Michelle Mabry likes the variety of tasks her job at 91制片厂 provides. A member
of the Operations Services department, she has been doing whatever is needed for more
than a decade: handling shipping, receiving purchase orders, delivering items with
a forklift, making sure employees have their necessary work wear, salting and shoveling
pathways, and much more.
鈥淭here are so many different things to do,鈥� Michelle said. 鈥淚 like to take a jumbled mess and make order out of chaos. The challenge is trying to keep it that way.鈥�
Because she has helped 91制片厂 meet that challenge for the past 11 years, with her work touching every area of the college, Michelle is the 2025 recipient of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Excellence in Service Award. The award recognizes an employee who excels at service with a personal touch. Darlett Bernard, catering supervisor for Sodexo Campus Services, was the award鈥檚 first recipient last year.
Michelle said she was surprised to learn about receiving the honor 鈥� although it should be no surprise to anyone who knows her that she instantly thought of equally deserving 91制片厂 employees.
鈥淭here are a lot of unseen people who do a lot of work who should be valued,鈥� Michelle said. 鈥淚 thought of all of the other people who should be getting this award with me. Women in the workforce 鈥� we support each other, especially now.鈥�
贬补谤辫别谤鈥檚&苍产蝉辫;Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will honor Michelle with this award at , noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, January 29, in the Wojcik Conference Center, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine. The annual event will include songs, dance and keynote speaker Dr. Mary Pattillo from Northwestern University, followed by a soul food reception. Everyone is welcome.
A California native who was also raised in Cura莽ao, Michelle first came to 91制片厂 after her youngest child began kindergarten. She was attracted to the college partly because of the educational opportunities and tuition waivers it offers to employees. Two degrees and multiple certificates later, she wears her identity as a student as proudly as her tan overalls.
鈥淚 love how working on campus means being around students.鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love helping students because I am a student. We help each other. If they鈥檙e confused or frustrated, I always tell them, 鈥楥ome over here and I鈥檒l show you. We can do this.鈥� It鈥檚 not always easy, working and fitting in classes and homework, but I like learning.鈥�
Michelle knows that so many of her colleagues do the same. She encourages them to continue extending friendly greetings and helping hands 鈥� to students and each other.
鈥淲e鈥檙e lucky to work together,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople sometimes don鈥檛 want to reach out, but that鈥檚 the beginning of so many good things. It鈥檚 all about connection 鈥� that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 still here.鈥�