Staff Member of the Month: September 2020

Paula Stith

Administrative assistant

Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology

I want to nominate Paula Stith because she is so supportive of faculty and staff needs. She always makes herself available to help solve problems. She always advocates for faculty, students, and us! She's knowledgeable, persistent, and systematic in approaching routine tasks and unusual situations that arise. She takes special effort to educate herself on university processes so that she can better serve. And she always takes that extra effort to see a task through.

Paula is a wonderful mentor, and I learn from her on a consistent basis. She is a wealth of knowledge of university processes and procedures. She also has amazing resources because of her ties in our community. She is definitely dedicated to the success of our department. I admire how she is always eager to help our faculty, students, and administrative team. There is not a challenge she is afraid to take on, and she does it with a positive attitude. I am so grateful for all she does to help me be successful in my position, as well.

SECOND NOMINATION FOR PAULA
Paula is an indispensable element in the efficient and successful functioning of our department, as well as being an excellent team player, concerned individual, and truly fine person. No matter how busy she may be, when you come to her office, she drops everything (including pulling out her earbuds ☺) and gives you her undivided attention. If Paula can't help you on the spot using her vast storehouse of institutional memory/knowledge, she will persist in finding the needed information or solution to the problem and will do so with the shortest-possible delay. No matter how busy she may be (and she is always busy), Paula is always pleasant and willing to engage in a brief chat while still getting her work accomplished. Paula is never shy in suggesting potential solutions to problems and often comes up with creative ones. She has been extremely helpful to me in becoming familiar with aspects of departmental functioning with regard to my new administrative responsibilities in the department. It is also noteworthy that she is just as much an advocate for the interests of graduate students and post-docs as she is for faculty. Paula's service during the continuing COVID crisis has been particularly noteworthy. She is well overdue for the important recognition of Staff Member of the Month.