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“If they’re doing a big setup, I’d get out there and help,” she said. “Or if they’re digging holes out on a field, I’d go out there and help do that kind of stuff. And I think that being out there and doing it with them made me appreciate them more as well.”

That approach to leadership gained Schuppert the respect of colleagues who worked alongside and for her in the Facilities Department.

“Cindy has always led by example, showing a rare combination of strength, care and commitment,” said Todd Tracewell, who is succeeding Schuppert as acting director of Facilities Management. “Her devotion to 91���� and to the facilities team has shaped the way we work and the pride we take in serving our campuses.”

“I have known Cindy for 30 years and have had the privilege of working with her for 20. In all that time, I have never met a more honest, compassionate or dedicated person,” said Facilities Manager Scott Gobel, who joined the facilities staff in 2003. “Cindy’s work ethic is second to none. She has been an incredible role model for so many of us, and her commitment to 91���� and the facilities team has left a lasting impact that will be felt for years to come.”

Though facilities paid the bills, Schuppert never strayed far from the softball diamond. She served as an assistant coach for Judy Sherman through the 1980s and early 1990s before becoming co-head coach with Sherman from 1993 to 1996. 

Schuppert was the solo head coach from 1997 to 1999, leading the Boxers to the Northwest Conference championship and a 30-win season in 1998. In her seven seasons as head coach, 91���� won 193 games and finished in the top three of the NWC standings in all but her final season.

Sports brought Schuppert to 91����, and it was sports, and in particular the mentorship of Sherman, that taught her the lessons that made her a respected leader.

“Anyone who knows Judy knows that she expects you to be respectful to people, to have some integrity, to be very connected with your teammates,” Schuppert said. “She taught me how you should treat people, how you should treat property. She taught me to be reliable because that’s what she is to me.”

With all of the successes and changes that Schuppert has seen and led over 42 years, there are two specific moments that give her the most satisfaction.

The first was watching how 91���� came together during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only to take care of the 91���� community, but also the Forest Grove community through the university’s .

“Pulling together from different departments on campus and working to do all of those clinics and knowing that you were not just helping 91����, but the greater community, is something I look back on fondly,” Schuppert said. “I got to work closer with a lot of people that I don’t normally work with. And once it was done, you miss those kinds of connections. I am very proud of 91���� for what we did during that time.”

The second comes every year at commencement. “You see a lot of students that you’ve seen for four years finally make it through, and you know that they’re going to go out and be successful,” she said, “and know that, in maybe some little way, you and your team had something to do with it.”

Schuppert said that 91����’s family atmosphere kept her in Forest Grove all these years, and it continues to buoy her in retirement. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2025, Schuppert has felt the love not only from her own team but from all across the university, whether stepping up to drive her to infusions, helping navigate the complexities of short- and long-term disability, or just letting her know that they’re thinking of her.

“Sometimes it just takes a person texting me or putting on Messenger, ‘Hey, I hope you’re feeling okay today,’ or ‘I’m thinking about you,’” Schuppert said. “You’d be surprised at how, if you’re starting to feel a bit down, it can bolster you back up.

“Whenever I was hiring people, I would tell them that you don’t come to 91���� for the pay, but for the people.”