This month, the Office of Information Technology is celebrating Elena Jastrzembski, Learning Spaces Events Manager. Elena works in Learning Spaces and has been with Fordham for 2 years. Throughout her time at Fordham, she has worked on many interesting projects and developed both professionally and personally. To honor Elenas’s contributions, we are sharing a little about her story.
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How long have you been employed at Fordham and what roles have you held?
I was once a student worker for Media Services, now Learning and Event Spaces. Worked there all through undergrad, including during Covid. I have now worked in Learning Spaces as the Events Manager for 2 years as of this past November.
What’s the day-to-day of your role like?
My day-to-day:
8am- Commute from Bed-Stuy to UWS
*If there is time, I grab a Birch coffee
9am- 5pm In the office:
- Write out my to-dos for day or week
- Checking 25Live and our calendar to keep track of important events being held in our spaces
- Follow up about event support
- Schedule event support
- Check through, clean, and organize equipment
- Check our highly used events space to make sure there are no tech problems
- ** For days of big events/events that need support – I am on-site, providing tech support/general support to help make sure everything goes smoothly
- Board of Trustees Meetings, Commencement, other events on campus
- To cover such events I often shift my hours and todos around to provide the best onsite support
- **Lunch: If I do not bring one, you will probably see me at the halal cart outside Lowenstein ordering chicken over rice.
What is your proudest accomplishment in IT and/or life in general?
- AJCU – Being given this opportunity to go to AJCU was one of the coolest events I have experienced this year, not only to meet and learn from our counterparts at fellow Jesuit Institutions but also to represent Fordham and be part of the IT group. Iam based at the LC campus, and while I do support events at RH, I do not always have the chance to say hi to people from IT.
- Anytime I support an event, especially if it is all-day support, and the organizer says that just being there provided them great comfort means so much. When people are planning a big event and hosting a group, whether it be 20 or 100 people, there are many components that they have to worry about (seating, food, conference materials, organizing and sticking to the agenda, etc.). Knowing that I take some of that stress off their plate by providing our resources or staying on-site for the duration of their event is immensely important to me. I want their event to go well, so when they succeed, so do I.
When you are not working, what are some passion projects/hobbies/activities that you’re involved in?
- Going to concerts/festivals – For the past two years I have attended Austin City Limits and regularly attend different shows in the city. I also love to thrift, an inherited hobby from my family. We can argue about this, but I believe that the best thrift stores are in New Jersey.
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This interview was conducted as part of the Office of Information Technology’s SpotlITe series, in which we highlight staff members who have meaningfully contributed to IT, Fordham, and beyond.