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Arlene Schneider |
At a time when people are moving around more than ever, working for one organization for over 40 years is quite an accomplishment. Since the day she was hired, January 18, 1965, Arlene Schneider has continued to find challenges and new areas to explore, and she has no intention of slowing down.
Her first job at the University of Michigan was literally her first job. She started as a clerk in the Transcript Department, which was housed in the basement of the LS&A building. Her primary responsibility was mailing out copies of student transcripts. Since it was clearly prior to the computerization of records, she would pull the student’s record from the vault, copy it, mail it and then bill the student, when necessary.
“I was extremely excited,” said Schneider, “because it was my first ‘real’ job. I needed a job, and I wanted to work for the University because it offered so much: a great learning environment, salary, benefits, and it was fairly close to home.”
After working in the Transcript Dept on Central Campus, Schneider went on to become a secretary for the Assistant Director in the Dietetics Department. She recalls a part of her job was to type the daily menu sheets, which were given to each patient daily. The patient could then select their meals for the next day. She also held secretarial positions in Hospital Administration at the University of Michigan Medical Center. She worked for the Assistant Director responsible for Parking and Facilities at the Medical Center, and the Assistant Director for the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. She’s also worked as an Administrative Assistant in the Clinical Affairs Office, credentialing medical staff, and in Resident Education for the Department of Anesthesiology.
Schneider, 62, joined ME in July 2000. “It was an opportunity to see the academic and research side of the University that I had not experienced,” said Schneider, “and it was also a chance to learn new skills.”
In her current role as a senior secretary, she works in the Automotive Research Center, providing secretarial assistance to the administrative and financial office, coordinating the ARC Seminar Series, assisting with the annual ARC conference and providing secretarial assistance, as needed, to faculty, students and staff of the Optimal Design Lab.
With such a long record of service, Schneider was reluctant to identify any specific people or events as “favorites,” preferring to save her compliments for her son and grandchildren.
When she’s not working at ME, the Pinckney resident enjoys golf, gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends. She does know what she’ll be doing down the road: more golf, gardening, traveling, and spending time with friends.
“I have no plans to retire yet,” she said. “I really enjoy what I’m doing, and the people I work with are wonderful.”