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Student service workers honored at UW-Madison

May 5, 2003 By Barbara Wolff

Exceptional service to students at UW–Madison netted seven members of the university’s Student Personnel Association awards for 2003.

The recipients, announced at the organization’s recent annual luncheon, are:

  • Emily Dickman, associate academic adviser, College of Letters and Science Cross-College Advising Service: Campus Impact Award. Dickman’s ability to leap right into complicated situations and assignments has stood her in good professional stead. Staff and faculty, as well as students, report feeling connected when they are in touch with her. Holding academic advising appointments in Ingraham and Sellery halls, and Chadbourne Residential College, she also participates in a number of diversity learning opportunities. In addition, she is actively involved with professional organizations such as the Madison Academic and Career Advisor Association, the Wisconsin Academic Advising Association and the National Academic Advising Association.
  • Ed Mirecki, fraternity and sorority adviser, Dean of Students: Campus Impact Award. Mirecki has implemented programs designed to help students address drug and alcohol issues. Similarly, he has influenced cultural change in fraternities toward sexual assault, and has had a significant impact on student leadership training. In addition, Mirecki has been instrumental in establishing benchmarks that all chapters will strive to achieve. He helped to inaugurate the New Member Education program, which is offered to students who are new to the Greek system.
  • Pat Omilianowski, program assistant, Institute for Molecular Virology: Norman Bassett Award. Since 1973, Omilianowski has filled an invaluable role for the students – and faculty and staff – who pass through the institute on their way to educational or professional advancement. During her 30-year tenure, she never has misplaced a file or visa application, or missed a deadline for a payroll, grade sheet or insurance application. A master of policy change, Omilianowski has a reputation for being able to answer any question on prelim warrants, tax forms, student-hourly records, scholarships, letters of recommendation and more.
  • Ann Pham, assistant director, Multicultural Center: Plan 2008 Award of Excellence. A champion of inclusion on campus, Pham is responsible for planning, developing and organizing multicultural activities that encourage cross-cultural dialogue among students, faculty and staff. One example is the annual Multicultural Leadership Retreat, which she coordinates. It promotes discussion of issues ranging from cultural isolation to identity to oppression. She also helps student organizations develop multicultural programs, and works with other university programs such as TRIO, the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program and the Academic Advancement Program to promote cross-cultural dialogue.
  • Joann Pritchett, director of minority affairs, School of Pharmacy: Chancellor’s Award. Pritchett has played a pivotal role in creating programs aimed at addressing diversity issues and improving climate in the School of Pharmacy. In addition to her work for the school, Pritchett is involved with the university’s SOAR program, Four-Year Degree Task Force, Center for Health Sciences Minority Affairs, Native American Health Work Group, Campus Women’s Center, Research Apprentice Program, Pre-College Enrichment Opportunity Program for Learning Excellence, NASA Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program and others.
  • Sandra Ramer, graduate program coordinator, Department of Sociology: Frontline Award. The National Research Council ranks UW–Madison’s graduate program in sociology first in the nation, and faculty and students alike point to Ramer’s administrative contributions as a key ingredient for that success. Ramer keeps tabs on the progress of the department’s more than 200 graduate students as they move toward their degrees, and advises the more 50 sociology faculty involved in graduate studies on policies and regulations related to the department and the Graduate School. With expertise ranging from curriculum requirements to course substitutions to a particular student’s progress, Ramer is the department’s gold standard for help and advice. Often the first to encounter a student in trouble, she has developed a reputation for always being able to produce the right person to talk to or paper to sign, all the while taking care not to violate the student’s confidence.
  • E. Alison Rice, student services specialist, Dean of Students: Norman Bassett Award. A true advocate for student issues, Rice has earned a reputation for empowering students to come up with new initiatives and programs. For example, she facilitated the transition from the Wisconsin Student Association to Associated Students of Madison (ASM). Supervising the financing of student organizations throughout her career, she also advised efforts to provide all-city bus passes, initiated the establishment of student organization space at Union South and serves as the staff contact for the Student Activities Center/University Health Services building project. In addition, Rice has been instrumental in reorganizing ASM’s StudentPrint, a lecture-notes and copy service, into a student-run, working/learning environment, and was a consultant during the Southworth/Fry segregated fee lawsuit.
  • Dorothy Sanchez, assistant dean, Graduate School Admissions: Vice Chancellors’ Award for Excellence in Student Affairs. As a graduate student herself at UW–Madison, Sanchez saw the need for a sense of community for minority graduate students to help them make a comfortable transition into graduate education. She developed Partners for Success in 1999 to help meet their needs. Today, as head of operations for the Graduate School’s Office of Diversity Resources, Sanchez has taken a leadership role in recruitment of minority graduate students by developing relationships between UW–Madison and historically black colleges and universities, institutions serving Hispanic populations and American tribal colleges. She also has aided the university’s retention of underrepresented graduate students by making their educational experience more rewarding. In addition, Sanchez provides oversight for the McNair Research and Summer Research Opportunity Programs for undergraduates.
  • Debra Sumwalt, program assistant, Biological Systems Engineering: Frontline Award. Sumwalt’s “frontline” experience began in 1993 when she staffed the campuswide information desk in Bascom Hall. Today she is a source of ready, accurate information for students, faculty and staff. Described as the catalyst that brings the department together, Sumwalt has been known to invite students and personnel to join her in family celebrations. As a crucial member of the department’s Graduate Research and Instructional Committee, she ensures that nothing is missed. She has been instrumental in identifying and nominating incoming graduate students for fellowships. Currently, she is developing a database of graduate theses, past and present.

Founded in 1956, the Student Personnel Association promotes interaction between colleagues and professional development among those working with UW–Madison students. Its 220 members include academic and personal advisers, administrators, health-care providers, housing staff, librarians and other student service professionals. For membership information, contact Laura Gilies, SPA president, at (608) 265-7913; laura.giles@housing.wisc.edu.