ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ

The purpose of the Non-bargaining Classified Employee of the Month award is to acknowledge and recognize those who are setting the standards for excellence and innovation at ÃÛèÖÊÓƵ.

This recognition is Classified Senate’s way of awarding those employees who have shown outstanding individual achievement and performance of their jobs, while inspiring and supporting the achievement of others. Criteria include:
 

• Positive attitude and serving as a role model
• Productivity and commitment to quality
• Initiative and taking on additional responsibilities

The August 2019 recipient is Deborah Pack, administrative specialist in the Department of Social Work. She was nominated by Sarah Garlington, an assistant professor in Social Work.

The following are a sampling of the comments Garlington wrote about Pack on the nomination form:

Deb serves as our program’s institutional memory. She helps train and situate every new faculty person as our program grows, and she acts as an informal mentor to the students who go through our Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs.

Many of our students are first generation and Deb helps demystify the program’s structure for them. She serves as a welcoming gatekeeper to link them with faculty and resources the students may feel too intimidated to access on their own.

Deb worked with the MSW program director and other faculty to initiate and complete the process of moving the social work program to a department of our own. She also worked with the MSW faculty to develop and launch an online MSW program (launched January 2019).

Deb’s work as the Social Work program’s administrator is made even more challenging by the fact that the offices are in Morton Hall and not in Grover Center with the rest of the College of Health Sciences and Professions programs. She manages to stay connected with the CHSP administration without the informal face-to-face exchanges and support daily that often make administrative roles easier.

These are Deborah Pack’s answers to some get-to-know-you questions:

How surprised were you to win the Employee of the Month award?

I was extremely surprised when they arrived to present me with the award since my faculty have been so busy with our online program. I wonder how they found the time to make sure I was acknowledged for my work. It goes to show how selfless my faculty are. Also goes to show that I don’t always know what they are up to.

What is your job title and how long have you worked it?

My current title is administrative Specialist and I have been with Social Work for nearly 20 years.

What are the most enjoyable things about your job?