University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 16, Jan. 9, 1997
Student's internship work recognized for excellence

     A University graduate student's interest in the environment
and socialization practices among employees on the job has earned
her a letter of commendation from the director of a major
governmental agency where she has worked the past three summers.
     Rachel Raffile, an organizational communication major from
Northford, Conn., was praised by W. Michael McCabe, regional
administrator for the United States Environmental Protection
Agency, for her work as part of the agency's National Network for
Environmental Management Studies (NNEMS) fellowship program.
     "I am delighted to say that Rachel's performance was
outstanding," McCabe wrote in a letter to UD President David P.
Roselle. "She has greatly assisted us in dealing with a number of
management issues that occurred during our agency's streamlining
process."
     The streamlining process, McCabe noted, is part of Vice
President Al Gore's initiative to improve government service.
     Raffile became involved with the agency while an
undergraduate student at LaSalle University by successfully
competing for the fellowship.
     "I have always had a personal interest in the environment,
and thought that my public relations skills would help this
agency achieve some of its goals," Raffile said. "I also was
looking for work experience."
     After working the first two summers in the area of public
relations issues for the agency, Raffile got the chance to focus
her efforts on her favorite area of expertise, organizational
management issues.
     At the time, the EPA, like many government and private
organizations, was downsizing, a process that often results in
the elimination of many middle-management jobs.
     Raffile noted that as a result of inconsistent dissemination
of information to employees and unclear procedures relating to
the streamlining process, the actions of senior management were
frequently misunderstood by the agency's employees.
     To address and identify these concerns, Raffile said she
used both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the
areas of perceived employee concerns and to verify the effect of
downsizing on employee moral and productivity.
     "I took on the role of participant observer," Raffile said.
"Not being a full-time employee, I was able to bring an outside,
objective view to the situation at hand."
     Raffile used both the quantitative method in conducting
three separate surveys and the qualitative method by personally
interviewing agency employees to obtain a more accurate view of
the situation.
     Drawing on her undergraduate and graduate teaching-assistant
experience at the University, Raffile was able to present the
results of her efforts to the agency's senior management, which
she compared to the board of directors in private corporations.
     "I was very nervous at first," Raffile said, "but my
presentation was well-received by senior management, including
Mr. McCabe."
     Raffile, who expects to graduate in May 1997, plans to
pursue a position with the EPA or with an organizational
consulting firm. Eventually, she said, she would like to obtain a
Ph.D. in organizational communication and teach at the college
level.
     Working at an agency that Raffile said she believes is
striving to protect the environment and preserve it for future
generations has been a rewarding experience.
     "It is one thing to do a job. It's quite another thing to
feel that your efforts have been appreciated,"
                                             -Jerry Rhodes