Congratulations and Farewell to Joanne Peltonen!

Words do not adequately express both our joy and sadness as Joanne Peltonen retires after 29 years with the CLA Language Testing Program. Her last day as a testing coordinator will be Friday, August 18, 2023.

Joanne is part of the original staff of the Testing Program, as is Mary Gilchrist, testing coordinator, and Monica Frahm, program director, who all started in 1994 when the Testing Program was established. They have been together through monumental technical developments, from the days of carting paper tests to an auditorium on campus to now delivering tests online to students scattered across the country. They started the Testing Program in a corner office in Folwell Hall where students formed lines down the hallway to register for tests or find their test results posted on paper sheets on the bulletin board. They had one Mac Classic computer for the office with a 9" monochrome display (and eventually a dial-up modem). The Testing Program now does most of its work remotely online.

Joanne is the first person contacted when anyone on campus has a question about Spanish proficiency evaluation or test development. She has been central to the development of our current course placement system, and instructors rely on her for training and consultation. Joanne, you will be missed!

Please join us in thanking Joanne for her tireless and outstanding service, and also join us in congratulating her on a well-deserved retirement.