Paula Geier, academic department associate in the Department of Professional Counseling, has been named the recipient of the April STAR Award.
She was nominated by Professor and Chair of the Department of Professional Counseling, Alan Saginak.
Portions of Geier’s nomination follow:
“Paula Geier has been employed with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh for the past 34 years, having begun in 1980. She recently completed her 11th year with our department. Paula is an exceptional team member in our Department of Professional Counseling who is highly respected by all six of our graduate faculty members, and a significantly valued colleague with whom we are most pleased to work. Our faculty, graduate students, and graduate assistants thoroughly enjoy working with Paula relative to all her interconnected roles, and sincerely appreciate her ongoing contributions to the continued success of the department.
“Within the past two years, Paula has continued to go above and beyond her primary responsibilities with a range of important department projects. Most recently in 2013-2014, the department went through its professional reaccreditation process with the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). This was a huge undertaking that included a high level of organization and collation relative to coordinating the faculty’s written self-study with its numerous appendices, addendums, and electronic resources; scheduling the three-person, on-campus site visit team in February; and then managing follow-up requests for final materials. Paula’s contributions to this process were significant as she worked tirelessly and diligently to ensure that this entire project went smoothly. The department is very pleased that its reaccreditation visit went so well.
“With our newest program emphasis in Clinical Mental Health Counseling now in its second year, Paula continues to contribute meaningful, contextual input to its curricular modifications and additions. As with our recent reaccreditation process, Paula was instrumental in organizing the protocol for having this new program approved at all university levels. She coordinated the process and kept faculty informed of next steps along the way. This new graduate program continues to attract increasing numbers of new students to UW Oshkosh, and strives to align with cutting edge practice in the field of mental health counseling.
“Overall, Paula provides valuable insight and feedback for our program and three professional emphases relative to course sequencing; alignment with accreditation guidelines and standards; and organization of our cohort model of student matriculation. She also offers ideas for our department as it strives to adhere to its mission, vision, and goals in order to grow and improve strategically. Paula contributes immensely to our department’s efforts to purposefully integrate modifications in our admissions criteria, practicum and internship application processes, and graduation and licensure requirements as related to national accreditation, state guidelines and ethical practice. Paula’s ongoing strengths continue to be that she is highly organized, efficient, proactive and resourceful.
“All of us as faculty continue to respect and admire Paula’s personal integrity in continuing to go above and beyond what is required in her responsibilities in order to help insure that our department maintains, presents, and delivers a high quality, professional, and accredited graduate program. Paula takes significant pride in our department and its professional educational and clinical training goals. She continues to assist and oversee aspects of student advising, course registration, new student admissions and orientation, admission to candidacy, practicum and internship applications, hooding ceremony, accreditation reports, certification exam applications, summer workshop planning, and graduation follow-up surveys including coordination and dissemination of its data. Paula’s knowledge, skills and related qualifications are exceptional relative to her position and overall role in the department.
“It is with sincerity and appreciation that I speak on behalf of our department faculty in saying that Paula continues to be a highly competent and respectfully valued team member in our Department of Professional Counseling here at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, and we are most pleased to nominate her for the STAR Award!”
The CSAC Awards & Recognition Committee submitted this announcement. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to contribute calendar items, campus announcements and other good news to UW Oshkosh Today.