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Human Sciences Staffer Recognized for Service to Distance Students

by Kelly Podzemny

A staff member of the Texas Tech University College of Human Sciences was recognized for her outstanding service to distance learning students recently. GPIDEA Campus Coordinator Taylor Wright received a "Great IDEA Award" at the Great Plains IDEA Spring Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri in mid-April.

In her role with the college Wright helps students pursuing programs within the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance (GPIDEA) get enrolled and register for online/distance courses at Texas Tech. She works with 45-50 students every semester. But not all of them are necessarily students at Texas Tech. She also works with students at other GPIDEA member universities who can take classes elsewhere to count toward degrees at their home institutions.

It was a student in Alabama who nominated Wright for the award. He was having difficulty finding information. But after contacting her in Lubbock, she was able to guide him through everything he needed. Wright modestly says it was all in a day's work.

"I was extremely shocked," Wright said. "I didn't do anything special. But he was so thankful that he called GPIDEA and asked how I could be recognized."

She also insists she couldn't have earned the award alone. There are several colleagues she works with regularly and believes are instrumental in making GPIDEA successful at Texas Tech: Dr. Lynn Huffman, Erica Romero, Landon Akins, Robert Ward and Leslie McClure (who trained Wright) just to name a few.

Wright encourages students unable to attend a physical campus to consider distance education.

"Don't be discouraged by the old stigma of online education," Wright said. "It's becoming more popular and accepted than you realize, and it is possible to get your degree."

ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF HUMAN SCIENCES

The College of Human Sciences provides multidisciplinary education, research, and service focused on individuals, families, and their environments for the purpose of improving and enhancing the human condition. Many of its programs are available online.