Forty-two years in the same unit, same college.
Not many at Michigan State University reach four decades of service, but then few have the tenacity and dedication of Denise Barnstead.
"I started with a typewriter and a ditto machine," said the Undergraduate Studies Office (UGS) unit manager, who retires on July 1.
"George Van Dusen was my first boss and the best boss I ever had. Bless him," she said. "The notice of his death in early June left me feeling exactly how I felt when he announced he was retiring. He was like a second father to me. He gave me a chance at the age of 18, fresh out of high school with a child to support by myself.
"I will always be in debt to him for giving me such a great opportunity. And although technically never my boss, Dr. Daina Briedis has had a significant impact in my employment in the college and she is runner up in best bosses. She is awesome to work for and continually conveys appreciation for a job well done. I will miss her immensely."
Assistant Dean Amanda Idema called Barnstead a "fixture" in UGS.
"Denise has been with us for her entire 42-year career," Idema said. "She served on several college and university committees and focus groups, many regarding the training and adoption of new information technology systems that have been put into place over the last several decades. She was recognized with her work in 1998 as a recipient of our prestigious Gloria Stragier Award for Dedicated and Creative Service."
Barnstead helped, directed, oversaw and advised on many of the cogs that have kept the college moving since 1979. Denise was one of two coaches to help train the College of Engineering on the EBS system. She also requested the University adopt sub-accounts while serving on the eTime Committee for the first electronic payroll system. She helped finalize an electronic time sheet system that Mary Pease and Carmellia Davis-King developed for the college and assisted Daina Briedis in developing the college's online scholarship system. Among her other duties, she served as the evacuation coordinator and safety officer for the college from 2011-2017.
Many know her for helping in the hiring, time management, and departure processes in the Engineering community, or for preparing cost redistributions and access to various software and university systems. Barnstead approved expenditures, balanced budgets, reviewed endowment agreements and entered allocations into online scholarship systems. She created spread sheets for financial aid and even helped introduce donors to their scholarship recipients.
She also supervised, trained, and empowered support staff to help them with their daily operations. And she issued keys and granted card access for the Engineering Building, and Wilson and Wonders halls.
Idema said, "please join me in thanking Denise for her contributions to the College of Engineering and in wishing her a happy and healthy retirement."
Added Barnstead, "I'm looking forward to the new beginning of my life starting July 2. Hurray!!"