Author: Brynn Boyer

Congratulations to Tember Smith, office manager of the College of Education’s Department of Curriculum and Instruction, who has been selected as the Excellent Eagle Employee for the month of November. A parking spot of her choosing has been reserved for her until the end of the month.

Here is what one of her co-workers said about her:

“Tember should be recognized as an Excellent Eagle Employee because, simply put, she is a model of excellence.  She goes above and beyond her duties, never hesitating to stop her detailed focus on the mounds of paperwork and data she deals with daily to help a fellow employee or student.  I have been the recipient of her helpfulness on several occasions.  Rest assured, she gets right back on task to complete her job.  Students love her enthusiasm and sense of humor.  She instantly puts worried students at ease with her calm and caring manner, not to mention her extensive knowledge of all the requirements of the education program.  Tember is the epitome of caring and sharing her knowledge to help others.  She is adaptable and flexible in her position.

Tember has been an employee at UMW for decades, working in various departments.  She is a great asset to the UMW community and someone the UMW faculty and staff need to recognize for her contribution in helping make UMW a quality institution.”

To nominate someone who you believe is an Excellent Eagle Employee, send an email to Priscilla Sullivan (psulliva@umw.edu) with Excellent Eagle Employee in the subject line.  In your email, be sure to list the person’s name, department, work location (with the most convenient parking lot), and of course, the reason why you believe they should be recognized.  Please spread the word to other employees about this wonderful opportunity to recognize a co-worker(s).

The disastrous effects of Hurricane Sandy have been a reminder of how quickly the services of a non-profit might be needed.  That is why we chose the American Red Cross – Rappahannock Area as our featured non-profit in this week’s Eagle Eye.  Their services include:  preparedness (educating the community on how to prepare for man-made or national disasters), disaster services (provide sheltering, mass-care feeding, and mental health services free of charge to those affected by a natural disaster or single-family fire), services to the Armed Forces (provide emergency communications and financial aid to military personnel and their families), biomedical services (coordinate local blood drives), and health and safety services (provide CPR/AED, First Aid and Aquatics Training to companies and community members; fee for these services).

The American Red Cross is just one of over 1100 non-profits you can choose to support through the CVC.  To date, 13 employees have made a contribution to the UMW CVC 2012.  Please consider making your donation today.  Please contact Lori Izykowski, x1105, with any questions.  And thanks for your participation!

Please consider joining us for a faculty workshop focused on graduate school advising on Monday, Nov. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Woodard Campus Center, Red Room.  This 45-minute session is with Donald Asher, one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the graduate admissions process.  Asher is the author of the best-selling guide to getting into graduate school, “Graduate Admissions Essays” (4^th ed., Ten Speed Press) and has twice being selected as keynote or featured speaker at NAGAP (National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals).

Topics will include:

• Reasons your students are not selected when they should have been
• Trends in funding
• Career outcomes for Ph.D. students
• Ranking systems (the good, the bad, the ugly)
• What needs to be in that letter of recommendation
• Ready-to-use handouts to make your advising easier
• Q&A and solutions sharing between UMW faculty

Asher is an incredibly engaging presenter and is an internationally acclaimed author and speaker specializing in professional development and higher education. He is the author of 12 books (available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Portuguese), is a frequent guest on television and radio, and speaks at more than 100 venues annually.  You can learn more about Asher, his work, and publications at http://www.donaldasher.com.

Immediately following the workshop there will be a reception in the Red Room featuring wine, light hors d’oeuvres, and conversation.

Please RSVP to Amanda Kennedy (akennedy@umw.edu) if you plan to attend.

As part of Asher’s visit we will be doing a series of talks for student populations as well.  You will receive information concerning those and their intended target populations under separate cover.

— Fred A. Pierce III, Associate Provost, Enrollment Management and Student Services

On Monday, Nov. 5, members of the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders will join the UMW community for the “Huddle Up to Bundle Up” fundraising event. The event, from 3 to 6 p.m. on the Lee Hall side of Ball Circle, will feature raffle tickets to win Redskins gear, a punt and pass competition and performances, autographs and photos by the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders. Proceeds from the event will go toward clothing drives as well as care packages for young children. The event is sponsored by the Latino Student Association, the Underground Programming Council (UPC) and the Office of Student Activities and Engagement. For more information, contact Joe Mollo at (540) 654-1061.

Anne Timpano’s linocut print, “Venus as Paper Doll,” is currently exhibited in the 2012 Harnett Biennial of American Prints at the Joel and Lila Harnett Museum of Art, University of Richmond.  Timpano, director of the University Galleries, is one of 47 artists from 25 states participating in the highly competitive exhibition of contemporary printmaking, which opened October 23 and will be on view through December 9, 2012.