Outstanding Staff Honors-5/29/2026

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Bay College Communications
communications@baycollege.edu
(906) 217-4120

Bay College Honors Outstanding Staff
Marie Johnson and Kyle Schaeffer honored for creating a positive impact on students, colleagues, and the campus community.

ESCANABA & IRON MOUNTAIN, MI – Bay College honored its 2026 Outstanding Staff during an awards banquet that was held Tuesday, April 29. Any Bay College employee, board member, student, alumni, or community member may nominate a full-time or regular part-time exempt or non-exempt employee for the Bay College Outstanding Staff Award. These individuals must have completed three years of employment at Bay College. Nominees are judged by their job knowledge; respect and enthusiasm toward colleagues, students, and community members; creating a positive influence within the work environment; collaboratively working with colleagues and staff.

The 2026 Outstanding Staff are as follows:

Marie Johnson
Marie Johnson began her Bay College journey as a student worker for financial aid while earning her associate in arts in business administration in 2019. She then continued her education at Northern Michigan University, completing her bachelor’s degree before returning to Bay College in June 2022 as the records and registration assistant. A colleague shared, “Marie is always very professional in her communication with faculty and students. She not only values input from others; she seeks it out. She is very committed to her position and is willing to go above and beyond to make sure students are well-served.”

Kyle Schaeffer
Kyle Schaeffer has served as Bay College’s academic success manager since fall 2022, bringing a deep passion for student support and success to his role. A Bay College graduate himself; Schaeffer continued his education at Northern Michigan University, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.

Schaeffer’s colleague shared, “Kyle treats everyone with genuine respect, no matter who they are or what they’re coming in for. You can feel his enthusiasm when he talks with students or works with coworkers—he truly enjoys helping people, and it shows. He’s friendly, down-to-earth, and never too busy to stop and listen. That kind of attitude goes a long way, especially in a college environment where students often need reassurance, and staff rely on one another.”

For more information about the Outstanding Staff award, contact Beth Berube at 906.217.4036. For open positions at Bay College, visit Bay College’s website at careers.baycollege.edu.

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