Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

McKinley Award, August 2002 Winner -- Charles "Jr." King
Crimson Spirit Award -- Robin Kelley

McKinley Award, August 2002 Winner -- Charles 'Jr.' King

Charles "Jr." King

Charles "Jr." King, assistant director for business services, residential life, began working as a student in the residential life office. After receiving his degree, he worked elsewhere for a time, but returned to the University and the residential life office as assistant director seven years ago.

King's nominator, Dr. Lisa D. Skelton, director of residential life, noted the highly visible leadership roles his position demands. "Whether Jr. is articulating campus policies and services to 4,000-plus resident students or facilitating the efforts of Residential Life in welcoming prospective students to campus, he consistently excels," she wrote in her nomination letter. "In my opinion, his work ethic is characteristic of only the most dedicated of employees," wrote Skelton.

Skelton speaks of King's gift of working and leading young people, his peers, and other UA faculty and staff, while understanding the many challenges facing today's young men and women. "Rarely have I encountered an employee as well versed as Jr. in commanding the respect and admiration of his peers and, at the same time, nurturing congenial working relationships with students, faculty and staff alike," wrote Skelton.

"I can only describe his exemplary customer service to students, parents and colleagues through his involvement in training, orientation, midnight breakfast, fall sign-up and check-in for housing students and the department," she added.

The McKinley Award was established by Helen H. and John K. McKinley of Darien, Conn., and Tuscaloosa in honor of John McKinley's father, Vergil Parks McKinley. The award recognizes enterprising employees who, by action or idea, contributed to the University's mission of teaching, research and service. The monthly award carries a cash prize. Vergil Parks McKinley came to UA in 1918 and retired as head of the College of Education's trade and industrial development department in 1945. If you would like to nominate an employee for future awards, contact Human Resources at 348-6690.

Crimson Spirit Award -- Robin Kelley

Robin Kelley

Robin Kelley, administrative support secretary, swimming and diving, Intercollegiate Athletics, deals with a wide variety of people including coaches, student athletes, their parents, alumni and boosters. According to her nominator Don Wagner, head coach for intercollegiate athletics swimming, Kelley deals with all these people in a sincere, conscientious manner. Wagner noted that Kelley works above and beyond the norm. "Robin puts in extra time and effort to make sure all assignments, whether it is a normal daily task or a special project, are completed on time," Wagner wrote.

According to the nominators, Kelley brings out the Crimson Spirit in others by accepting all her responsibilities while taking the load off others when possible, and always with a positive attitude.

The Crimson Spirit Award recognizes individual staff members who make extraordinary contributions and demonstrate teamwork and a winning spirit. To nominate an employee, who must be a current non-faculty employee, contact UA Human Resources at 348-6690 or Human Resources Development at 348-7125. Crimson Spirit Winners who wish to have their picture taken for Dialog and for office records may come to the photography department in G-5 Rose Administration Building on every third Thursday of the month, anytime between 2 and 4 p.m., to have photos made. No appointment is necessary. For information, contact Jennifer Sanford at 348-8332. Nomination forms are available on the Human Resources Web site at http://bama.ua.edu/~hr/.