45 Years of Service

Laura Bertolini, Graduate Housing

Laura is proud of her four-and-a-half decades at the university and says, “My time at Yale has always been positive.” She joined right out of high school and has grown with her career over the years, enriched by the opportunities that Yale has offered her. One guiding principle that Laura has embraced is gratitude, learning early the importance of not taking anything for granted. This ethos has served as a compass, steering her through whatever challenges the years have brought. What stands out the most for Laura are the relationships that she has made: “I have been lucky to work with some really great people from the very beginning and that makes all the difference.” These are her favorite memories, the connections with colleagues and community.

Scott Francis, Animal Resources Center

Scott never expected to stay at Yale when, as an Environmental Biology undergraduate at Southern Connecticut State University, he worked in the Yale dining halls. He accepted two Yale Hospitality positions before joining the Animal Resources Center where he built his career and is proud of his “…steadfast dedication to Yale’s research mission and the wellbeing of research animals.” Reflecting on his tenure, Scott says he treasures his friendships and professional relationships: “The trust we have between us is so important for us to do our jobs well. I’ve learned so much about life and Yale from everyone.” He also treasures his exposure to the arts: Bill Evans, Art Blakey, and Max Roach in the Duke Ellington Jazz Series, and a production of Uncle Vanya at Yale Repertory Theatre that included a white peacock from a local farm: “It was housed temporarily on campus where I took care of it, transporting it between shows. There was a cool scene where the peacock walked on stage and the audience went wild with applause!”

Marsha Langner, Development

Marsha likes to reflect on her long career at Yale in Handsome Dan years as she prepares to retire. “Delighted,” she says, “to share my enriched and fulfilling journey starting in 1979.” It was the year of Handsome Dan Xll when she joined the Alumni Fund as a temporary receptionist. Soon she was hired into the Fund’s accounting department as an accounting clerk. Her pursuit of excellence led to a supervisory role by 1995, the year of Handsome Dan Xlll. The fundraising unit merged with Gift Accounting in the 1980s to become today’s Office of Development, where she has enjoyed her position as associate director in the year of Handsome Dan XlX. Marsha has witnessed the global transformation from an era devoid of cell phones and the internet to the age of digital connectivity and remote work. When she retires, she says, “I will miss all my coworkers, and the friends I’ve made. Yale has been such a wonderful part of my life that I am so thankful for.”

Paula Preston-Hurlburt, Immunobiology

Paula learned early on in her career in immunology the importance of perseverance. “If you give up after the first failed experiment, you will never get anywhere,” she says. “Keep on trying and eventually you will get to your goal.” Pride in her research is rooted in the recognition and appreciation she has received from her principal investigators and fellow scientists, earning her authorship in significant scientific publications. Reaching that goal has been as important as the people she has worked with in her labs for the last 45 years: “Almost to a person, they have all been great scientists and terrific people. I have been very lucky in that way.” Even luckier was when Paula met her best friends within months of starting at Yale. “Our monthly Ladies Night Dinners have been the best!,” she says. “They are all precious people who have made my life better in countless ways, and I wouldn’t have met them if not for Yale.”

Marya Shanabrough, Comparative Medicine

Throughout her Yale career, Marya has embraced patience, tact, and compromise, recognizing that this approach often yields better outcomes when challenges arise. This lesson, learned over her journey in Comparative Medicine, has also given her the privilege of interacting with highly prestigious scientists and researchers. Rewarding as well has been her time mentoring, teaching, and working alongside young students, fellows, and scientists from around the world, “…whose energy and exuberance are infectious.” When she considers her 45 years at Yale, Marya says, “Working among such a diverse, intellectual, and affable community has always kindled enthusiasm in my work and is the reason my career has never been dull or the research stagnant. This environment lends itself to creativity and innovation and is deeply gratifying.”

Jennie Smith, Animal Resources Center

Jennie is a hometown girl, raised in West Haven, and dedicated to Yale for her whole career. She began administrative responsibilities in Cardiology and then moved to Comparative Medicine where she worked for veterinarians handling cancer research with canines. When a job opened in the Yale Animal Resources Center, Jennie embarked on her decades-long affiliation. She says that lessons she has learned over time are to be proactive rather than reactive, connect with others, and not be afraid to admit when you make a mistake. Her memories, and there are quite a few, are about the deep friendships she has made, friendships that extend beyond the workplace and include vacations. Jennie is most proud of being one of nine individuals asked to contribute to “Guidelines for The Human Transportation of Research Animals,” which was published by the National Research Council of the National Academies.

Also being honored for 45 years of service

• Wilbert Hill, Physical Plant
• Duncan Wong, Physiology