Terry Battle

2007 Staff Employee of the Year

Terry Battle Is Honored for her Service and Dedication

Champion of students, force behind “Rebuild New Orleans,” dedication personified. These are a few of the qualities that colleagues nominating Terry Battle for Staff Employee of the Year touted. Battle, a member of the campus community for 26 years, has worked within the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management all of that time. Battle’s selection was announced at the 37th Staff Awards Luncheon on April 24.

In 2003 Terry moved into the Engineering, Computer Science, and Construction Management office to assist the associate dean with program and assessment and coordination, student retention, and recruitment. She has helped organize numerous projects, including the Renewable Energy Consortium and the Big Chico Creek Environmental Preserve.

Terry is dedicated to students—and “students love Terry,” wrote Dean Ken Derucher in her nomination packet. “She is always there for them, and they know it,” said Derucher. The most recent example of the way that students excel with her mentoring is the “Rebuild New Orleans Project,” which Terry has spearheaded for the college and overseen with the students for three years.

Through Terry’s dedication and desire to engage students in community service, she formed a team to travel to New Orleans to assist those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The first team included Battle, and 25 students. Terry and the team focused primarily on demolition and site preparation for subsequent trips. The second year a team of 55 students, under Terry’s guidance, raised $60,000 and focused on the rebuilding of homes. This year, a team of 124 secured $90,000 in funds and focused on a finished home for Mrs. Ollie M. Goodwin. The home was dedicated to her on her 100th birthday.

Terry has been the administrative assistant for the new Concrete Industry Management Program since its inception. She uses her expertise with students to assist the dean and associate dean with student advising, retention, recruitment, and services.

For the past three years, Terry has also served as the chair of Staff Council. As an ambassador for staff, she has served as a liaison with the administration on issues pertaining to Staff Council and sits on numerous university-wide shared-governance committees. She has immersed herself in staff projects and programs, as well as local community service-based programs.

“There are not enough words to express our gratitude to Terry Battle,” said Trish Hamar or the Society of Women Engineers. “It is with her help that our organization has flourished. She does it all with a smile, brightness in her eyes, and with abundant energy.”