OES staffer excels when and where needed

University program associate is Samantha Zomok’s official title, but it doesn’t really fit what she does. She explains it as “office management,” but that might not even be able to explain what she does.

“I do a little bit of everything,” Zomok said.

She works with each of the six Office of Expert Services centers – Cunanan Center for Professional Success, Crisp Small Business Resource Center, Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership, Professional Services and Executive Education, Bureau of Business Research and Center for AI in Business – and she works with them in different ways. Sometimes, she said, she makes purchases and maintains the budget – other times she is part of grant management or event planning. Zomok also provides her expertise with strategic planning and annual goal implementation.    

Zomok’s skills were recognized almost as soon as she arrived at ECU three and a half years ago. She said after her first week on the job, she was invited to join the Regional Transformation Taskforce. She loved how she could be part of the group that impacts the area she now calls home, and help create the Office of Expert Services.

“I got to be a part of something bigger, that could impact so many communities like that one I grew up [in Minnesota],” Zomok said. “I have been encouraged to grow, research and find new ways for the College of Business to get involved.”

Getting involved with the community seems to be the essential influence of Zomok’s “why” in relation to her job. She said what she likes the most is engaging with the eastern North Carolina community and figuring out how OES and the COB can help them.

“Being able to have a conversation to see where we can come into a community and provide support is what I really enjoy doing,” Zomok said. “Each person and company that has participated in everything we have held is an important connection and piece of the puzzle that makes the Office of Expert Service’s journey fulfilling.”

“I adore her and can’t do my job without her,” said Dr. Amy McMillan, associate dean of research and regional transformation. “Sam is such an important part of OES achieving its goals.”

Zomok has been involved with dozens of initiatives here at ECU during her career, which can make it challenging to pick the one project she is most proud of. But when pushed to choose, she said it was the Non-profit Summit OES hosted in partnership with the United Way of the Inner Banks. She said there were more than 80 regional nonprofits that participated. Zomok helped with everything – from coordinating it to promoting it.

“[It] made such an impact on my work here in OES. I look forward to doing it again this year and making it even bigger and better than before,” Zomok said.

With all of her success and experience, Zomok could probably pick any job she would like to do. But what keeps her here is her belief of how higher education can help develop and grow a community – and she how she gets to play a part in that.

“I am proud to see how much the College of Business faculty put into making the community a better place,” Zomok said. “When you have scholars doing research and perfecting their knowledge on certain topics, it only makes sense that the research is shared to make the lives of people in the community better.”