Staff Senate is proud to announce that Alison Joseph is the winner of The University of North Carolina Thomas W. Ross, Sr. Visionary Leader Award.
Shayna Hill, chair of the award committee, made the announcement at the July 27, 2021 Staff Assembly General Body meeting. This award was created in 2015 to celebrate a member of the UNC Staff Assembly who has proven to be an exemplary leader and one who inspires a shared vision on their campus and throughout the whole of the UNC Staff Assembly. This award is presented annually in recognition of a UNC Staff Assembly delegate who exhibits outstanding leadership on their campus, and demonstrates leadership and engagement in the UNC Staff Assembly.
Per the requirements, nominees must exhibit sustained, distinguished and superb leadership achievement by:
MODELING THE WAY
Alison Joseph is the gold standard. The Staff Senate at Western Carolina University has elevated itself into a key part of the shared governance structure at WCU. There have been many who have lent a hand to making this happen over the years but Alison’s sustained effort, dedication, and leadership have been a driving force. She doesn’t just show up, she shows others how to show up.
INSIPRING A SHARED VISION
A key way Alison has shared her vision and helped to bring it to fruition is a campus wide training survey. The survey was administered to all staff and data was gathered to help Senate understand all the areas on campus which employees felt they needed more training or felt the training offered was under-utilized. This has resulted in an awesome tool that Senate can use to help advocate for more organized training programs and much more. She continues to advocate for this survey as a tool which can be used in an ongoing way to see progress in this area for the entire University.
CHALLENGING THE PROCESS
If you know Alison, then you know someone who has never, in her entire life, settled for the status quo. She will make what she touches better and more efficient. She does this through a relentless drive to challenge the process. She solves problems by working to make sure she understands the full scope of the problem first. In her work, she builds relationships with budget officers to respond to the needs they have. In her Staff Senate work, she goes out of her way to build relationships across campus and actively seek out information about work conditions, concerns of staff, etc. She is a fierce advocate for clear and transparent communication. Alison challenges the process and she makes the process better.
ENABLEING OTHERS TO ACTION
Alison leads in a sustained, distinguished, and superb way and looks for others around her to mentor, train, and cajole. It is impossible to say “no” to Alison Joseph because you know that “I’m busy” doesn’t work for her. She will find a way to press you into action. She will find a way to make it work. She will find a way to clear your schedule, talk to your supervisor, or just make you understand that action is necessary and that you are necessary. She will find others who are already moving forward and she will find a way to bring people together. She is an enabler in the most noble sense of the word. We have watched her bring things into existence through her enabling of others: Staff Assembly surveys, University programs, recognition events, special speakers, and a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion.
ENCOURAGING THE HEARTS OF STUDENTS, STAFF, FACULTY AND OTHER CONSTITUENCIES ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAMPUS, AS WELL AS WITHIN THE UNC STAFF ASSEMBLY
Alison is one of the most positive and encouraging people on our campus. She has been the “face” of our Staff Senate since before her tenure as chair and she has always been an uplifting and positive influence to those around her. She is innately driven to be curious in ways that benefit others and she is always motivated to enhance the experiences of staff. Alison’s gregarious personality and caring sprit are what draw others to her and her drive to advocate for others establishing an innate trust in her. She is always highlighting the accomplishments and efforts of others and believes in the greatness of our institution and the UNC System.
It is agreed that Alison embodies each one of these criteria at her very core. She loves Western Carolina University, the students, the faculty and staff and she will go out of her way to make sure that folks feel welcomed, encourage, empowered, and supported in whatever ways she can.
When asked if she had anything she would like to say, Alison said, “I love my job but working with Staff Senate and now with Staff Assembly is the icing on the cake. It is the very best part, in my opinion, of what I do in advocating for staff members across the campus and across the system. Really highlighting all the amazing work these thousands of people do day in and day out, and celebrating that work, and trying to make the system better for all of us is just a delight, a pleasure and honor, for real.”
Alison has served as a Senator and held several positions within Senate over the years. Additionally, she has participated on UNC Staff Assembly as a WCU Delegate and currently holds a seat as a Delegate-at-Large. Prior to being elected to a position, she helped to organized and administer Staff Assembly survey projects. Alison is the second WCU staff member to receive this distinguished award; Pamela Degraffenreid was the 2017 recipient.
Garrett Killian, chair of the Staff Assembly, stated that Alison was “definitely a role model for everyone and you do an outstanding job on the Assembly and for your Staff Senate as well. I cannot think of a more deserving person for this award.”
Congratulations, Alison!
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