Employee of the Month - February 2021
Kimberly Word is Associate Director of the Educational Leadership Program in the College of Education
Presented: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 via Zoom Virtual celebration. Kimberly was joined by her husband, children, mother, Dean Shireen Pavri, Associate Dean Laura Portnoi, Department Chair Don Haviland, and numerous College of Education colleagues.
She is described as a talented and committed professional, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to students and faculty on a daily basis.
Her department chair, Don Haviland, shared, “Kim is the ballast in our department; she is a central source of support for both our students and our faculty, and regularly goes above and beyond… (her) performance reflects her commitment to our community values of teaching and learning, compassion, and diversity and I respect how she puts these into action on a daily basis with little fanfare.”
Kimberly is the senior staff member (SSP IV) charged with overseeing the daily operation of the EDD doctoral program. This includes the recruitment and admissions process, monitoring the program budget, and handling scheduling. She is also the primary staff advisor for the program’s doctoral students.
Kimberly oversees and coordinates numerous programs and events, including all dissertation defenses, regular professional development sessions, an annual alumni banquet, new student orientation, graduation, other community-building events, and has staff oversight for two master’s programs, thereby playing a role in supporting these other academic programs, including helping with outreach and recruitment, and student support efforts.
“Kim is exceptionally committed to serving our students, with a focus on student learning and success in all that she does. Kim is indeed one of the Best of the Beach.”