Today the celebration begins to mark this week as Administrative Professionals Week.

The previous title of this celebration was Professional Secretaries Week, but it still is a tradition that celebrates the contributions in the workplace that all of these employees bring to the office.

According to Flowers.com, the week began in 1952 with Mary Barrett, president of the then-National Secretaries Association, and public relations consultant Harry Klemfuss. It wasn’t until Secretary of Commerce Charles Sawyer proclaimed June 1 through June 7 as the first National Secretaries Week. In 1955, the date was changed to the last full week in April and has stayed that week since.

This year’s theme is “The Power of Professionalism,” which expresses the commitment to excellence of today’s office professionals.

Patricia Siebrasse, secretary at the School of Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences and a member of the Kishwaukee Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals, will be named as the president of the Illinois division for next year.

“I have been a secretary for 40 years, and I enjoy it,” Siebrasse said. “I find it an interesting and challenging career. There are always new things happening.

“Steve Johnson [director of Liberal Arts and Sciences external programming] used to hold breakfasts … but he hasn’t in the past few years,” Siebrasse said.

Siebrasse said low attendance at the breakfasts is one of the reasons why the breakfasts have been canceled.

On Tuesday, the Kishwaukee Chapter will hold its annual luncheon at South Pointe Centre.