Each year, the Dean of the College of Letters & Science offers five awards recognizing outstanding performance, service, and contributions by L&S University Staff members.
The L&S University Staff Awards honor staff members for their excellence in the following areas: effectiveness, innovation, creativity, originality, leadership, climate, and service to the university. We salute and offer congratulations to the winners of the 2024-25 awards:
EXEMPT
Cara Streekstra
Curation Manager and Horticulturist
Department of Botany
While Cara Streekstra is someone whose work is done behind the scenes, her work itself is seen by thousands. In managing the Botany Garden and Greenhouse, she supervises students, maintains a world-class living botanical collection, and works closely with cross-campus groups, the general public, and with schools to provide significant outreach for both the Department of Botany and the UW as a whole.
In speaking of her behavior that aids in creating a positive workplace climate, Professor of Botany Ken Cameron stated, “Ms. Streekstra is a kind, jovial, empathetic and well-respected member of our community. Cara is an active member of our department, participating in shared governance and striving to make our department a more equitable and positive workspace. She needs to engage with the public, who visits our open access facilities (outdoor garden and indoor greenhouse), dozens of student hourly workers, instructors and research scientists. Overall, she leads by example and has made the climate of our university as open, inclusive, and welcoming as possible. She is a joy to work with.”
It's important to note that Cara is eager in assisting everyone in the department. She cares not only for her coworkers, but for every plant that needs tending. While the Botany Garden and Greenhouse is currently experiencing a time without a director, she has stepped up to fill the vacancy in this time of need, drawing on her expertise in being the unit’s longest-serving employee.
Molly Campbell, horticultural technician, added, “Cara’s contributions to the Botany Garden and Greenhouse cannot be easily summarized within the constraints of this award nomination document. But certainly, the success of our unit is strongly tied to her dedication and leadership.”
NON-EXEMPT
Sophie Hougland
Administrative Assistant III
Department of Communication Arts
Sophie Hougland is someone who takes initiative. From assisting a new department chair in organizing personnel and focus groups, to identifying a recurring monetary issue no one else had detected, she is always thinking one step ahead. Her work in the Department of Communication Arts exceeds far beyond her job title, as she also assists with event planning and fundraising, pulling off elaborate events and earning the respect of her peers at WFAA.
“I continue to be amazed by Sophie’s foresight, professionalism and attention to detail. In each and every interaction, she is timely, thorough and goes out of her way to help others — even when it is out of her official job description,” states Associate Professor Allison Prasch. “She is the glue that holds us all together, and we are so very lucky to have her as part of our department.”
Sophie has established herself as someone who others go to for expertise in travel, booking and much, much more. Her ability to identify needs before they even arise is outstanding, and she provides her colleagues with comfort and ease as they tackle each day. Whether she’s delivering good news or bad, her colleagues find peace in knowing she will be there to support them 100%.
Department Chair Derek Johnson writes, “I like to think that the Department of Communication Arts has had considerable success in identifying shared goals and taking concrete steps toward meeting them. None of what we have accomplished would have been possible without Sophie’s hard work and dedication to the department over the past two and half years. She is meant to serve as assistant to the chair, but in truth she is my strategic partner whose contributions help drive change and growth in the department.”
Lauralee Wheeler
Payroll & Benefits Specialist
Student Academic Affairs / SuccessWorks
When Lauralee Wheeler says she’ll do something, it’ll get done. Follow up isn’t needed, nor is questioning — it will always get done. Her expertise as a payroll and benefits specialist is obvious in her day-to-day job, and in the respect that she’s gained from her colleagues. With 12 years in her role, and an onboarding repertoire of hundreds of employees, she is someone many can rely on as she’s consistently putting others at ease when handling stressful logistical challenges.
“Lauralee’s calm demeanor and rational approach to problem-solving play a significant role in fostering a positive workplace climate. From the moment I first met her as a new employee being onboarded, Lauralee exuded warmth and friendliness, creating an inclusive and welcoming environment,” writes L&S Honors Program Administrator Kendra Ramthun. “Her approachable nature and dedication to helping others make her a cornerstone of a supportive, positive workplace culture.”
In being so knowledgeable on many campus policies and protocols, Lauralee has fine-tuned her own personal approach to onboarding and assisting personnel in SuccessWorks and Student Academic Affairs. From creating frameworks others can adopt into their daily task completion to helping folks better communicate with their student staff, she’s always looking to streamline processes to create efficiency and success.
Marina Kelly, Assistant Director for the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program, notes of Lauralee, “She offers consistency and reliability and demonstrates integrity, authenticity and humility. Her colleagues take note of Lauralee’s approach and are positively influenced by the values she lives out in her work. Practically speaking, she provides a beautiful example of how to accomplish a plethora of diverse work tasks while maintaining a sense of calm. Lauralee represents stability and connection for our work unit.”
Cathy Yu
Administrative Assistant
Teaching & Learning Administration
Like many across campus, Cathy Yu’s title does not come close to encompassing all the work she does. She assists numerous committees across campus, plans and executes large-scale events, and of course, assists the Teaching & Learning Administration (TLA) in its day-to-day needs.
“Cathy asks questions. Cathy is curious, seeking to know more than simply what to do — she thinks carefully about her work, looks broadly at what she does, interrogates how it might be improved and how the work fits into the larger mission of TLA,” writes Associate Dean Elaine Klein. “In many ways, these practices keep the team well-grounded: We are all better able to focus on the work we do because Cathy helps to remind us to bring purpose and intention to our work.”
Cathy has been identified by others as someone to go to for questions relating to inclusive excellence, accessibility needs and even payment processes for events across campus. If there’s ever a question you don’t know, there’s a good chance Cathy knows. She has a wide breadth of knowledge and is always more than happy to share it with those around her.
“One way that Cathy specifically creates a positive workplace climate is through her commitment to equity and accessibility. Anytime Cathy is in a conversation, these values will be there, too,” says Assistant Dean Lynne Prost. “Cathy is an incredibly supportive and kind colleague. She is always willing to help in any way she can. Her positive attitude makes our team environment so much better every day.”
BLUE COLLAR OR TECHNICAL
Michelle Fitzgerald
Instructional Lab Specialist
Department of Chemistry
In interacting with students and faculty of all levels to maintain a heavily trafficked stockroom, Michelle Fitzgerald is someone who provides a monumental amount of support for multiple areas in the Department of Chemistry. She is always looking to improve instruments, processes and the overall efficiency of each lab she supports.
Mark Wendt, Teaching Faculty in the Department of Chemistry, writes, “Michelle actively searches for new projects to tackle. At one point we had several old lab stools, equipment carts and coat racks that were not in usable condition and were about to be disposed of. She coordinated sandblasting, painting and the replacement of broken components to refurbish the old equipment at a significant savings compared to purchasing new equipment. It is now ten years later, and the refurbished equipment still works, and looks, great!”
Not only is she someone who’s always looking for more to do and more to improve on, she’s also someone who actively participates across campus as often as she can. From being a commencement marshal to baking pies for charity events and hosting a stop for a graduate student scavenger hunt, she is happy to be involved in whatever way she can to help foster a welcoming environment.
When speaking of her behavior, Teaching Faculty Blaise Thompson says, “Michelle is a team player, constantly helping fellow teaching staff (directors, TAs) with their moment-to-moment needs. Furthermore, Michelle is fun and friendly with the students that she interacts with. Everyone enjoys working with Michelle on a daily basis.”