If anyone best embodied the upbeat and visionary qualities of a Moraine Valley employee, it would be Dr. Kristine Christensen. Now, she is being recognized for her positivity with the inaugural Impact Award.
This accolade recognizes an employee who actively and consistently embodies the fourth of the college’s Eight Expectations – be positive, upbeat, optimistic and visionary – in their conduct, interaction with others and daily responsibilities.
“When I think about the fourth of the Eight Expectations, I immediately think of Kristine,” said Kristy McGreal, executive director of the Foundation, who nominated Christensen.
“I truly don’t know if I have met someone who so consistently exudes positivity in everything they do. Kristine is always pleasant, always accommodating and always willing to help. Whether she is working with students, collaborating with colleagues or contributing to a campus initiative, she brings an energy that is encouraging and forward-thinking. If the fourth expectation needed a real-life example in the employee handbook, it would be Kristine.”
For nearly 26 years, Christensen has been a staple of the college in her various roles. She shifts through various sectors of the college, teaching students but also anticipating employee needs. Some of her responsibilities include applying for innovation grants to create programming for faculty and staff and bringing additional educational opportunities to campus for employees to earn advanced degrees from four-year universities. She also has been pivotal in planning Staff Development Day.
Within the last 10 years, Christensen has applied for and earned several innovation grants from the Foundation. One was to create the Retention Academy, which looked at ways to retain students to complete their education. Another was for an automation information technology cohort to help get nontraditional students into manufacturing careers. The most recent grant is for the AI Institute to help close the gap for students and employees by educating them on using AI ethically outside the classroom.
“We try to be innovative with Staff Development Day. And bringing grants to campus and helping the community at the same time is important. If you can help someone and educate people with new technology to ease barriers in the classroom, that impact makes me happy,” Christensen added. “We always push forward because that’s what our students need.”
An avid learner, Christensen has earned several associate degrees, master’s degrees and a doctorate. Her love of learning also inspired her nomination.
“Her thirst for knowledge is another example of her positive and growth-oriented spirit. Throughout her career in higher education, Kristine has earned numerous degrees and certificates, even receiving recognition for the number of credentials she has completed. She models lifelong learning in an authentic way, showing both students and colleagues that growth never stops,” McGreal commented.
“I try to be positive and push innovation at the same time, which is why I keep learning,” Christensen added.
She was excited to earn this award and hopes to live up to what the award recognizes.
“I’m very honored someone would think of me for this award and supported it with things I do. I try to keep a positive attitude all the time and try to think of new ways to be innovative,” Christensen noted. “It’s really exciting to be the inaugural winner. It makes you reflect on what you’ve done at the college and that you hopefully had a positive impact on students and the community.”