SPA honors nine with achievement awards

The Student Personnel Association (SPA) honored the efforts of nine individuals with its 2006 Outstanding Achievement Awards. The honors were distributed at a luncheon held on April 19.

Founded in 1956, the SPA exists to create cross-campus connections among people who work with students to support, enhance and reinforce the learning mission of UW–Madison. Awards were made in six areas this year, with a stipend of $1,000 for the Chancellor’s Award and $500 for other winners. They are:

Carolyn Bell
Desk Supervisor in University Housing, Campus Impact Award.

Bell is responsible for the management of seven residence hall desks, employing nearly 80 student supervisors and workers.

In addition, she juggles roles as a supervisor, student advocate and member of the Wisconsin College Personnel Association. She is a strong supporter of social justice education, training students and staff in areas of social justice, privilege, LGBT issues, race and, most notably, socioeconomics.

“Carolyn is an amazing person,” writes assistant housing director Larry Davis. “She is energetic, hard working and committed to providing the best possible service to students. She is admired by students and staff in University Housing.”

Stephanie Cowan
Adviser in International Student Services, Campus Impact Award.

Cowan has been with the office for four years, but has made a large impact in a short time.

In her role as adviser, she is responsible for issuing immigration documents and advising students on federal regulations so they can remain in Madison and focus on their studies or research. She helps program and organize events for the international student community. She has taken on all of these tasks with great skill and enthusiasm.

“She is active, engaged, alert and ever able to take on new challenges,” writes Marilee Sushoreba, student services coordinator in ISS. “Her dedication to the field is obvious and inspiring. I see a bright future for Stephanie and can only imagine the impact of her efforts growing, deepening and widening.”

Yolanda Garza
Assistant Dean in the Student Advocacy and Judicial Affairs unit, Offices of the Dean of Students, Chancellor’s Award.

Garza, a 21-year veteran of the Offices of the Dean of Students, is best known for her work supporting sexual assault survivors and bringing together campus units to provide resources and assistance. On a broader level, she has been a campus leader on issues of prevention of violence against women, dating and domestic violence, and stalking.

“Yolanda truly embodies the advocacy component of this unit,” writes her nominator, Lori Berquam, interim dean of students. “She is dedicated to students and works tirelessly to provide them support and resources in times of need.”

Barbara Lafferty
Office Manager of the McBurney Disability Resource Center, SPA Frontline Award.

Lafferty is known as one of the unsung heroes of student affairs at UW–Madison.

Since she started at McBurney in 1994, she has been an excellent mentor, trainer and supporter of the student staff members that she supervises. She also manages all of the behind-the-scenes administrative work that allows the center to operate effectively.

“I can’t imagine any individual more deserving of a frontline award,” writes former interim associate dean of students Trey Duffy. “She is the hardest-working, most conscientious, reliable, dedicated and caring employee I’ve ever known.”

Linda Newman
Senior Student Services Coordinator, Education Academic Services in the School of Education, Norman Bassett Award for Excellence in Student Services.

Newman has a caseload of students, as well as duties related to the school’s SOAR programming. According to her colleagues, she performs those duties far above and beyond the norm and is known as a “master adviser.”

Students frequently and without prompting praise her depth of caring and wisdom. Many agree that she has helped change their lives.

“Linda’s work with students sets a standard for other staff on campus,” writes Jeff Hamm, assistant dean in the School of Education. “She is recognized by students and peers alike for her depth of care and her profound ability to listen and respond with warmth and sensitivity.”

Martin Rouse
Adviser and Student Services Coordinator in the Adult and Student Services Center, Division of Continuing Studies, Norman Bassett Award for Excellence In Student Services.

Rouse is known for his friendly attitude and open-door policy for helping students.

He has worked tirelessly to streamline the application process for special and guest nondegree students who enroll each year. Last fall, he helped provide services to the 97 admitted and 45 enrolled students from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast who were seeking refuge from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

“His hard work and ability to respond quickly and accurately make this process work smoothly for so many visiting students and their families,” writes his nominator, Pat Fessenden, assistant dean of DCS. “The students’ and families’ positive comments about their ‘Wisconsin experience’ are due in large part to Martin’s efforts.”

Don Schutt
Director of the Office of Human Resource Development, Leadership in Social Justice Award.

Schutt has been instrumental in developing initiatives that are inclusive to an increasingly diverse workforce, both in society and at UW–Madison.

Specifically, the Cultural Linguistics Services Program has helped employees, managers and supervisors communicate and work together more effectively. In addition, he also created the Hmong Literacy, Language and Jobs Project to assist Hmong families in Madison.

“Don’s impact in the area of creating a more socially just work and learning environment for students and staff is, in my opinion, the foundation of how Don accomplishes his work,” writes Renee Alfano, assistant director of the Student Organizations Office.

Wren Singer
Director of the Office of Orientation and New Student Programs, Award for Excellence in Student Affairs.

Singer has been a leader in developing collaborations between student affairs and academic affairs.

Under her leadership, the office has developed meaningful and effective relationships with faculty by steadily increasing collaboration and by letting small successes develop over time into larger projects. She also created and organized a groundbreaking campus conference titled “Engaging First-Year Students: Strategies for Academic Success.”

“Her projects have been difficult with multiple levels of challenge and have involved the entire campus,” writes one of her nominators, Elton Crim, interim associate dean of students. “She has achieved great success in these programs and has done so with class and professionalism.”

Joy Ziegler
Financial Specialist in the Bursar’s Office, SPA Frontline Award.

Ziegler is known as a tireless advocate for students involved in the financial aid and tuition-paying process.

Before the system was automated, she was well-known for “working the line” of students standing for hours to pick up financial aid, answering questions and delivering much-needed assistance. She could barely walk around campus without a student recognizing her as “the lady from the Peterson building” and thanking her for her able assistance.

“Not only does Joy know the details of all the processes in order to help students figure out what they need, she has the disposition to make sure they’re smiling by the time they are done with their phone call,” writes bursar Cathie Hanlon.