Stephanie Bales, office manager for the department of elementary education, has received the College of Education’s 2002 Staff Award for Excellence.

    Bales was presented a plaque and a $1,200 cash award in ceremonies April 17 at the State Botanical Gardens. The first runner-up, Betty Tanner, administrative coordinator in the department of counseling and human development services, was awarded $750 and second runner-up, Linda Chester, office manager for adult education, received $300. The awards were presented by Mary Frasier, professor of educational psychology and director of urban initiatives.

    The three winners were selected from a list of 10 nominees that included Ron Braxley, Mary Cash, Harriet Elder, Dianne Fields, Jennifer Guyton, Donna Johnson and Michael Sims.

    Faculty members in elementary education use words like dedicated, determined, knowledgeable, and efficient to describe top staffer Bales. Faculty and students alike cite her problem-solving abilities, leadership, energy, helpfulness and efficiency.

    A COE staff member for 14 of her 18 years of work at UGA, Bales is primarily responsible for all budgetary matters within elementary education, all graduate records and is the front-line person dealing with current and prospective students.

    Faculty members say Bales has been instrumental in coordinating the department’s large graduate program, displaying a detailed knowledge of the three programs with seven different degrees, and the policies, procedures and paperwork necessary in each.

    Bales’ organization, budget knowledge and attention to detail has also helped facilitate the successful development and delivery of two study abroad programs – in Xalapa, Mexico and Carpi, Italy – faculty members say.

    Bales was also praised by former students for her interaction and support. “I have not found anyone in a support staff position who compares to Ms. Bales in terms of productivity, commitment and overall effectiveness,” said Steve White, now an associate professor at George Mason University.

    First runner-up Tanner, a COE employee in the department of counseling for 25 years, currently works in the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation where she manages the office, works with graduate students and assists the director, Linda Campbell.

    Tanner not only works with both master’s and doctoral students who do their practicum at the center, but she is also the first contact for clients from the community and is responsible for running the center as a professional clinic.

    Second runner-up Chester has been an exemplary employee in the department of adult education for nearly 30 years. She has seen the department grow from three to 12 faculty members over those years and has grown with it.
Faculty members say she answers questions, completes forms and solves problems with respect, accuracy and speed. She is always patient and informative with faculty, staff, students and prospective students.

    Chester has also taken on new leadership roles within the department. She has been responsible for restructuring workflow and reporting relationships, and has made innovations that have streamlined faculty requests for work. Her creativity and commitment to quality are evident in this work, faculty members say.

    Several staff members were also recognized for years of service to the College. They included: Glenda Eades, Carolyn Taylor and Joan Taylor, 30 years; Brenda Arnold and Donna Smith, 20 years; Judy Allison, Mary Cash, Lanelle Davis, Linda Edwards, Valerie Kilpatrick, Dianne Parham and Marlee Stewart, 15 years; Paula Alexander, Mary Ann Godwin, Alan Hinson and Elaine Payne, 10 years; Karen Covi, Debra Kidd, Candace Langford and Dedra Minor, 5 years.

Friday, April 19, 2002
Writer: Michael Childs, 706/542-5889, mchilds@coe.uga.edu
Contact: Betty Prickett, 706/542-4415, prickett@coe.uga.edu