The purpose of maintaining a clean campus at Moraine Valley is more than just aesthetic appeal; it’s also to foster a favorable environment where students, faculty and staff can safely and effectively collaborate. While all of Campus Operations ensures every campus space is clean, safe and welcoming, Halina Jarog has been awarded the 2026 Robert E. Turner Award for going above and beyond in her dedication to this goal.
“Receiving the Robert E. Turner Award means a great deal to me, both personally and professionally,” Jarog said. “It recognizes my dedication, growth and commitment over the years, and reflects the support and collaboration of the colleagues I’ve had the privilege to work with.”
She began her role as a custodian at Moraine Valley in 2007. Originally working third shift (9:30 p.m.-6 a.m.), she moved to the first shift (7 a.m.-3:45 p.m.) in 2022. As a custodian, her responsibilities include cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, offices and common areas, setting up spaces for events, ensuring facilities are well maintained and responding to immediate needs.
Jarog’s colleagues noted that her work ethic, positive attitude and passion for Moraine Valley’s mission make her an exceptional member of Campus Operations and a deserving recipient of the Robert E. Turner Award.
“Halina is an incredibly hard worker and a wonderful coworker. She comes to work every day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude that brightens the workplace,” said Jose Sandoval, fellow Moraine Valley custodian. “She always is staying busy and looking for the next thing that can be cleaned or helped with. Her dedication and strong work ethic do not go unnoticed.”
Jarog shared the keys to her success within Campus Operations have been her abilities to communicate regularly, share responsibilities with other team members and support everyone as best she can. “We often coordinate on daily priorities, divide tasks based on needs and step in to help when someone is busy or an unexpected issue comes up,” she continued.
Her nominator, Christopher Stech, custodial supervisor in Campus Operations, said Jarog shows passion and enthusiasm in prioritizing Moraine Valley’s mission, and he often gets many compliments on her abilities and fast response to requests.
“She always goes beyond what we expect from her without complaint and always with a smile on her face, I’m very proud of her,” said Stech. “Based on her excellent performance over the years, I believe there is no one more deserving of the Robert E. Turner Award than Halina.”
One memory that stands out for Jarog was when she had to quickly help prepare a space for an important campus event. Due to last-minute changes, the room needed to be cleaned, arranged and fully set up in a short amount of time. Jarog remembered that through effective teamwork with other members of her shift, they were able to get everything ready on time, and the event went smoothly. She noted that seeing it come together reminded her of the importance of behind-the-scenes work to the overall campus experience.
Looking ahead, Jarog wants to continue growing in her role and further develop her skills within Campus Operations. She wants to improve her quality of service and take on more responsibilities to contribute even more to the team.