You Make a Difference

Dwight Moore, Pam Emley, and Linsey Boyd

To honor Emporia State University employees and students who go that extra mile, the ESU Public Affairs and Marketing department has implemented the “You Make a Difference Award.” The “You Make a Difference Award” recognizes acts of kindness and unselfishness performed by those in the ESU community, including staff, faculty and students. Each month three nominees will be selected to receive the award. October's recepiants are Dr. Dwight Moore, Pam Emley and Linsey Boyd.

Moore is involved on campus
By Rachel Roberts

Dwight Moore holds many roles on the Emporia State University campus and is continually bettering his students and others around him to succeed. Two colleagues felt that his involvement on campus is appreciated and nominated him for the You Make a Difference award.

Moore is a professor of biology and doubles as the director of the University Honors Program. He takes pride in the relationships he establishes and his participation in each of his activities.

“It is important that faculty teach rigorous courses that challenge and prepare students,” Moore said. “I also feel that it is important that the faculty interact in a positive manner with students outside of the classroom.”

As the director of the Honors Program, Moore helped to coordinate a fundraiser for those students who wanted to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They collected CDs and DVDs from the student body and sold them to raise money. The event was a success with $878.00 dollars collected.

He has also assisted 16 students from Xian, China who are attending classes this fall. He traveled to China to meet with them. Throughout the summer, he was continually answering questions and advising them on their arrival and their time spent here. Moore is working on a committee to direct these students, but it is also about the relationships he continues with these certain individuals. Moore takes the time out of his schedule to assist these students with questions, advice, even to join them for lunches. His colleagues said he simply cared enough to put in extra time anywhere and everywhere those students needed it.

“I think that I am a person to whom students can come with problems because I am willing to listen. I can often offer solutions, and I am generally supportive of their efforts to succeed at ESU. I also feel that I convey a sense of enthusiasm for learning and involvement to my students,” said Moore .

This is why he is nominated for the You Make a Difference award. He excels in caring for students and helping the community around him. Moore inspires and helps to spark excitement in his assistance with others.

Moore has been at Emporia State for 20 years. He arrived after he received his Ph.D. in Biology from the University of New Mexico . Among other activities, he has coordinated the Relay for Life Cancer Walk and the relief efforts for the hurricane victims with his students; he volunteers in the adult literacy program, and above all; attends to students that he is not obligated to advise. He simply cares.

“Dr. Moore not only adds to Emporia State University 's sincerity of community involvement, he epitomizes it,” said Joella Mehrhof, colleague of Moore and professor in the health and physical education department.

Student works hard in business office

By Mandy Davis

“Make it a great day and only you can do that,” said Linsey Boyd, senior management major who lives by this quote daily and shares it with others. Boyd is one of October's You Make A Difference recipients. She is the first student to receive this award.

Boyd is a student assistant in the School of Business Dean's office and has been employed there for two years. During Boyd's time at ESU she has become involved in numerous organizations within the Business department as well as outside the department.

“Linsey is on several committees in the School of Business at the request of faculty because she has quality input and ideas,” said Glenda Estes, Boyd's nominator.

Within the Business department she takes part on the School of Business Students Committee , School of Business Students Sub Committee , and the School of Business Assessment Committee . Outside of work, Boyd is involved in Alpha Sigma Alpha Sorority, Beta Gamma Sigma, the Business honors society, Phi Eta Sigma, freshman honor society, and Gamma Phi Alpha, Greek honor society.

Boyd was nominated for her hard work and effort that she put into the Career Fair. The School of Business Students Sub Committee is the committee that is responsible for the Career Fair. Boyd served as a liaison between the committee and Career Services.

“Linsey promoted the Career Fair on the radio, oversaw the placement of newspaper ads, and recruited 50 student volunteers to help with the fair. Seventy companies attended the fair as did 375 students,” said Estes. “Linsey was instrumental in making this a well-run event ... the kind that makes ESU shine.”

“It was awesome because I got so many compliments from employers because they said how smooth everything was going and how organized it was,” said Boyd in regards to the Career Fair.

Boyd plans on graduating in May with a bachelors of science in business. She plans to move back to her hometown of Omaha , Neb. and work in the tourism industry.

Emley serves as mother on and off campus

By Becky Lundblom

Pam “mom” Emley has been a “mom” practically her whole life. She is not just a mother to her own two daughters, but has unofficially adopted dozens of other children from everywhere she has been.

“She acts like a mother. If we need to talk to her about anything, we can go to her,” said Tyrell Boor, Emley’s nominator.

Emley is the Retail Supervisor in Sodexho in the Memorial Union. It is her responsibility to make sure the ESU Hornet’s Nest runs smoothly. She has taken some of the student employees in the Hornet’s Nest under her wing and is a mentor to them.

“She’s a very knowledgeable and experienced woman when it comes to real-life situations, and just basic experiences of life. She really does care honestly and genuinely. (When we first met), she remembered my name, and what I had said,” said Melissa Wichmann, junior art education major.

Emley’s favorite part of her job is the interaction with the students who eat in the Hornet’s Nest. She strives to keep everyone satisfied.

“Seeing ‘em all smile – it gives you a sense of pride to have kids come up to you and say ‘I had this today or that today and it was really good,” she said.

When she’s at work, she tries to run the Hornet’s Nest smoothly, but still be able to have a good time.

“I want everybody to be able to come to work and have a good time, but know there’s work to do. We don’t have drama. We have fun, but we get stuff accomplished,” she said.

Whether at work or at home, Pam Emley just does what comes naturally to her – “she truly listens.”

 

 

Last Updated July 2, 2007>