Employee of the Month!
 

Karen Harrison, Administrative Assistant III, in the English Department, was chosen as the Employee of the Month for June 2002. Karen has worked at SWT since November of 1997 and has worked in the English Department since the spring of 1999.

Karen serves as the primary academic advisor for the English Department. Throughout the year, she leads group advising sessions for incoming first-year and transfer students and reviews degree outlines. She also creates and maintains department records and reconciles all department account budgets. Her contracts, RBCs, and other forms almost never come back for correction. On top of all this, Karen also volunteers at Commencement, College Days, and attends special events of the English Honor Society. She can either quote from memory, or produce within seconds, almost any statistic about department operations.

To meet ever-increasing demands, Karen has initiated new procedures both to streamline the time for completing various duties and to ensure a high level of quality. For example, she created a handout for students who seek admission to closed classes, clearly outlining the department's criteria for lifting holds. Putting this information in students' hands, along with Karen's supportive way of interacting with students has dramatically reduced appeals to the chair for closed classes. Karen communicates so clearly and accurately that students know they are receiving top-notch advising. Karen is dedicated to doing the best job she can and always has the students' best interest at the forefront. In return, she has been named Honors Advisor of the Year. She also received an "Outstanding Staff Member Award," which was especially created for her by the English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta.

One of Karen's peers commented by saying, "I continue to be amazed at Karen's ability to perform all the duties required of her as administrative assistant to the largest department in the college and conduct advising sessions for the large numbers of English students. It is not only amazing that Karen can juggle these two very different and demanding jobs but that she is able to do it with such efficiency, grace and good humor. Because of her own competence and cheerful assurance that she can and will help, Karen contributes to the confidence and morale of students, faculty and staff who work with her."

Thank you, Karen, for your hard work and dedication.

Other recipients of the Employee of the Month award for the fiscal year 2002 have been: September 2001, Michele Bauman, Grant Specialist, School of Social Work; October 2001, Beverly Woodson, Admissions Counselor, Admissions; November 2001, Cindy Rodriguez, Assistant Director of Accounting, Accounting; December 2001, T. Cay Rowe, Director of Media Relations and Publications; January 2002, Gaye Krampitz, Faculty Contracts Administrator, Academic Affairs; February 2002, Diana Coker, Head Library Assistant, Alkek Library; March 2002, Ronnie Hallum, Guard Sergeant, Facility Access Unit; April 2002, Cindy Dean, Administrative Assistant II, School of Music, and May 2002, Shelley Holmes, Administrative Assistant III, Mass Communication.