Distinguished Staff Awards are given to staff who have made outstanding contributions to the mission of their unit or the University. They respond creatively to challenges, maintain the highest standards in their work, establish productive working relationships, and promote a respectful and supportive workplace. Awardees receive $5,000.

Laura Robinson - Rehabilitation Medicine

Whether she's setting up a laboratory for a class, responding thoughtfully to a student's question or keeping track of relevant safety regulations, Laura Robinson is someone everyone counts on.

At least everyone in the Division of Physical Therapy, where she is the curriculum program coordinator. The division is part of the School of Medicine's Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. Students there earn either bachelor's or master's degrees in physical therapy. (The bachelor's degree will no longer be offered after this year.)

Laura Robinson

According to Mark Guthrie, head of the division, her job means that, in reality, she is "the records keeper and historian, budget coordinator, curriculum coordinator, schedule coordinator, public relations coordinator, secretary, custodian, security guard, student and pre-student advisor and first and last line of defense for virtually every issue that arises in the Division." Guthrie, who obviously values her many capabilities, nominated her for the Distinguished Staff Award.

In addition to all her other roles, Robinson is a physical therapist who earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from the UW program, a circumstance that makes it easy for her to relate to a student's point of view. In addition to keeping track of graduation requirements for students and arranging things for them, she also meets with prospective students who are considering entering the program.

"She is your first contact in applying to school, the first contact upon acceptance, and the main contact for any and all questions throughout the curriculum," one student wrote in supporting her nomination. "Aside from her professional obligations, she has extended herself to assist me personally in applying for academic scholarships . . ."

This sense of personal caring and concern seems to be a theme in Robinson's work life. "She is the one who reminds all of us when things are due, how to complete the zillions of forms we get, when it's probably time to review part of the curriculum or send in a progress report or remind a grad student to register for something, etc., etc., etc.," Guthrie, the division head, writes in his nomination.

"She is always available to the students to answer questions, provide materials or schedule meetings with faculty members," writes Linda Smith, the division's administrative assistant.

"Laura is truly an unusually talented individual; we have been so fortunate to have her managing the support structure for our program faculty and students," writes Jo Ann McMillan, an emeritus professor in the program. "She is fully dedicated to her work and continuously accepts the responsibility to assure that our activities are carried out in an optimal manner."

Robinson has been in her current job for a little more than 10 years, but she has been a UW employee or student since 1974. Before she entered the physical therapy program as a student in 1983, she had worked for several years in Housing and Food Services, advancing from food handler to head cook and working at most of the possible locations.

"I really enjoy working in the UW environment," Robinson says, noting both the intellectual curiosity and the cosmopolitan nature of the campus.

Predictably, she was pleased to be nominated for the award and even more pleased to be among the winners.

"People tell you that you're doing a good job and that they appreciate it," she says. "But an award like this is really at another level. I was thrilled that our faculty nominated me."

Claire Dietz, University Week

Distinguished Staff Awards: Kellus Stone - Industrial Engineering Dave Hurley - Biology Program Mahmoud Zubeidi - Copy Services Supervisor Cynthia Fugate - UW Bothell Library