- OEM Associate Director Patsy Messinger will retire after more than 30 years with UF.
- Her colleagues and former students note Messinger was instrumental to OEM’s success.
- Messinger earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1993 from UF.
After 32 years working at the University of Florida, Patsy Messinger — the heart and soul of engineering’s Outreach Engineering Management program — is retiring.
Now the associate director of the program, known as OEM, Messinger started her journey with UF as a student, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1993. She began working for the university the following year as a secretary at the College of Pharmacy.
“I enjoyed being there as a student,” said Messinger. “It’s been cool to stay associated with it for so long.”
She became a program assistant in 1997 at the College of Medicine, where she formed great friendships. One of those connections was Joyce Hearn, who was married to Donald Hearn, then chair of UF’s Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, known as ISE. He introduced Messinger to OEM.
Messinger joined OEM as a coordinator in 2000. The program was in its early stages then, but OEM’s purpose remains the same: supporting over 1,000 graduates through their professional careers. OEM is a collaboration between UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and Warrington College of Business. It provides a technology-driven curriculum for working professionals to complete their master’s degree and expand their leadership skills.
Once Messinger announced her retirement from OEM, many former students and colleagues reached out to her.
“A lot of the messages have been well wishes and sharing memories,” said Messinger. “But many have been focused on how valuable the program has been in their careers. It’s very gratifying and has provided me with a sense of closure.”
Mengyu Li, Ph.D., ISE instructional assistant professor and OEM program director, said Messinger’s commitment to creating a welcoming environment for students has been an essential part of the program’s success.
“Patsy’s dedication has been instrumental in transforming OEM into a highly regarded program with a strong reputation for supporting the educational and professional growth of working engineers across Florida and beyond,” said Li. “She has been a driving force behind operational excellence and the strong sense of community that exists among our students, alumni and instructors.”
Since graduating from OEM in 2013, Scott Hall, now the director of operations research and data science at Universal Orlando, has felt constant support from Messinger throughout his college and professional career.
“She helped me navigate the program, made sure I always felt connected and continued cheering me on as my career grew,” said Hall. “Her encouragement and belief in her students is something special. She has a way of making you feel seen and supported, and that stays with you.”
Along with providing a career-focused interdisciplinary curriculum, OEM hosts a variety of events for students and faculty to connect outside of their once-a-month class time.
“Some of my favorite memories are returning each fall to speak on the alumni panel,” Hall said. “Patsy called me every single year after I graduated, and catching up with her became something I genuinely looked forward to. I also had the chance to work with her on networking events, and I’d run into her at career fairs over the years. Every interaction with her was warm, encouraging and full of genuine care.”
Fostering connections and a welcoming environment has been a top priority for Messinger, and one event that has stuck with her was a virtual event hosted during the pandemic. With remote learning in place, OEM hosted its 25th program anniversary on Zoom in November 2021. Messinger was overwhelmed with the attendance, as many students, alumni and past instructors joined online. One notable attendee who joined the event was OEM inaugural director Jack Elzinga, Ph.D., who spoke to familiar faces at the meeting.
“I’m really glad that event was online in several ways because we were able to videotape it, and it did increase the access,” said Messinger. “I really treasure that video now because Jack actually passed away in less than a year after that event.”
Now OEM is preparing for its 30th anniversary celebration.
“I look forward to watching the program from a distance, pursuing some of my hobbies and spending time with my family,” said Messinger.