Staff Spotlight: Evonney Luke
Evonney Luke is an Administrative Assistant in the College of Medicine. Her work points up the wide variety of tasks that can go unrecognized which staff members perform to keep the organization’ s engine pulsing at the desired clip. You know: details, details, details. Keeping a close eye on the boss’ schedule; making sure that deadlines are met; logistics coordination, initial contacts of speakers for colloquia, ordering supplies, and making sure that day-today importances don’ t fall through the cracks. And more.
Evonney grew up Inglewood, California, where she was raised as the youngest sibling by her grandmother. She described the environment as a great, thriving environment in which to grow up. Her older sister, Britney Miller, works in the CDU Office of Strategic Advancement.
She attended high school at St. Mary’ s Academy in Inglewood, California. After initially attending West Los Angeles Community College, she transferred to CSUDH, from which she graduated earlier this year.
What was St. Mary’ s Academy like?“ With it being an allgirls’ school, we really got the chance to focus on education. There are no distractions. It was really a sisterhood environment. Every student there, we called each other sisters,” she said.
In college, she majored in Criminal Justice Administration.“ My initial interest was that I grew up around the Trayvon Martin case. That’ s what really stuck out to me. Just the compassion I had wanting to get justice for young Black men and Black people in general, was my passion and focus for choosing that major. I really wanted to get social justice for us; wanting to get a win for us when it comes to fighting for civil rights and things of that sort.”
Evonney came to CDU as a result of volunteering for commencement.“ I ran into Dr. Deborah. She asked if I needed a job. That’ s kind of how that started,” she said. She originally worked in the registrar’ s office, in 2016. She later transferred to the College of Medicine.“ I’ m an administrative assistant. I provide general office support to the College of Medicine. I also work in several departments within the College of Medicine and I’ m in support for the Faculty Executive Board. I also assist the Dean and with her, meetings and things of that sort.” And she is Editorial Assistant for The Sharpest Scalpel.
“ Often, I find myself having to make executive decisions with certain things going on. My organizational skills, I feel like that’ s something that can always be built,” she added. Recently, I was the lead logistical contact for the NMA Conference( in Atlanta). I was in charge of scheduling, logistics, getting materials down there, and getting admin support; as well as spreading the word of the new medical school.
“ I was actually surprised because it was my first out of state event that I had to put together. So, seeing how the alumni reception went, I was very, surprised with my leadership and organizational skills. I do think that, you know, preparation is a very big deal. Maybe I can do more of that going forward,” she said. Now she is the event coordinator now for the College of Medicine, still under the admin assistant role.
Where does she think the future will take CDU?“ I think it’ s only up from here with the opening of the four-year medical degree program. I definitely know that the University is only going to grow, have more programs, and more residencies. I think the different colleges as well will develop and I just think it will only multiply from here on out,” she noted.
Does she think that CDU plays a positive role in the community that we serve?“ Definitely. When I tell people I work at a medical school in South LA they always have such an‘ oh wow’ type of reaction. And I think that it’ s not expected for practicing physicians to come out of South LA. For Charles Drew to do what it has done and is continuing to do, I think it’ s definitely something to be talked about. And it’ s definitely needed.”
She is concentrating on developing her leadership skills.
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 35