Embracing change with Stepping Stones

When staff sign up, they share the goal of creating change in their professional or personal lives. They might want to advance their careers, impact their work environments or grow from the skills emphasized in the program.

“Everybody here is trying to do something different, be something different,” said Honniball.

The 30 students in this year’s class presented their capstone projects to an audience of peers, managers and UWF leaders in two sessions in November. 

Many students shared solutions to their day-to-day challenges. Mia Abe and Em Carlson, program coordinators for UWF Stores, looked at how to create standard operating procedure (SOP) documents. Carpenter Vince Rhodes Kaiser shared how he brought teams together to fix a pair of Bay Laurel Catering doors that were constantly breaking.

Other capstone projects addressed systemic issues. Gardener Kyle Crane gave recommendations around onboarding, while maintenance mechanic Kellie Dean’s project focused on retention. Program support supervisor Ternise Davis and sheet metal mechanic Khris Adams gave a presentation on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion work in UWF.

It wasn’t only the participants embracing change this year. The Stepping Stones program itself went through a transition. 

Previously, the program was only available to custodians and trades staff. This year, it was opened up to all UWF staff in nonsupervisory roles. Two staff from Transportation Services (TS) and three from the Project Delivery Group (PDG) joined 25 others for this year’s class. The two cohorts for the program — one in the morning and one in the afternoon — also mixed together people from different groups within UWF together, unlike past years.

This integration is especially important in a hierarchical system like the UW and society as a whole, said UWF training specialist Sarah Lewis-Assink, who leads the program. 

“People up the hierarchy have tools that people lower on the hierarchy don't have,” she said. “One of my favorite stories I witnessed this year is not just the breaking down of silos but acknowledging this challenge.

“I think there are emotional tools and systemic tools that all groups can access now … [We can think] how does this affect all of us? How do we advocate for each other?”

Participants from departments new to the program said they appreciated the opportunity to interact with staff in different roles.

Brian Stillman, a program support supervisor in TS, was in a cohort with custodians. “They see campus in different ways,” he said. “I wasn't thinking that the program was going to give me a sense of a community, a family, but that's pretty much what it does.”

Kristen Dickey said that getting to know people across UWF will help her in her role as a construction manager with PDG. 

“Some of these people, I have no idea who they are and what they do — and they don’t know me," she said. "And we need to know who each other are, given that we cross paths and interact with each other on a daily basis.” Her capstone project was to set up a system for improving communications between PDG and trade staff.

In their capstone presentations, students shared how they used concepts reviewed in the program, such as empathy, patience and good communication.

“Being a leader does take a lot of heart,” said custodian Paul Greif as part of his presentation on using empathy when interacting with students.

Enrique Holder shows off the poster display he made with his daughter on "Stepping into Leadership." Misty Shock Rule

Some also showed how they used those leadership skills outside of work.

Custodian Michael Toth said that because of the class, he found sobriety and decided to invest in himself by going back to school.

Maintenance mechanic Enrique Holder shared how Stepping Stones helped him in his role as a newly ordained minister. He said he “fought the urge to give up” and went on to create a youth group, musician’s group and men’s group at his church.

One of the most dynamic moments during the Stepping Stones presentations came when maintenance mechanic Terrell Wiggins made an entrance from the lobby and hyped up the crowd, revealing his alternate identity: professional wrestler Cyrus Wilson.

“I’m not really a confident individual,” he said. “[But] being in Stepping Stones helped me gain my confidence. It helped me figure out that I don’t have to be quiet. I can speak up and interact with individuals by being myself. Cyrus is essentially me but me turned up — and I just had to incorporate that into my work and my life.”

The appearance of Cyrus at work is making a difference. Wiggins was one of six people promoted while they were part of Stepping Stones.

Congratulations 2024 Stepping Stones for Success graduates!

Brian Stillman, Program Support Supervisor,Transportation: Parking Ops
Chris Heinrichsen, Plumber/Pipe Fitter/Steam, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Don DeLeva, Custodian, Building Services: Area B
Em Carlson, Program Coordinator, Maintenance & Construction: Materials Management
Enrique Holder, Maintenance Mechanic 1, Maintenance & Construction: Health Science Zone
Hyun Chong, Custodian, Building Services: Area D
Joey Devaney, Custodian, Building Services: Area C
Jose Zavala Garcia, Custodian, Building Services: Area B
Kellie Dean, Maintenance Mechanic 1, Maintenance & Construction: Heavy Equipment Ops
Khris Adams, Sheet Metal Mechanic, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Kimberly Honniball, Program Coordinator, Transportation: Parking Ops
Kristen Dickey, Construction Manager, Asset Management: Project Delivery Group
Kyle Crane, Gardener, Maintenance & Construction: Grounds
Manny Gomez, Carpenter, Maintenance & Construction: Building Envelope
Matt Hulsey, Control Technician Lead, Maintenance & Construction: Lockshop
Mia Abe, Program Coordinator, Maintenance & Construction: Materials Management
Michael Grady Toth, Custodian, Building Services: Area E
Michael Rives, Custodian, Building Services: Area C
Miguel Marez-Quinones, Program Coordinator, Maintenance & Construction: Materials Management
Pasqual Contreras, Construction Project Manager, Asset Management: Project Delivery Group
Paul Greif, Custodian, Building Services: Area C
Ross Parker, Electrician, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Steven McMillen, Maintenance Mechanic 2, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Ternise Davis, Program Support Supervisor, Maintenance & Construction: Health Science Zone
Terrell Wiggins, Maintenance Mechanic 1, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Thomas Bain, Custodial Supervisor, Building Services: Area G
Tim Robinson, Maintenance Mechanic 2, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
Vince Rhodes Kaiser, Carpenter, Maintenance & Construction: Southwest Zone
William (Chris) Mansfield, Custodian, Building Services: Area G
Zachary Sroka, Plumber/Pipe Fitter/Steam, Maintenance & Construction: Health Science Zone