During her years of service to UTM as the director of Budgeting and Payroll, Beth Maloan became a strong advocate for student employment. The Beth Maloan Outstanding UT Martin Student Employee Award endorses Beth’s vision to recognize outstanding student performance and develop more challenging employment opportunities to make our students significant contributors to the university’s mission and better prepared for their professional endeavors.

After Beth lost her battle with cancer in April 2001, this award was established as a memorial to her and a testament to her belief in our student employees. This award is given each spring and fall semester to the student who demonstrates a strong work ethic and an exceptional commitment to the university. The ideal candidate must be in good academic standing and demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond normal expectations.

One of the goals of the Selection Committee is to endow this award. In that spirit, we’d like to remind you that you may contribute to this scholarship award through payroll deduction or by sending your contribution directly to the Office of Development. If you are interested in contributing, you may contact anyone in the Office of Development here on campus.

We appreciate your ongoing support in helping us realize this goal. Each award recipient receives a $500 cash award and a plaque to recognize his or her student employment service. Additionally, a perpetual plaque listing the names of all past recipients is in a place of honor in the UC. Our Fall 2006 recipient is a senior Electrical Engineering major who has worked in the Physical Plant for three years.

This year’s recipient is Chris Edwards. According to his supervisor, “Chris has proven to be a very valuable part of the Physical Plant team. He has saved the university thousands of dollars by taking on work that would normally be done by outside consultants.”

Edwards is completing his seventh semester as a student employed in the Physical Plant. He works for the Campus Engineer and Director of the Physical Plant in many different types of jobs. He prepares autocad drawings of campus building floor plans, renovation projects, and presentation material. He provides support to the Physical Plant shops as needed and is actively involved with parking lot layout and design, field layout, and locks. Edwards has established himself as a self-starter and shows a willingness to take on any task.

He has been an integral part of maintaining the Physical Plant computer drawing system in addition to archiving drawings and manuals. He is excellent at resolving computer problems and helps the campus engineer in electrical lighting design. He always displays a very pleasant attitude while completing tasks and at the same time keeping up with his engineering school studies. Edwards continues to take on more of a leadership role in the Physical Plant as well as showing that positive “get-the-job-done” attitude.

Once again, let’s thank Chris for his contributions to UTM and congratulate him on being the Fall 2006 recipient of the Beth Maloan Outstanding UT Martin Student Employee Award.

Edwards is a valued member of the Physical Plant staff. He has worked very diligently at his job, and has proven time and time again that he is a hard worker.

Congratulations once again. We are extremely pround to have you as this year’s recipient of the Outstanding UT Martin Student Employee Award.