Employee of the Month
June 2025 Employee of the Month - Larissa Swanson
Larissa Swanson has been absolutely amazing since she started with us in July of 2024. She is always going above and beyond, whether it’s picking up extra shifts, coming in early, or staying late to help out. She genuinely enjoys the morning shifts and takes full advantage of them by tackling extra tasks and cleaning without ever being asked.
Larissa is super dependable, and the facility supervisors have nothing but great things to say about her. She consistently stays on top of her responsibilities but still manages to build awesome relationships with her coworkers. Larissa’s positive attitude is contagious, and she brings such a fun, welcoming energy to the team with her smile and laugh. On top of all that, Larissa is on our CREC Connect committee, helping plan events and bring new ideas to the table.
Currently pursuing a degree in speech-language pathology and audiology, Larissa hopes to work in the future as an early-intervention speech pathologist. In her free time, Larissa enjoys running, reading, and watching sports. When asked why she likes working for Campus Rec, Larissa said, “I love interacting with our patrons including current students as well as alumni.”
Larissa is someone we can count on, and there’s no doubt she’s got tons of potential to grow into future leadership roles, and she is more than deserving of Employee of the Month. Larissa is a rockstar and we’re lucky to have as part of the SIUE Campus Rec Team!
May 2025 Employee of the Month - Gabrielle Woodruff
We want to congratulate Gabrielle Woodruff as the May 2025 SIUE Campus Recreation Student Employee of the Month! Gabrielle has been working with the Department of Campus Recreation since Fall of 2023 and has made an impact as she is a part of the Lifeguarding and the Marketing Teams. Gabrielle plays a key role in keeping pool patrons safe by staying alert and ready to respond to emergencies. She also has a hand in designing flyers, posters, and social media coverage, as well as taking on a photographer role.
Gabrielle is pursuing a degree in mass communications, a field that aligns with her passion for media and visual communication. Through her student worker roles as a lifeguard and a graphic designer, she gains valuable experience that directly supports her academic goals. As a lifeguard, Gabrielle has developed strong leadership and communication skills which will be beneficial in any future position. Her work as a graphic designer allows her to hone her creativity and technical abilities, all of which will help prepare her for a future in media and design.
In her free time, Gabrielle enjoys staying active through exercise and participating in clubs like the Metro Tri Club (Team Godzilla). She also has a creative side, spending time behind the camera with pursuing her photography passion. Along with often unwinding with a good book, Gabrielle’s hobbies reflect her balanced lifestyle and passion for both wellness and creativity.
When asked why she likes working for Campus Rec, Gabrielle said, “It has been a great opportunity for me to gain experience with marketing and work with an awesome team of coworkers. I also appreciate that Campus Rec understands we are students first, so that I can have a perfect balance between school and work.”
