EEP opens doors to new opportunities for UF faculty and staff
U.S. Senator Ed Markey once said, “Education is not only a ladder of opportunity, but it is also an investment in our future.” The University of Florida embraces this notion and actively invests in the future of its employees thorough initiatives like the Employee Education Program, or EEP.
Modeled after its predecessor, the state-run Tuition Fee Waiver Program, and administered by UFHR Training & Organizational Development, or T&OD, the EEP is a source of financial support for faculty and staff looking to gain new skills and further their professional goals.
The EEP covers up to six credit hours per semester for full-time faculty, TEAMS and USPS staff who have completed six months of work at UF. EEP participants can take courses at UF or Santa Fe College as either non-degree or degree-seeking students. UF employees outside of Alachua County can use the EEP to attend the public state of Florida institution that is closest to their workplace.
“Many participants have shared with us how participating in the EEP changed their life and outlook for the better,” said T&OD Education and Awards Coordinator Verlissa Ford. “Even those who completed degrees years ago still recall how their decision to participate in this program lead to their career advancement or allowed them to increase their impact in their current role.”
For employees like Taylor Munson, clinical research coordinator in the Department of Emergency Medicine Research, having the financial support to pursue classes while continuing her work at UF was essential in helping her complete her degree.
“I have always worked two to three jobs to financially support myself. With the EEP I was able to work only one job while working on my master’s,” said Munson. “The EEP helped me balance working full time and being a full-time student while graduating with a 3.7 GPA!”
While the EEP is not structured to cover entire degree programs, many UF programs are considered EEP-friendly. Thanks to this financial assistance, the EEP has become a vital benefit for UF employees looking to complete their education.
“We have some participants who started out working on an AA degree and over the years, they are now working on doctorate-level courses,” remarked Ford.
Many UF employees have also used the EEP to advance their careers through professional development courses. In Ford’s view, this is a distinct bonus for departments.
“This program can improve an employee’s performance and growth. Because they have pursued more training and education in a specific area, employees are able to advance within their department or perform at a higher level. It is a great benefit to have someone on the team that has reached a higher level or capacity to perform,” said Ford.
Rachel DiSesa, Ph.D., College of Pharmacy assistant director of enrollment marketing, earned both her master’s and doctorate through the EEP. She found courses in non-profit leadership, educational statistics and video editing the most beneficial for her professional growth.
“[Since participating in the EEP], I have earned positions of increased responsibility, moving from an hourly administrative assistant role to assistant director,” said Disesa. “I also feel I have a better toolbox to represent UF as a science communicator and advocate for higher education.”
In Ford’s view, the benefits of the EEP go beyond professional or academic development.
“The EEP allows individuals access and educational opportunities that may not have been available to them before,” said Ford. “For some, because they work for UF, they may become first-generation college students. This has unlimited impacts on the individual, UF and our community. That’s a very powerful story.”