It was with great pleasure that Senior Secretary of the College of Science & Technology, Patricia Rodriguez, put forth Miranda Debord for 2007-2008 Student Worker of the Year.  Rodriguez uses such words as reliable, willing, and positive to describe Miranda’s ethic in her work-study for the College.  However, says Rodriguez, with regard to this award, “The final description of Miranda would have to be ‘deserving,’ deserving of the recognition for her contributions to our organization.”  

Pictured are Miranda Debord (left) and Patricia Rodriguez (right).

Recognition for Student Employee of the Year is the result of a nomination and review process organized by the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Office of Career Services.  Each year, one student worker from each office of the university may be nominated by a non-student co-worker to be a nominee for Student Employee of the Year.  

It wasn’t merely on the merits of her contributions to the College of Science & Technology that Rodriguez nominated Debord, however.  Rodriguez also nominated Debord based on her extensive and positive support of the efforts of A&M-Corpus Christi as a whole.  In her nearly two years of service to the College, Debord has been involved in the International Scholar Laureate Program to South Africa, as well as Global Medical Training in Costa Rica/Panama.  She has contributed to this University by spending time over her summer with the Upward Bound Summer Academic Institute in which she instructed students that come from economically disadvantaged families.  Miranda is representing Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in the National Ethics Bowl.  And, says Rodriguez, “Even with her extensive list of extra-curricular credentials, Miranda has maintained an outstanding academic standing, enabling her to receive scholarships that have allowed her to achieve her educational goals.”

In the end it was not Miranda who was awarded the final distinction as Student Worker of the Year.  Patricia Rodriguez, and her co-workers in the office of the College of Science & Technology, simply knew that Miranda’s involvement and nomination are award enough.

- Will Piatt