Staff Spotlight: Janice Guyer
If you stop by the department of physics here at VCU chances are you will be greeted by Mrs. Janice Guyer. Janice has worked for the department as an administrative technician for over a decade and in that time has seen and experienced the university’s remarkable growth. She serves as the department’s primary contact and as such provides students, staff, faculty and guests with help and information on a daily basis.
Some of her duties include course support, time keeping, purchasing orders, faculty searches, supervising equipment handling, building manager for Physics, and assisting the department chair. Mrs. Guyer admits, “My favorite part about my job would have to be working with students. They stay in contact; seeing them come back and how they have changed is really great.” When asked to describe the department of physics Mrs. Guyer says, “The atmosphere here is very family like. Everyone at the department is like extended family and I have great pride and respect for them. I think we all get great satisfaction from everyone’s success. Working here is fun for me.”
Mrs. Guyer is originally from Elkin, NC, a small town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Before coming to work for VCU she took business courses at night while working for Ingersoll Rand, first in Personnel and then in the Engineering and Development Department. She has been married for over 35 years to her husband John and has two children. Her daughter is a VCU Pharmacy graduate and her son graduated from Longwood University and is a 1LT with the Virginia National Guard. She has one grandson who is 2 and a granddaughter due this month.
“Working in academics was a completely different environment from my previous jobs in business and manufacturing offices. I love working in the Physics Department. I have learned new skills and continued to grow in the job. The faculty, staff, students and visitors are always a pleasure and makes working here rewarding. In fact, within a few months into my employment, I knew that working with students was something I would always want to do. We take pride in our many successful former students.”
Story by Michelle Abanez
