Congratulations to alumna Kathleen Walker ’08, ReBUILDetroit student success coordinator, who received Detroit Mercy’s 2016 Commitment to Excellence Award for an administrator for her dedication to student success.
The award, given each December, recognizes outstanding staff and administrators who provide excellent service, promote Detroit Mercy’s mission and go beyond the expectations of their position.
“I am honored to receive the Commitment to Excellence award,” says Walker. “My own personal commitment comes from loving what I do and having an unlimited passion for the success of my students.”
Nominations for award recipients are solicited from Detroit Mercy faculty and staff.
“Being nominated by my colleagues was the best part of the award,” said Walker. “Knowing that others see my hard work really means a lot and gives me even more energy to continue.”
Walker takes great pride in seeing her students succeed.
“The students are my real inspiration – knowing that my work makes a real difference in their lives keeps me coming back every day with new energy. Their success is my success. I owe what I do to the students who have come to trust me with their educational experience,” says Walker.
In announcing Walker as the recipient of this award, associate vice-president in human resources, Steven Nelson provides this:
In her role as the Student Success Coordinator, this employee has been the main point person responsible to providing emotional and pragmatic support to the students. She meets with the first-year students weekly to provide support and guidance regarding a host of issues related to their psychosocial development, transition to college and academic success. It is not uncommon to find her working well beyond regular office hours as she frequently goes above and beyond to ensure the students’ needs are met. This recipient wears many hats as the coordinator, scheduler, mentor, parent, life-coach and champion of every student she sees. One nomination noted that “ I can recall her driving over 40 minutes to pick up a student when his ride fell through in order to ensure he could attend the first day of ReBuild’s Summer Enrichment program and subsequently teaching the student how to access a city bus to enable him to make it to the rest of the program”. This is just one example that speaks to this employee’s dedication to the mission of the University.
She is an extraordinary person who always puts the students before her. She hears their concerns, fears, joy and delight and provides a shoulder for the scholars to cry on or celebrate good news which even includes arranging monthly birthday parties, cake included! One nomination noted, “Without her level of engagement with our students we would often have been unaware of their concerns.”
Also receiving honors for their commitment to the University were Student Success Center Professional Mentor Rafael Cruz, presented with the Rising Star Commitment to Excellence Award to an employee with less than two years of service, and Dental Clinic Chairside Assistant Maria Niedek who received the staff Commitment to Excellence Awards.
