STEPS Spotlight: Danielle “Dani” Dahlke
Mon, 02/07/2011 - 16:23 — wbessette
What is your title/role here at Madison College/STEPS?
Communications Analyst for the Enrollment Services Operations unit within the Enrollment Center, I am a member of the STEPS Self-Service and Communications teams.
What goes into an “average day” for you?
I work closely with the Leadership Team of the Enrollment Center to develop both internal and external communications, designing graphics, producing tutorials and writing content for web and print.
How does STEPS (and what you are doing now) affect staff and students short term and long term?
Systemically, the projects of the STEPS program will affect the College as whole.
What is your “end goal?” for STEPS?
Is there an end to improving processes? I think that the concept of “transformation in stages” really conveys that STEPS program promotes and supports ongoing change, beyond the 9.0 PeopleSoft upgrade.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Writing and designing a diverse array of content while working/collaborating with different units - is what makes my work enjoyable.
What is your background?
I earned a B.A. in Studio Art from Lawrence University in Appleton. After graduation, I worked for Neiman Marcus in downtown Chicago before moving back to Wisconsin for a position at Northcentral Technical College (NTC) in Wausau. During my time at NTC, I worked in the General Studies and ABE/ELL divisions, as well as the Office of Continuous Improvement, which is similar to IRE here.
What are some of the greatest challenges you face?
Time.
What have been some of the best (STEPS related) moments?
The completion of Phase II Quick Win projects, such as Non-Program Intake Management (i.e., New Student Account Creation), have been great moments for STEPS as the results have brought the college up to speed by providing students with improved services.
What do you like best about Madison College?
The College focuses on providing students with the skills needed to be successful and obtain jobs, which is crucial to the community.
What are some of your interests/hobby’s outside of work?
In addition to writing for the college’s website, I also run my own website for my art and music: danidahlke.com. I am an active sculptor, painter, photographer and musician. In addition to a few recording projects I work on with local experimental musician Troy Schafer, I also lend backup vocals to a few Madison bands. One of the projects I participated on recently, Vedic Hymns, an LP by Madison’s own Kinit Her and Burial Hex, was actually just named to the AV Club’s lists of top Madison Songs and Records of 2010.