After working at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for 35 years, not much surprises Jeanne Robinson, but the School Certifying Official for veterans’ benefits was caught off-guard when she opened her email this spring and read that she won the University Staff Award of Excellence.
“I won what? I was shocked, very shocked. I didn’t know I was nominated until I found out in an email that I won,” she said.
Greg Tremelling, coordinator of the Wright Center for Non-Traditional and Veteran Students, is the one who nominated her.
“She’s deserving of this award for the amount of work she has put in,” he said. “She has been instrumental in righting the ship after a couple of challenging years for the office of the veterans’ certifying official. She had glowing recommendation letters (from her co-workers), and it’s an honor to work with her.”
Robinson has worked the past two years in the Wright Center, helping more than 300 veterans per year navigate the world of forms, websites, and paperwork necessary for them to receive their maximum benefits.
“I like making sure the students receive their veteran educational benefits, which is especially important to students,” she said.
This is the second stint working with veterans for Robinson. She was the certifying official for 15 years while working in the Registrar’s Office before moving on to the general engineering office for seven years. After a several short-term certifying officials, the Wright Center asked her to return to the job, this time as a full-time Veterans’ Certifying Official.
“I’ve always liked higher education,” she said. “I like working with students. This is the first time I’m not on the academic side, but I am still helping students.”
A key for Robinson’s success is organization. Her office is filled with neatly-placed piles of paperwork and folders to assist not only the nearly 300 veterans receiving federal benefits, but also the more than 260 dependents and spouses who qualify for Wisconsin GI Bill benefits. This year, she will also be doing the benefits for the branch campus students at UW-Platteville Baraboo Sauk County and UW-Platteville Richland.
“I’ve always enjoyed the complexity of it. I’m glad I’m back,” she said. “I was trained to do this when I was with the registrar.”
Robinson is honored to be recognized by her UW-Platteville peers, but the recognition by the students she serves is just as important.
“The veterans are very appreciative,” she said. “If I can make their lives easier, I enjoy doing that.”
Robinson, and the other UW-Platteville award winners, will be recognized at the university’s convocation in August.