Small actions make big impact: Wonsiak awarded Clement Employee Service Award

The College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (CGPS) is proud to present the 2025-26 Clement Employee Service Award to Mandy Wonsiak from the College of Engineering.  

As a graduate assistant in the College of Engineering’s Graduate Commons, Wonsiak works with students on each step of their academic journey. From reaching out with questions about the application process to graduating at convocation, Wonsiak brings clarity, patience, and friendliness to every interaction.  

With nearly 400 graduate students throughout the college, Wonsiak is dedicated to taking the time to get to know everyone who comes through her door.  

“The student in front of me is the most important student to me at that time,” said Wonsiak. “I just do my best for every single one; the ones I know best and the ones I’ve just met.”  

According to her colleagues, Wonsiak’s enthusiasm, compassion, and reliability has helped to transform the Graduate Commons into a more welcoming and supportive environment for graduate students, staff, and faculty alike. Her genuine care for the students she works with is felt and deeply appreciated by those around her.  

One particularly memorable moment for Wonsiak took place when she’d only been part of the Graduate Commons team for a few months.  

“One of our students was finishing his program and he came in and asked if he could take a photo of the two of us together. I said, ‘Sure’, so he did. He told me that he wanted to send photos of people at the university that had helped him along the way back to his family.”  

For Wonsiak, this moment serves as a reminder that the work she does for students is meaningful to them, to faculty, and to herself.  

“In [the College of Engineering], we have some of the brightest students in the world and  world-renowned faculty,” said Wonsiak. “How special is it that I get to be involved in this in a very small way, but in a big way to them as well?”  

Wonsiak says the recognition of this award feels especially meaningful because it comes from the people she works alongside every day, “The fact that such special people in my college nominated me, I felt so grateful, and to be selected by the committee is a really special feeling.”  

The award also carries a personal significance, connecting her past to the work she does today.   

“On a personal note, I went to school with Kelly Clement, and she was a wonderful person. It’s very special to have that full-circle moment.”