Troy and Karen Volz, mail regulations clerks at UNK, received the University of Nebraska Board of Regents KUDOS award during today’s meeting.
KUDOS awards recognize university staff for their professional expertise, service and “superior dedication” to UNK and the University of Nebraska. It is the university’s top staff award.
A unique husband-and-wife team, Troy and Karen oversee all campus and external mail operations: receiving, sorting and distributing incoming mail for departments, residence halls and individuals; metering and sorting outgoing mail; assisting with large mailings, many of which require specific instructions and deadlines; and helping colleagues who have specific questions or needs.
Newman, a character on the popular TV sitcom “Seinfeld,” once complained of postal work: “The mail never stops. It just keeps coming and coming and coming. There’s never a letup. It’s relentless. … And then the bar code reader breaks and it’s Publishers Clearing House day.”
It’s true, of course, the mail never stops. But the day-to-day demands are not at all evident with Troy and Karen, who approach their work with a positive attitude.
Their former supervisor, Director of Business Services Michael Christen, says: “As a supervisor and colleague, I not only appreciate Troy and Karen’s commitment to campus and their willingness to help others when needed, but also the integrity and honesty they both possess. This and many other qualities make them a true part of the UNK community.”
Partners in life since 1981 and at work since 2014, Troy and Karen received the UNK Teamwork Excellence Award in 2020 for going above and beyond to ensure mail and other deliveries continued during the COVID-19 shutdown.
They enjoy their work and the opportunities to get to know colleagues and students.
“We both have had the pleasure of meeting students from around the world, which is priceless,” Karen says. Putting diplomas in the mail each commencement is also quite fulfilling, they say, knowing students’ education has gone full circle.
