Monika Johnson
The job of assisting the Director of the RCPD, Michael Hudson, is a complicated, exciting, and constantly transforming role. Serving approximately 1,000 students and 200 faculty members, the Assistant to the Director plays a key part in the daily success of the RCPD. Beverly Stehlik, who officially accepted the full-time position in February, has started with energy and enthusiasm.
Stehlik began at the RCPD as a temporary employee in January, but quickly noticed her interest and curiosity in the goals of the center. When the search for a full-time assistant started, she applied for the job among what Hudson describes as \a ferocious set of competitors." The 106 applicants were tasked with creating a proposal for developing a donor funding program. Hudson said, "Bev's represented outstanding quality and coherence."
After growing up in Banister, MI, Stehlik obtained a degree in Journalism from Central Michigan University. She has worked with with many companies with small, versatile staffs, giving her a breadth of knowledge and experiences in office management. Stehlik said she was "looking for new challenges" when the opportunity to apply for the job presented itself, and has since become passionate about the goals of the RCPD. "Without the RCPD, there would be a lot of students who would not be able to get an education or would have a more difficult time getting an education," she said.
Since her 14-year-old son, Kyle, struggles with learning disabilities, Stehlik is especially interested in enhancing what the RCPD has to offer and is committed to maintaining its tradition of excellence. "I can be more empathetic to the needs of students because I have seen it from my son's perspective of how difficult school can be," she said. She enjoys working with the employees of the center because of their kindhearted nature, enthusiasm for the field, and expertise in their professions.
Outside of the RCPD, Stehlik enjoys scrapbooking, spending time with her family, and visiting their family cabin in Clare, MI. Her unique perspective and experiences have become a valuable asset in the office, and she remains committed to the goal of "helping as many students get the education they want as we can," she said.