Honorees demonstrate notable service to Baylor

Congratulations to the nine Baylor staff members selected as 2018 Outstanding Staff Award recipients. These honorees were nominated by other Baylor faculty and staff for their admirable service to the University.
The awards recognize staff members who illustrate exceptional commitment and actions in their respective job assignments, support the fulfillment of the University’s mission and contribute through service at Baylor, the community and the church. Here, we share brief excerpts from the nominations of those who received this year’s Outstanding Staff awards.

BaylorPLUS Award

Amine Qourzal

Associate Director, Counseling Student Financial Aid Office, 11 years of service
Baylor University’s mission calls for the integration of academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. As representatives of Baylor, we develop that caring community every day through our interactions with students, parents, faculty, fellow staff and the Waco community.
BaylorPLUS Salutes recognize those individuals who provide “above and beyond” service at Baylor. These moments of exceptional service are submitted on the HR website by faculty, staff, parents, and students throughout the year. One BaylorPLUS recipient is honored as a shining example of service to the Baylor family with the presentation of the BaylorPLUS Award. This year’s winner, Amine Qourzal, was nominated by one of the many Baylor students he served over the years through the Student Financial Aid Office. Amine is seen by many students as their advisor, mentor, and advocate. For this particular student, who has grown up in a single parent household, he has filled in the role of parent figure. The student shares, “I remember times where I began to feel homesick or I was struggling with my classes, I would go to his office and he would always welcome me with open arms. This man has literally exceeded my expectations so much so that he continued to work rigorously day and night to help us in any way he could to ensure my success at Baylor.” For above and beyond actions such as these, Amine has a special place in the hearts of many of our students.

Kendra Campbell

Coordinator of Academic Services, Louise Herrington School of Nursing, 2 years of full-time service
The educational success of many LHSON students is attributed to academic resources Kendra Campbell arranges and the emotional care she provides. Kendra receives all nursing school referrals for students who demonstrate poor performance, and she immediately reaches out and eagerly develops a plan for success.
She is a good steward of her time, supporting students not only from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays, but she also works into the evenings and makes herself available to faculty on the weekends. “My goal every day is to connect with students and to create a place for them to come and just be real,” said Kendra. “Nothing is off limits in my office. There is no judgment. It doesn’t come with a grade. We talk about school and about life. We question. We cry. We learn. We pray. We eat chocolate. We evaluate and problem solve. We look for the positives and the lessons to be learned. We laugh and we celebrate successes.”
Although constantly busy at LHSON, Kendra is deeply involved in her community and church. She’s been on several mission trips to bring clean water and sanitation to poor communities around the world and is a member of the Launch Team for the new White Rock campus of Lake Pointe Church.

Lisa Edwards

Office Manager, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, 18 years of full-time service
Lisa Edwards fully exemplifies the highest ideals of Baylor. She is a Christian servant leader who reflects the love of Christ in all her work, listening with empathy and understanding.
Lisa ably takes notes at all faculty meetings, works on budgets and answers questions to help aide students and visitors. She carries out her work on a personal level by delivering meals to sick faculty members on her lunch breaks, making hospital visits and attending retirement receptions and family funerals.
"It’s very common that we take for granted the minor things in our day, such as copier codes, fax machine instructions, room reservations, scheduling needs and, of course, office birthdays or special announcements,” said Lakia Scott, PhD, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction. “However, Lisa, like no one else, has been able to effortlessly manage, facilitate and continue communication for the department and school which positively shapes so many things.”
Outside of work, Lisa is highly involved with her church and serves the community by teaching several church related classes including Sunday school and Vacation Bible School, and she also volunteers for Meals on Wheels, H-E-B Feast of Sharing, Habitat for Humanity and Special Olympics.

Dominique Hill

Assistant Director for Intramural Sports, Campus Recreation, 10 years of full-time service
In his role as assistant director for intramural sports, Dominque Hill serves thousands of students each year, continually fostering the growth of an environment that has proven instrumental in the success of students through recreational involvement and helps many students financially through employment.
Dominque has developed a system for students to achieve excellence outside the classroom for the intramural basketball teams through the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association, where the women’s team won Baylor’s first Region IV Basketball Championship and earned a trip to nationals. However, he does not limit his talents and gifts to intramural sports. Dominque advises the Nu Zeta Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated; through his leadership and guidance, many of its members have been recognized locally, regionally and nationally for their step routines. He also hosts the highly successful Homecoming Step Show and advises numerous organizations, including MISTER and the 41st Big XII Conference on Black Student Government that was hosted by Baylor University for the first time in March.

Margaret Lemon

Director of Student Systems, ITS Information Systems and Services, 33 years of full-time service
Margaret Lemon and her team of six developers are always involved in extremely critical software implementations and upgrades across the Baylor campus. She has led her team through extreme challenges but has always risen to the occasion and put Baylor’s best interests first.Margaret is an example of what it means to be a servant to others, a quality that is a major part of her leadership philosophy. When new technology challenges her staff, she sets up group training sessions to bring everyone up to speed and helps make them feel comfortable. Her staff feels supported, and she strives to provide her colleagues with additional opportunities for growth.In 2016, Margaret received the Advising Excellence Award. She also was recognized in BaylorPlus for her work with the Education Advisory Board project and with her assistance notifying students about Title IX training.
Margaret is the heart of the Information Systems and Service, Student Division, and even though she has more than 30 years of experience at Baylor, she continues to seek excellence and self-improvement, attending conferences and webinars and seeking knowledge wherever she can find it.

Carol McCulloch

Office Coordinator for Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, Dean’s Office, 21 years of full-time service
Carol McCulloch faithfully executes the mission of Baylor, especially the mandate to foster a “caring community” for students, and she excels at orchestrating the entire Undergraduate Studies suite of the Dean’s office for five associate deans and the director of Undergraduate Enrollment Initiatives.
CAS is the academic home of nearly 6,000 undergraduate students and Carol plays an integral role with registration and graduation issues including schedule changes, overload petitions, petitions to take courses as pass/fail or audit courses and petitions to substitute courses. She also is a member of the team that handles the most challenging and serious undergraduate petitions, probations and suspensions.
"Students who come to our office may not always receive the answer they had hoped for, but they leave feeling listened to and respected,” said Carrolle Kamperman, MA, associate dean for undergraduate studies. “Carol not only performs the duties of her job but also shows on a daily basis what it means to a be a Christian institution.”
Carol’s personal dedication with Prison Ministries and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice provides her with a context of mercy and grace that transcends what many have experienced. Her support of individuals who find hope through Christ in the midst of their own despair is evidence of the way Carol lives out her faith through the generosity of her gifts and time.

Lori McNamara

Assistant to Associate Dean and Admissions Coordinator, Graduate School, 9 years of full-time service
Described by many of her colleagues as kind, patient, respectful, organized and willing to go above and beyond her daily workload, Lori McNamara exemplifies the attributes associated with being an Outstanding Staff Award recipient.
She is attentive to tasks and works tirelessly to achieve the goals of the management team, the Graduate School, and Baylor University, and she is unfailingly considerate and supportive to prospective and current graduate students, international graduate students, and faculty and staff. By establishing a well-designed and rigorous admissions process that has been recognized by numerous professional accrediting bodies, Lori’s professionalism and expertise in admissions has ensured the continuous ability to recruit and accept top-tier students.
“Before Lori joined us, we had years of problems with processing applications. No longer,” said Larry Lyon, PhD, dean of the Graduate School. “Although the number of applications continues to grow, they are processed quickly and correctly. She is, quite simply, the best!”
Lori serves on the Baylor University Staff Council and is chair elect. She encourages her family members to be positive members of society and enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Kayla Mize

Program Manager, Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, 3 years of full-time service
Kayla Mize’s unyielding commitment to Baylor, faculty, staff, students and alumni is so valuable to the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. Her colleagues describe her as the “perfect fit” for her position because she started as a student and worked her way up within the GSSW. Her duties include serving as the main advisor for students in the bachelor program and managing major and scholarship applications, and she is also involved with the complicated and tedious process of course scheduling for BSW and MSW programs.
When Kayla isn’t juggling the many facets of her job, she volunteers her time on several committees at the School of Social Work, Baylor University, within the community and through Day Spring Baptist Church where she and her husband teach Sunday school.
Kayla’s consistent support and selfless contributions are invaluable to the GSSW family and beyond. She approaches her professional and personal life with the values of service, commitment and faithful stewardship, and embodies the spirit of the Baylor experience in her sense of calling and use of her gifts and talents for a cause greater than herself.

Ann Westbrook

Office Manager, Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, 9 years of full-time service
Ann Westbrook epitomizes the term “outstanding”. She keeps a department of more than 80 full-time faculty and staff running smoothly and manages to arrange the large number of courses into classrooms each semester. Though it’s no easy task, Ann manages it with a professional and friendly demeanor.“
Modern languages and cultures is a very large, complex and constantly changing department, and Ann’s ability to learn quickly, measure up to her responsibilities and complete tasks in a timely fashion is truly remarkable,” said Manuel Ortuño, PhD, professor of Spanish. “Moreover, her highly developed interpersonal skills are a great aid in dealing successfully with fellow staff members, junior and senior faculty, students and parents.”
Her organizational skills, interaction with people and dedication to the job, including serving the students and faculty, make Ann an exemplary and valuable staff member.
“When I asked colleagues to send me comments about Ann Westbrook, I received numerous comments that read, ‘I’m surprised she hasn’t won this award already,’” said Adrienne M. Harris, PhD, associate professor of Russian. “Since accepting the position of office manager of MLC, a diverse department larger than some colleges, Ann has physically transformed the space and served as a unifying source of positivity.”

You can honor your colleagues all year long through Baylor salutes.

Do you know of a Baylor staff member who deserves a salute?Visit baylor.edu/hr and click “Learning & Leadership” to learn more.