Deans' Unsung Hero awardees

Dean emeritus Louis Castenell created the Deans’ Unsung Hero Award to honor those who do crucial work behind the scenes that often goes unnoticed and under-appreciated. Precisely because this work is behind the scenes, Dean Spangler asked the College community for stories of unsung heroes, and you submitted over 60 responses!

Dean Castenell intended for the award to go to one graduate student, one faculty member, and one staff member, but due to the enthusiastic response to the call for stories, this year we awarded one graduate student, one faculty member, and five staff members. Each awardee will receive $300 through a generous gift provided by Dean Castenell and a plaque. Please congratulate and thank these awardees.

Marsha Fields
Doctoral student, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Marsha serves as president of Tri Alpha, the student organization for first-generation students, where she has worked tirelessly to help first generation students navigate UGA and to help UGA offices understand where they could be more transparent about processes that are unfamiliar to first-generation students. She has also held various leadership roles in the Mathematics Education Student Association. In addition to these formal roles, Marsha consistently works behind the scenes to support her fellow students by identifying their needs and making them known to faculty, staff, and fellow students as well as providing personal assistance to them. In a noteworthy situation last year, she invested a great deal of time and resources in supporting a fellow graduate student who was quite ill and whose family was quite ill. She accompanied them on hospital visits, helped them navigate the healthcare, insurance, and payment systems, organized a meal train, and much more.

Allison Nealy
Clinical professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education
Department head, Department of Language and Literacy Education

Allison is in her second three-year term serving as an external department head for the Department of Language and Literacy Education. Being a department head requires genuine care for the people with whom you work, humility, hard work, taking some punches, doing the drudge work, showing up, managing competing priorities and more, and Allison does all of these things flawlessly with grace and good humor. She leads from a place of generosity, giving of herself to help others succeed and thrive. She takes a service orientation to all that she does and willingly sacrifices her own time, resources, and professional accomplishments to support the success of individuals, programs, and the department.

Cassandra Statom
Office manager, Department of Counseling and Human Development Services

Cassandra is the first point of contact for clients in the Center for Counseling and Personal Evaluation. She knows each of the nearly 150 clients and makes them feel at home when they enter the clinic by destigmatizing mental health treatment and greeting them with warmth and care. Clients often stop in her office to chat before and after their appointments. In addition, Cassandra treats the 40 graduate student clinicians as a family. Students seek her out to celebrate, commiserate, and get advice, a pep talk, and a hug. She is the glue that holds everyone in the clinic together and is held in high regard because she creates a safe and welcoming place for all.

Tiffany Haag
Business manager, Department of Workforce Education and Instructional Technology

Tiffany always puts the needs of others before her own and is always the first person willing to step up and volunteer to help faculty, staff, and students in the department. She is a cornerstone for the unit because she takes initiative, is dependable, and persists until problems are resolved. She juggles multiple roles in the department, supports new staff in learning their roles, serves as a sounding board and mentor for other staff members across the College, is generous with her time and talent, and is thoughtful in all she does. As an example of going above and beyond the call of duty, Tiffany has organized staff service opportunities and small get-togethers for staff in River’s Crossing to create a sense of community.

Katrina Neidlinger
Graduate programs administrator, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education

Katrina is a Swiss Army knife, able to quickly and easily resolve a situation, get something done, or point someone in the right direction. She goes well beyond her job description, willingly and cheerfully stepping in to cover anything and everything that needs to be done. Not a day goes by that you won’t find a graduate student in her office seeking advice, support, or even a shoulder to cry on. Often, it is Katrina who informs the faculty when issues arise with graduate students. Katrina is an incredible problem solver who exhibits tremendous care for the graduate students, faculty, and staff in the department, doing anything she can to help them meet their goals.

Connie Tucker
Office manager, Department of Language and Literacy Education

Connie is always quick to help others and actually seeks out opportunities to help others. She has been instrumental in onboarding a number of new staff members across the College and has been a leader among office managers and in the Staff Representative Group. She always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face. She competently manages a lot of responsibilities, keeps things running smoothly behind the scenes, and is dependable, patient, and supportive.

Heather Bailey
IT systems professional, Office of Information Technology

Heather is a trusted colleague, in large part because she is always willing to lend a hand whenever someone needs it—in OIT and across the College. She has taken on some of the most tedious and thankless jobs, which she does without complaint. She is often called on or willingly volunteers to train and support others with similar duties. She has been a long time participant and leader in the Staff Representative Group. Her care and dedication to the well-being of the staff and the College extend beyond simply doing her job.

Congratulations to all of our awardees!