SPA awards recognize special efforts of student life staff
The Student Personnel Association honored the efforts of eight individuals and the coordinating team of a campus diversity initiative in its 2004 Outstanding Achievement Awards at a luncheon April 21.
The Chancellor’s Office, the Norman Bassett Foundation, the Ineva Reilly Baldwin and Ira L. Baldwin Endowment for Student Services, and the SPA membership make the award possible.
Founded in 1956, the SPA promotes professional development among those working with college students. Awards were made in five areas this year, and winners received a $500 stipend. They are:
Fred Bradley
Norman Bassett Award for Outstanding Achievement in Student Services
Though not a “usual suspect” for a student services award, Bradley stands out for his hard work and vision in developing a creative and effective student program.
A tenured associate professor of materials science and engineering with 17 years of service, he is known for involving student affairs professionals in creating a cooperative, engaging, inclusive learning environment for students to address real-world problems.
The Engineering Projects in Community Service program in which he is involved brings together a large community of learners who are excited about creating social change on campus and in the community. Approximately 800 students during eight semesters have participated.
Teams of undergraduate and graduate engineering students work with community service agencies to design and develop long-term engineering projects that meet identified agency needs.
Alice Jean (“A.J.”) DuBois
Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Student Affairs
DuBois, senior adviser in the History Department, is known to be fulfilled and motivated by the intrinsic rewards of her work. She has been going quietly about her work for nearly two decades with dedication, integrity and tremendous stamina.
She has devoted much of her time to one-on-one sessions and group interactions with students. Her enthusiasm for the job remains undiminished — even after meeting as many as 10 to 15 students a day. The high-performance standard she sets for herself inspires her department, according to her nominator.
In addition to her work duties, she plays a leadership role in the Madison Academic and Career Advising Association, and has worked to effect positive change for students of color, international students, LGBT students, students with disabilities and students with mental health problems.
“Ms. DuBois embodies everything that an adviser should be: compassionate, bright, and most importantly, a great listener,” writes one student.
Susan Grass
Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Student Affairs
Grass, a program assistant in the Department of French and Italian, is the primary frontline staff member, occupying the most visible desk, and serving as the first contact and principal reference for students, staff and visitors.
She is known for her immense knowledge of the program as well as her friendly, caring manner. She handles constant interruptions with good humor and efficiency as she undertakes her other tasks. These include preparing the timetable, monitoring enrollment, ordering books for all department courses, coordinating course materials for all eight multisection courses in the basic French and Italian programs, and arranging class visits for high school teachers and students from around the state.
“Susan Grass is the heart, soul and face of the French and Italian department to students and visitors, an outstanding member of the office team and a remarkable human being,” writes one nominator.
Mary Jo (“Joey”) Humke
SPA Frontline Award
Humke, executive assistant to Dean of Students Luoluo Hong, advocates for students and helps to create a workplace environment that places students first.
Staff in the Offices of the Dean of Students note that Humke is constantly reminding them to think of the impact their policy and practice decisions have on students, starting with student employees assigned to the central administration office.
Her nominator notes that at least once a month, an alumnus who has returned to campus makes a special effort to visit Humke. Each shares fond memories of what Humke did to make their time at UW–Madison friendlier or easier.
Her understanding of institutional politics and recollection of institutional history, coupled with her sage counsel and perspective, make her a one-of-a-kind colleague to the Dean of Students staff.
Kathy Kruse
Campus Impact Award
Kruse, student services coordinator in the Office of New Student Programs, is known for her caring, creative approach to student services.
She demonstrates this through supervision of the unit, which coordinates SOAR, Wisconsin Welcome and other orientation activities. Kruse initiated innovative training sessions for SOAR coordinators and guides, orientation office assistants and Wisconsin Welcome student adviser volunteers.
While Kruse has been on campus less than three years, she has had a tremendous impact within the unit and campuswide, according to New Student Programs staff.
Rather than sit back and wait for others to engage her, she jumped right in to join several committees and leadership positions. She co-chairs the Commission on Fraternities and Sororities, and serves as membership coordinator for the Student Personnel Association.
Mark Mears
SPA Frontline Award
Mears is the voice, the face and the person prospective graduate students first encounter when they inquire about the German Department, and he is the person current students and alumni first consult when faced with problems or questions.
As graduate coordinator, Mears is the person primarily responsible for graduate student recruitment, retention and development. He provides support to former students who completed the program years before he joined the department’s staff. He answers questions, puts prospective applicants in touch with appropriate faculty members, and he even walks students through university bureaucracy. In follow-up interviews with applicants, program staff repeatedly hear that Mears is the most helpful and conscientious contact person they have encountered at any institution.
According to his nominator, Mears possesses the personal qualities of independent thinking, problem-solving, patience, discretion and politeness that make him a favorite of other office staff members, faculty and, above all, the graduate students he serves.
May Lee Moua-Vue
Campus Impact Award
Moua-Vue, an adviser in International Student Services, issues immigration documents in accordance with federal student visa regulations, and advises international students on regulations pertaining to their visa status so that they may remain in the United States legally and focus on their studies and/or research.
She counsels international students or directs them to campus resources when they may have cultural, personal, academic or other problems or questions. In addition, she plays an important role in programming by organizing and attending events that encourage development of the whole student and out-of-class learning opportunities.
Moua-Vue also developed the Building Relationship in Diverse Global Environments Program, which brings inter- national students together with domestic students to provide a peer-mentor learning experience that fosters ongoing cross-cultural friendships.
Benjamin Rodriguez
Norman Bassett Award for Outstanding Achievement in Student Services
Nominators describe Rodriguez, an assistant dean for academic affairs in the College of Letters and Sciences, as tireless and selfless in his work with students.
He is known for putting in long hours and, perhaps more importantly, working with students in many different settings. Not only does he receive students in his office for advising and counsel, he seeks out students in need wherever they can be found. This is extremely important when dealing with students who may get lost in the shuffle of a large, public research institution.
As an adviser, Rodriguez is adept at helping students gain skills to overcome impediments involving motivation, finances, interpersonal strife, illnesses and racism.