumen, CSULB’s senior manager of payroll.

“My mother’s been here for 12 years,” Hancock said. “She’s in charge of the money, she’s responsible for every single staff member, faculty workers and student employee on campus.”

Her daughter-in-law, Jasmine Hancock, drops into her office frequently as she also attends CSULB, studying to earn her elementary school credentials.

Hancock plans to stay at CSULB at least for a few more years until her children graduate from high school.

“My heart has always told me to be a teacher,” Hancock said. “I want to become an English teacher, but it will be sad to leave this school.”

Hancock sees herself working in a library, and she said she plans on “reading as many books as she possibly can!”

“That’s another reason why I love this campus,” said Hancock. “We have a really great library!”