February 28, 2012
Sarah Kitten, ASE/EM Academic Advising Coordinator, has been selected as a recipient of The University of Texas at Austin 2012 President’s Outstanding Staff Award. Kitten was one of thirty recipients selected from over 290 nominations.
To receive the award, Outstanding Staff Award Recipients must exemplify outstanding dedication, competence, conscientious performance, and ingenuity. They must contribute to and demonstrate a commitment to the university’s core purpose and values, have significantly improved a work process or system, demonstrate an exceptional ability to foster collaboration, communication, and cooperation among colleagues, and perform at a level above and beyond job requirements.
Kitten joined the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics in June 2006. Since then, she has become a jack of all trades in the department. In addition to advising, she creates both the undergraduate and graduate course schedules, is a member of the curriculum committee, handles undergraduate scholarships and major sequence applications, promotes and recruits for study abroad programs, facilitates a first-year interest group (FIG) and leads the LUNAR Advisory Council which she also founded.
“Sarah labors tirelessly in her efforts to improve the undergraduate experience in ASE. I am a member of the LUNAR council, in which a handful of students represent the entire ASE undergraduate student body,” an Aerospace Engineering student said. “Sarah has shown extreme leadership and perseverance in building this council from scratch and keeping us on task over the last couple of years. Because of her enterprise in incorporating our voice to ASE curriculum and policy, we are able to help make this department the best it can be.”
After joining the department, Kitten revamped the entire advising process. She brought the department up to speed technology and got rid of paper files in favor of an electronic system. Kitten approached the large undertaking with a positive attitude and put in countless hours of overtime to ensure a smooth transition.
Her work ethic and positive attitude has not gone unnoticed by students or staff.
“What is amazing to me is that she does all of this with a positive attitude and a smile,” an Aerospace Engineering staff member said. “I cannot think of another employee who better exemplifies the standards of conduct set forth by The University of Texas at Austin.”
Kitten attributes her success to the help of her colleagues.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the President’s Office! Knowing that my peers took their already-stretched time to nominate me for this award is very humbling. I couldn’t do my job without their help!”
She will be presented with the award and a $1,500 honorarium at the Annual President’s Staff Awards ceremony on Friday, May 4, 2012 in the LBJ Auditorium.
