Hayden driven by love for IVCC
By JJ Ossola
IV Leader Staff, May 3, 2007
Jeanne Hayden likes to talk about Illinois Valley
Community College and there might not be anything she would not do to promote
it. Besides the fact that her entire family has graduated from the college or
the variety of jobs that she has held here, it may just be her love of the
college that drives her.
Eileen Twardowski, a financial aid advisor and close friend
of Hayden, said, “Jeanne always puts the college first in approaching every
project. She is very professional but at the same time, she is very personable
and willing to share stories.”
Hayden, who now serves as secretary to the president, has
done everything from acting as the secretary to the board of trustees to driving
a homemade float in eight parades. Hayden said, “It was great fun but it was the
hottest summer ever! And driving a float everywhere from Streator to Mendota was
quite an experience.” Hayden and her recruits took first place in the Streator 4
th celebration and second at the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival in 2002.
Cheryl Stoddard, payroll and benefits coordinator, said,
“Jeanne is known to a lot of her coworkers as the resident ‘Martha Stewart.’
Everything from the wrapping of the recognition dinner awards, to May baskets,
to the quilts for her grandchildren. She is as particular about her personal
handiwork as she is about her position here.”
Hayden said, “The variety of things you do from day to
day is part of what I love about this job. I am a list person. Every night I
make a list and then the next day, I go to work- checking things off.” Since
starting at the college as a student worker in 1972, Hayden has worked both part
and full time in a variety offices doing a multitude of duties and for three
presidents.
Hayden started her career at IVCC as a secretary for the Dean
of Instruction, for Al Wisgowski in 1973, but starting a new family forced her
to leave soon after. After the birth of her son Jeoffry, she began to try and
work more often at the college.
Stoddard said of Hayden, “While looking up something for her
in her file a while back I came across a memo written in November of 1973 when
she was leaving IVCC. It stated that though other interests would occupy her
life at that time she indicated a willingness to be a part-time employee and
perhaps return to full-time much later. The person writing the memo wished it to
be placed in her file as a reminder to IVCC administrators of the valued
employee she was.”
Until accepting a secretarial position in the office of the
Foundation in 1985, Hayden balanced a family life that included the birth of her
second child, Julie and working at the college. Hayden worked all over the
campus, as she administered the GED, ACT, Real Estate certifications and others
tests.
The variety of offices she worked in and the multitude of
contacts made, served her well as Jean Goodnow asked her to apply for the
presidential secretary position when she was hired in 1996. Hayden landed the
position from a field of three internal and one outside applicant and returned
to IVCC as a full-time employee again.
IVCC president Larry Huffman said, “She knows the ins and
outs of all the aspects and dynamics at the college and how they interact with
each other. She has a great memory as well and she is often a person that people
turn to when questions arise. “She’s got the experience and she functions well
without supervision. She has allowed me to concentrate on getting my job done,
while acting as an invaluable resource in the office. “ The only problem I have
is getting her to take the time off that she has earned! A pretty good problem
to have.”