Gratitude Interview: Katie Fauth, Office Manager
Katie Fauth is the Office Manager for the Center for Corporate Education. Katie has worked in higher education in various roles for 8 years at Longwood University, Randolph Macon College, University of Richmond, and finally VCU. She enjoys long walks on the beach, her family, and all things history.
Think back to March. What were your initial reactions to the news of the pandemic?
“It’s two weeks, then we will be back.”
“Wait a month, that seems like a long time… but okay, a month.”
“June 10?! How are we going to do this?”
What has helped you cope along the way?
Getting outside! I try to do daily walks while listening to the Office Ladies podcast. I also have gotten more in to my hobbies of soap making and puzzles.
What do you miss about a traditional work environment?
Seeing my co-workers!
What do you feel you have gained from a remote work environment?
Time and flexibility. Without having a commute and having the kids home all summer, I was able to take breaks with them to play a game, take a walk, or go to the pool. With my husband also working from home we are able to eat most meals together as a family which has been great!
How has your perception of online learning changed over the last year?
My initial thoughts on online learning were thinking how can it be interactive other than discussions. Now that we have been in it for nine months, I know that there are so many tools out there to make it interactive.
What is the CCE doing right? What can the CCE do better?
Doing right? Pivoting. When the pandemic started, we didn’t just scramble. We carefully thought through how to make the necessary changes and quickly implemented them. If something didn’t work, we figured out what would and went with that instead. We have figured out how to make online learning engaging and mirror our in-person classes as closely as possible.
Do better? Expanding our reach. We are competing with everything under the sun for people’s attention so always staying relevant to continue to grow our audience.
What do you feel grateful for?
My family, my co-workers, and time.