Photo by Jessica Maloney,
UNH Human Resources

How many of us can say that we consider our colleagues to be our "second family?" For many of us, the sheer number of hours we spend at work could be enough to bestow this status on our co-workers, yet it is not necessarily the view with which we approach these relationships. Considering the fact that she has worked in Admissions for over twenty-five years, it is not surprising that Carleen Kruczek describes her colleagues as her "second family." What is surprising though, is the multitude of ways in which she demonstrates, to them, and to the University community, a familial amount of loyalty and commitment. Carleen states, "I enjoy working with constituents throughout the University and with my co-workers in the Admissions Office. This is my second home…"

As Associate Director of Admissions Operations, Carleen is responsible for managing all aspects of Admissions' processing of recruits and applicants within the Banner Student database. She is also responsible for all reporting needs on recruitment and applicant data within the Admissions office and the University community. As a hands-on manager in a department that, due to the application process, experiences an unavoidable "crunch time" (from December 1st to May 1st) - a period of stressful workloads and unyielding deadlines - Carleen maintains a sense of humor and understanding as she attempts to keep the process running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. She lends a hand, as do others in her department, regardless of status, with whatever tasks require completion, including filing and opening mail. While the pace during "crunch time" can be overwhelming at times, working in an academic environment is still something she enjoys. True to her respect for the time and dedication that others have given to the University, Carleen states, "working in education is very satisfying. The University has so many dedicated staff members that give their daily life to UNH, it's very gratifying to be part of the UNH community."

When asked who or what at UNH has had a positive impact on her, Carleen replied, "Stan Fish, former Director of Admissions, was my inspiration and mentor. His work ethic and tutorage over the years brought me to be a better manager and supervisor. He also instilled a sense of caring and tradition for UNH and its future which I hope I have carried on and will continue to do so."

Her loyalty to the University is also displayed in the ardent way in which she follows the UNH sports teams. An avid hockey fan that never misses a game, Carleen also serves as the Admissions Office liaison with Athletics.

When not focusing on the needs of her "second family," Carleen's focus centers on her actual family. Her husband of twenty-six years, Joe, runs the family business, Kruczek's Garage in Newmarket. Carleen's family also includes daughter Kelly, 23, son Bryan, 20, brand-new grandson, Austin Jacob who was born on July 23rd and Zoey, a five year-old black lab. They own a late model racecar (Ford Taurus body with a Chevy engine) that is driven by son Bryan at the Lee Speedway. Bryan won his first race on July 25th.