If you do not know who Julie Mueller is, you are most certainly the exception to the rule here at UVM.

A grounding force since 2011 when she joined UVM as a member of the Human Resources customer service team, Mueller has been a consistent face and voice of HR, welcoming in and helping countless staff, faculty, students, and retirees as they navigate the ins and outs of employee processes and resources.

It’s a big job and one she loves.

“I feel it’s the perfect fit for me,” said Mueller who enjoys being part of a bustling campus. “I enjoy the interaction that I have with students, staff, faculty, and really anyone that walks into the office or calls.“

It’s a statement that holds a touch of irony given her early school days when she experienced separation anxiety.

”I just find it to be a little comical that I'm in an academic setting where I really didn't like elementary school,” said Mueller. Thankfully those early fears passed. Mueller's first professional job was in residential life at Arizona State University, a job she enjoyed.

A dozen years at UVM later, Mueller happily reports, “I’ve come full circle."

Given her dedication and penchant for helping others at UVM, it was no surprise to her colleagues when she was one of twelve UVM staff honored as a recipient of the President’s Our Common Ground Staff Awards earlier this year.

In fact, the only person who was caught off guard by the honor was Mueller.

“I was surprised, wowed, and very honored,” said Mueller. It's an honor that is well deserved according to her fan club of colleagues in HR, who state that she oozes "green and gold," a reference to the Catamount spirit.

The epitome of openness and respect - two of the six OCG tenets - Mueller believes responsibility is the value that motivates her the most professionally and personally. For her, it’s simple: She thrives in “being able to help employees and or anyone else just find answers to their questions,” - but it's more than that.

"We really have a population that is struggling and certainly could use any kind of help that we can give,” Mueller said in reference to the high cost of living and food insecurity so many college students and Vermonters are facing.

More than words, Mueller puts the OCG values into motion by going beyond the confines of the HR suite. She has often led activities that benefit the campus community and beyond, including helping out with UVM Move In Day and Commencement, and organizing food drives for Rally Cat’s Cupboard and Feeding Chittenden, a local food pantry.

Of her time spent working at UVM, and in service to the community, Mueller concludes, “it’s important to me.” It is clearly important to the UVM community too.

With an active (and appreciative) fan club, Her grace, patience, and desire to help others is best highlighted by an anonymous postcard she received a while ago. It reads, “Dear Julie, I was having a lousy day when I walked into human resources to talk, but talking with you really brightened it up. Thank you for making such a difference to a fellow employee.”