Fall 2009
Jennifer Abernathy-Messer
The recipient of the Staff Senate Scholarship for Fall 2009 is Jennifer Abernathy-Messer.Jennifer is currently pursuing her master’s degree in Environmental Science at UNCW.She received her baccalaureate degree from A & T with a major in agriculture and minor in soil science.
Jennifer is the greenhouse manager at UNCW and is a naturalist at heart. Her interest in the environment is evident by the plant life and recycled materials that surround her.As the greenhouse manager, she has a duel role. Not only does she maintain the plants in the greenhouse for the biology department’s botany labs, she also assists with upper and lower level botany labs. In addition, Jennifer would like all UNCW faculty and staff to know that the greenhouse is available for learning about propagation techniques for local plant life.
Upon receiving her master’s degree from UNCW, Jennifer would like to become more involved with outreach activities such as sustainable agriculture and water and soil conservation. The best advice Jennifer would give other staff members considering working full time and trying to take courses is not to rush it: don’t take too many classes at one time and thoroughly enjoy the benefit we are given.When Jennifer is not caring for the UNCW greenhouse, working in the lab or studying, she enjoysreading murder mystery novels from another time period.
Staff Council wishes Jennifer congratulations and all the best for her future!
Spring 2009
Recipient Pamela Thurston
Pamela Thurston, the Staff Council Scholarship recipient for the 2009 spring semester, is not only a Housekeeper for UNCW, she’s also proud to say she’s a student. Pamela’s held the position as Housekeeper at UNCW for three years now and is responsible for keeping campus buildings straight and clean. Along with being a Housekeeper here on campus, she is also a mother and a student currently enrolled at UNCW. Her course curriculum includes English, Calculus and Management Database Systems.
One of Pamela’s goals,upon graduation, is to have a degree focusing on Database Systems and to obtain a position with the UNCW IT Department. Her advice to anyone who is on the fence about taking courses as a staff member here at UNCW is to remember that you are never too old to learn. Pamela also highly recommends taking advantage of what we are offered.
Staff Senate wishes Pamela all the best for her future!
This Fall 08 term we encountered a first for the scholarship process. We had a tie between two very worthy candidates. In the absence of rules regarding a tie in our by-laws we made the decision to award on a one-time basis both candidates a $500.00 scholarship. The by-laws are currently being revised to address a tie in the future. Please read about each of our candidates and their positions on campus as well as how the scholarship has helped them.
Thank you very much for all your contributions to the scholarship fund!
Recipient Linda-Jean Jay
Linda-Jean Jay,is a Program Assistant for University Advancement and is located at the Wise Carriage House location off Market Street. Linda-Jean supports six directors of development in their fund raising efforts on behalf of UNCW, including those responsible for Major Gifts, Leadership Gifts and the Parent Council. Her job details require prospect research, coordinating meetings and events across campus, or preparing detailed presentations geared toward donors' philanthropic interests. Linda-Jean also oversees the operational budget for the development team, which consists of nine Directors and a Proposal Writer. her position involves persons from every facet of life and is always interesting, she states that no two days are ever alike.
Linda-Jean says that receiving the Staff Senate scholarship has enabled her to continue her M.P.A. studies and expand her graduate nonprofit management research at a time when her family is facing significant financial challenges. Linda's youngest daughter, a single mother of three children, requires financial assistance from her and her husband even though she is gainfully employed and working full time. Funds that she would ordinarily use to help with the educational resources have been diverted to augment her daughter's income. Over the summer they were able to help her purchase a home that she and her children can more readily afford. Shortly afterwards her husband was laid off of his job. As she heads into her final year in the M.P.A. program, the scholarship has given her the opportunity to obtain much-needed software, books and other supplies she could not otherwise afford. These resources will directly affect the quality of her research and her proposal Capstone project on social entrepreneurship in the Cape Fear Region.
Staff Senate Linda-Jean jay all the best for her future!
Recipient Mary Jo Giammaria
Mary Jo Giammaria is the Office Manager in the Watson School of Education - Dean's Office. Mary Jo is one of the Watson School team employees responsible for the smooth operation of the Dean's Office. This may include greeting and assisting a visitor find the person he/she is meeting, to working with Physical Plant staff personnel regarding the maintenance of the golf carts. Further, she is the direct administrative support person for the Executive Assistant to the Dean, Director of Asssessment Programs, and the Watson School Technology Team. Mary Jo assist and supports the Administrative/Budget Officer in whatever task is needed. Her duties may range from helping in survey design to foreign and domestic travel arrangements. Mary Jo is responsible for the Dean's Suite pruchasing from equipment to day-to-day supplies, managing a number of the Dean's databases, producing mailings for various events and a contact for those event responses. As liaison to the WSE Alumni Chapter, she assist with event planning.
Since 2003, Mary Jo is an active member of the Toastmasters International Organization. This past summer Mary Jo accomplished the Advanced Toastmaster Bronze (ATM-B) level, and was a judge for the Speech Contests. At present she iis pursuing the Competent Leader Award, while starting the Advanced Toastmasters Silver (ATM-S) level, volunteering at the New Hanover County Senior Center and her church. Mary Jo enjoys these activities and considers them a win-win situation for those in need and herself.
The Staff Senatel Scholarship has allowed relief to Mary Jo from some of the financial burdens associated with obtaining a higher education so that she can realize her dreams.
Mary Jo states " I am a much honored recipient of the Scholarship as it is a recognition of my co-workers and peers at the University of North Carolina Wilmington".
Staff Senate wishes Mary Jo all the best for her future!
