Chelsae Cordia, our Donor Relations Coordinator, has resigned from Mizzou and is moving back to Poplar Bluff so her son Ben can start middle school with his friends. Chelsae has accepted an exciting new position with Anheuser-Busch, and, while we’ll miss her greatly, we wish her all the best in this next chapter. Her warmth and dedication have made a lasting impact, and she leaves with our deepest appreciation.

Effective August 1st, Megan Ballengee, outreach and engagement librarian, will be joining the Teaching & Learning Department. Megan will continue her collaboration with Shannon as a member of the Marketing Team, and her office will remain in the administrative suite (Room 105). She’ll also work closely with Abbie and Jill to support instruction and programming for our first-year students at Mizzou, as well as contribute to general reference services.

2025 Celebration of Service Comments

• Summer Skill-Up: Staff Development Workshop Series
Boost your professional toolkit with an engaging virtual summer workshop series. Take advantage of three one-hour sessions (May 29, June 5, June 12) focused on enhancing your capabilities in navigating change, giving and receiving feedback, and stakeholder engagement—delivered in a convenient online format. Link to register: Percipio Channel Summer Skill-Up: Staff Development Workshop Series

• Staff Development Week
The Office of Human Resources is proud to host Staff Development Week, June 2-5, 2025. This event is an opportunity for professional development and community building for staff across the University of Missouri System. During Staff Development Week invited speakers will share information and insights on high-demand topic areas over four days of virtual sessions. Registration now open at: Percipio Channel Staff Development Week: June 2-5, 2025

Welcome to Megan Whitt. Megan started on March 31 as a library information specialist in Digital Initiatives.

We’re pleased to announce that Dr. Marian Toledo Candelaria is joining MU Libraries as the Head of Special Collections. Marian joins us from the University of Virginia where she is currently the Manager for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the School of Education and Human Development. Her previous roles include Program Manager for Rare Book School and Writing and Multimodal Communication Specialist at the University of Waterloo. She holds a PhD in history and Scottish studies from the University of Guelph and a MSLIS from Simmons University.

Marian’s first day at MU will be May 1st. Please join us in welcoming her to Mizzou!

Please welcome Chelsae Cordia in her new role as Coordinator of Donor Engagement for the University of Missouri Libraries. She comes to us from Stephens College where she served as the administrative assistant for the Children’s School. She holds a bachelor’s in management and minor in communication from Webster University and has extensive experience in news and grant writing, along with non-profit leadership. Chelsae is currently the executive director for the Three Rivers Community College Foundation, based in Poplar Bluff, a role she will continue to perform in her spare time. Recently relocated to Columbia from Southern Missouri with her son, 11-year-old Benjamin, she looks forward to cultivating new relationships within the community. Chelsae is an avid runner who enjoys coffee, travel, and watching Dateline.

Chair: Kara Whatley
CVM Faculty: Cindy Cravens
HSL Librarian: Rebecca Graves
RAIS Librarian: Jill Kline
Libraries Staff Member: Katy Emerson