INFORMATION FOR
Every month during the academic year, we will spotlight a different member of the WP faculty or staff who plays a powerful role in student success.
Name: Jen Spero
Title: Assistant Director of User Support, Information Technology
Years at WP: 9
Tell us about yourself: I’m a techie! Jersey born, raised and educated. I met my husband on the first day of college orientation at Stevens Institute of Technology. I earned two engineering degrees while working for Information Technology as an undergraduate. I never expected this would lead me to working in higher education for 19+ years! My husband and I are raising an amazing 10-year-old daughter, who is Lego, Disney and lacrosse obsessed like her mom.
Resilience and persistence are two of my superpowers! I tend to revisit on an issue or project with a focus and determination to ensure we provided the best solution.
Describe your role on campus: I feel like my job is a combination of technical problem solver, solution provider, educator and advocate for our community members. Information Technology supports and provides many of our university services. User Services is often the first stop for questions about services, or for help when issues arise (our phone extension spells "Help" – 4357!). If you have used a computer, a printer, or logged into your WP account, you’ve interacted with services my team directly provides and supports. I’m often troubleshooting account issues, containing phishing attempts, advocating for changes to be timed for minimal disruption to campus services, and communicating changes as needed. We strive to provide the best assistance possible, and to connect students and employees with the tools or resources to support their education, academic, or office needs.
A defining moment at WP: March to August 2020 – while the world was not in a great place, our WP community was reinforcing our strong commitment to education. We were supporting students, faculty and staff finding a new normal, solving video, audio, background issues that never existed before 2020. Pivoting as an institution, together, was crucial for the success of our students!
Favorite part about your job: Seeing our Information Technology students graduate – which is bittersweet. We will miss them. They are a huge part of our team, providing excellent service to the WP community. I hope all of the WP students know how proud we, as faculty and staff, are to see them graduate!
Fun fact: I’m a hobby collector. I’m an avid skier, want-to-be golfer, and bike lover, who once won a bicycle club jersey design contest. I started coaching lacrosse years before my daughter was even born, and it’s a joy to watch her finally get to play! Also, I'm a want-to-be photographer, yarn enthusiast, quilter, Cricut crafter, and theme park junkie.
Finish this sentence: "WP is a powerhouse of knowledge." Every person in our institution has had a different path, with different interests or obstacles we have overcome to be here. Our students are diverse, our faculty and staff are diverse, and we are all here because we believe in education. WP teaches each and every one of us new skills, new ways of thinking, and provides new experiences. What you put in is what you will get out. Absorb the KNOWLEDGE that we each contribute and share to help each other exceed expectations!
