Angela Callaway, office manager for the department of special education has received the College of Education's 2001 Staff Award for Excellence.
UGA's First Lady Mary L. Adams presented a plaque and a $1,200 cash award in ceremonies April 18 at the State Botanical Gardens. The first runner-up, Deborah Rogers, budget analyst for the School of Leadership and Lifelong Learning, was awarded $750 and the second runner-up, Anita Miller, senior administrative secretary for the School of Teacher Education. received $300.
The winners were selected from among 13 nominees that included Paula Alexander, Brenda Arnold, Troy Bassett, Mary Ann Godwin, Rene Hammong, Pam La Salle, Dedra Minor, Thomas Stanulis, Freita Strickland, and Tony Stringer.
Faculty members use phrases like unselfish, loyal, reliable and dedicated to excellence to describe top staffer Callaway. On the special education department's web site, Callaway's job responsibilities are aptly described as "anything and everything to make sure the departmental office runs smoothly." Anything and everything is exactly what Angie Callaway does -- day-in and day-out.
A COE staff member for more than a dozen years, Callaway is primarily responsible for all budgetary matters within the department, all graduate records and is the front-line person dealing with current and prospective students. She also serves as secretary to department head John Langone, graduate coordinator David Gast and one other faculty member.
Faculty members praised Callaway for her handling of budgets for on-campus departmental programs as well as budgets for several large distance-education initiatives. She developed the first departmental computer-based system for day-to-day management of the budget and a data-tracking system that is invaluable in the development of reports the department is required to complete.
Callaway was also lauded for her interaction with students. "Angie always goes out of her way to help all students," said one faculty member. "During this past year, our department began a new Internet-based alternative certification program for teachers. The first cohort enrolled last summer included more than 80 teachers from all over Georgia. This new initiative effectively tripled the size of our graduate program. All of these students were non-degree candidates and required a significant amount of assistance to navigate the complex system of the Graduate School. She spent many hours on the phone 'talking' these students through the application and enrollment process. Without her, this highly regarded program would not be the success it is today."
First runner-up Rogers, a COE employee for nearly 22 years, began her career at UGA some 27 years ago as a secretary at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. As budget analyst, Rogers helps faculty and staff in the school with grant and contract submissions - completing all paperwork, interpreting rules and allowances, searching for answers when necessary, accounting for expenditures, preparing regular reports to project directors and sponsors and completing final reports. "She is regarded as the expert on budget management," said one faculty member.
She is also praised for her leadership in the school's renovation of the River's Crossing building when it moved from scattered locations in the Industrial Arts building, Aderhold and Tucker halls. "She did extensive research and then purchased hundreds of thousands of dollars of diverse products and services to equip five floors of offices, seven classrooms and laboratories, an industrial fabrication lab or 'shop,' several conference rooms, a student lounge, cafeteria, graduate student offices, a lobby/reception area, and external areas. This was an astronomical responsibility," said the faculty member.
Second runner-up Miller has worked in four different offices in almost 28 years of exemplary service to the College, constantly learning a myriad of new responsibilities for numerous bosses. Over the years, she has also served the staff in a variety of leadership roles - most recently as chair of the College's Staff Representative Group, as a staff representative on the Millennium Commission, and as the College's representative on the University Staff Council.
Faculty members say it would be difficult, if not impossible to replace Miller in her particular job because of the combination of her knowledge, skills and personality. She has accumulated an enormous amount of knowledge not only about the School of Teacher Education, its field experience office, its seven departments and its two centers, but also about the other three schools, the College and UGA.
Miller is described as a meticulous worker, always striving for perfection and able to juggle dozens of tasks at one time. She bends over backward to help everyone and put them at ease regardless of their rank or their need. She is a professional, ethical, steady and pleasant employee, said faculty members.
More than a dozen staff members were recognized for their years of service: Melanie Blakeman, Laura Clark, Teresa Melton, Freita Strickland, Tony Stringer, and David Wynne for five years; Donna Johnson, Michael Sims, Freida Thornton and Nancy Vandergrift for 10 years; Sheila Myers and June Smith for 15 years; Carolyn Howell for 20 years; and Judy Harper for 25 years.
Thursday, April 19, 2001
Writer: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
Contact: Betty Disharoon Prickett, 706/542-4415, prickett@coe.uga.edu