Pride and Professionalism
One year into my job and one thing stands out at Virginia Tech above all others. Virginia Tech employees show great pride and professionalism in their work. Our employees care about our institution, our students, and performing their best. Working at Virginia Tech means much more than a paycheck. Need convincing? Read on…
The evidence of pride and professionalism was all around us on January 29, as University Professional Development and the Office of Sponsored Programs co-sponsored a professional development certificate program. The ceremony recognized seventy-four employees who did more than take individual classes – they completed entire certificate programs.
Employees were recognized for passing professional exams as a Certified Professional Secretary or Certified Administrative Professional. Others earned certificates as Research Administrators, in Office Software Skills, in Customer Service, or in Leadership Development. Finally, several employees completed Administrative Excellence Certificates in either Human Resources or Fiscal Practices. You can see the smiling faces of the certificate recipients through this link. You will notice some smiling faces in more than one picture – evidence of a professional commitment to achieve multiple certifications.
None of these certifications would occur without the support of the managers and supervisors who invested in the certificate recipients. Though we did not give them any certificates or take their pictures, they turned out in large numbers at the certificate program because they value professional development. They are acting out our Principles of Community to “create a community that nurtures learning and growth for all of its members”, not just students – all of its members.
These managers and supervisors also clearly value the excellent work of our University Professional Development unit. University Professional Development is witnessing a significant growth in attendance in its courses. In its first program semester, twenty-six employees completed the new Customer Service Certificate Program. New programs are being rolled out and enrollments continue to grow. Please take a moment to review the course offerings for faculty and staff on the University Professional Development website to see what might meet your needs: http://www.upd.vt.edu/ .
Pride and professionalism are evident in the individuals participating in the Executive Development Institute offered by University Organizational Development, under the leadership of Keisha Williams. The twenty-one individuals taking part in the Institute are committed to growing their skills, developing their talents, and preparing for future leadership positions. A strong commitment to deepen their professional skills can be seen by the scholar’s dedication to the seven month intensive curriculum that focuses on individual leadership development, organizational development, and community development. After the seven month onsite, the scholars go through an additional seven month mentoring phase designed by University Organizational Development and their supervisor. Take a look at their current curriculum and the impressive roster of participants in our first class: http://www.uod.vt.edu/edi/scholars/index.html .
Pride and professionalism jump out from every nomination packet for the President’s Award for Excellence. Though I do not select the five Award winners from the more than forty nominees, I do get the opportunity to read each packet as a non-voting member of the Selection Committee. It is a delight to read about so many outstanding contributors to our campus community. There are many more than five deserving President’s Award recipients, and the Selection Committee has a difficult task in choosing the five best from so many talented individuals. You will be hearing more about the nominees and recipients in the weeks to come.
Not convinced yet? Look around…Evidence of the pride and professionalism of Virginia Tech’s employees is displayed every day all across the campus. We must continue to invest our time and money in the professional development of our employees, committing resources to developing our people even as we are faced with tough financial choices. The professional development of our employees, 8,000 strong and in communities all across Virginia and beyond, is an investment with dividends far into the future.
About Hal Irvin
Hal Irvin has been Virginia Tech's associate vice president for human resources since March 2008.
Before coming to Virginia Tech, Hal worked for 14 years at Georgia Tech. In his last assignment, he served as executive director of organizational development – reporting to the executive vice president for administration and finance and was responsible for employee learning, change management, and internal consulting services. He played a central role in Georgia Tech’s successful efforts to improve administrative services and transform its service culture.