Patricia Veigl, Administrative Assistant: “Instrumental in Establishing the Alice Brown Early Learning Center as a Consistently High-Quality Model Program for Early Education”

Every year, Adelphi honors four exceptional employees with a President’s Award for Excellence. According to President Christine M. Riordan, these recipients “have won the admiration of their peers and colleagues by providing a truly extraordinary level of service to the University.”

Candidates are nominated by their colleagues, and these nominations are reviewed by the advisory committee for the President’s Award for Excellence. After reviewing the nominations, the committee submits final nominees to the president.

Each year a maximum of four people (two union, two nonunion) are chosen to receive this honor. One of the 2020 President’s Awards for Excellence was given to:

Patricia Veigl, Administrative Assistant, Alice Brown Early Learning Center

Last year, Patricia (Patti) Veigl marked her 10th anniversary with the Alice Brown Early Learning Center (ELC)—not just as an administrative assistant but as the center’s face. Her outgoing and friendly demeanor is a big part of the center’s welcoming environment, whether she’s answering the phone or greeting children and parents every morning.

“I consider it an honor to greet and welcome all of our little friends and their loved ones,” Veigl said. “I love to hear their stories and be a part of their day. We do our best to make everyone feel comfortable. I think first impressions are important, and if you can make that go smoothly, the rest just follows.”

Veigl is also active with Adelphi’s Breast Cancer Awareness Committee. As a lifelong learner, she has taken advantage of numerous University offerings through LinkedIn Learning and attended diversity workshops to further her skills and contributions to the campus community.

Her work ethic, commitment and loyalty to Adelphi University and to the ELC, her dedication to student success coupled with her high standards for successful customer service, and her savvy financial gatekeeping are just some of the qualities highlighted by her nominators. One of her nominators said, “Patti’s contributions to the ELC and positive outlook towards exemplary service to AU students, faculty and community members have been instrumental in establishing the ELC as a consistently high-quality model program for early education and experiential learning for all Adelphi constituents.”

After working for the Sewanhaka school district on Long Island, Veigl began her tenure at Adelphi in 2007, working for Robert Hartwell, former assistant vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation.

“My journey here has been a successful one right from the start [thanks to] Mr. Hartwell and the athletics department,” Veigl said of her years at Adelphi. “Landing in the Early Learning Center has been the biggest blessing of all.”