Charlotte While Is UW Staff Employee of Fourth Quarter

Charlotte While plays a critical role behind the scenes in the success of the Department of Atmospheric Science in the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

As the office administrator of a small but diverse department with a robust graduate program and an active research program with a large number of research support staff, While’s ability to support a broad range of activities is crucial, her colleagues say.

For taking on so many tasks and doing them well, While has been named UW’s Staff Employee of the Fourth Quarter. The award recognizes a UW staff member for his/her efforts toward excellence in the workplace. Established in March 1985 to recognize outstanding staff as the Employee of the Month Award, the award was revised into the current program in January 1990. The award is given to one current UW staff member every calendar quarter. The staff employee of the year will be named at Staff Senate’s Staff Recognition Day celebration later this semester.

A public reception to honor While is at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 5, in Room 6052 of the Engineering Building.

While, who has been at UW for nine years -- first as an office associate and now as the Department of Atmospheric Science’s senior office associate -- is charged with many duties. Those include supporting more than 20 staff and faculty members for purchases and procurement of research equipment and travel; arranging meetings, lunches and activities for outside department visitors, including more than 20 interviews for a half-dozen positions in the department this semester; arranging information for all graduate students, including paperwork tracking; and being the scheduler for UW’s transportation aircraft.

“Charlotte is always willing to go above and beyond her job expectations in order to ensure the department runs smoothly and the faculty, researchers and staff have as much support as needed. She volunteers to take on extra work in order to lower the burden on others,” a colleague says. “Charlotte is absolutely critical to the successful function of our department. As the scheduler for the aircraft, Charlotte’s interactions with users of the transportation aircraft are critical for ensuring we are able to meet the needs of the university.”

While says the best part of her job is the colleagues she gets to work with each day.

“They are an amazing group of people, and they make coming into work every day fun. As the one who schedules the transportation aircraft, I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of great people outside of my department, too,” she says. “I have been blessed to have had three amazing supervisors throughout my nine years of employment. Each has helped me improve my skills and become better at what I do for my department on a daily basis. Like everyone, I have my go-to people when I have silly questions, and I am very grateful for them and their help.”

Another nominator says While is involved with all of the college’s events and activities.

“You can always find her volunteering and lending a helping hand,” the nominator says. “UW is very lucky to have her on staff -- she always shines a positive light on the college.”

Another example of her excellent on-the-job traits is that she is extremely supportive of all of the faculty, especially junior faculty members who are still learning how everything works on campus and in the department.

“Inside the department, Charlotte makes everything run smoothly and always is around to collegially greet people and to discuss work,” another colleague adds.

As for being named Staff Employee of the Fourth Quarter, While says the honor was a “total shock, and I am extremely grateful.”

“I thought the email was just an announcement of the upcoming Staff Senate meetings, until I read it. I just sat at my desk and teared up,” she adds.

An Employee of the Quarter nominee can be any UW staff employee, and each must receive three nomination forms from three separate individuals. Nominations must be submitted to the Staff Senate office.

Nominations for the Employee of the First Quarter are due by Friday, March 1, at 5 p.m. The nomination forms are on the web and can be found here.

For more information, call the Staff Senate office at 766-5300.