Three University of Idaho faculty, staff and administrative members were awarded Athena’s Women of the Year Award.
Athena supports professional women at UI through training programs, conferences, scholarships and stipends. The Women of the Year Award highlights some achievements of these women.
“These are women, who through their work (on our campus and our entire state), have a significant impact in a positive way on a number of women’s lives,” said UI instructor and Athena President Shauna Corry.
This year’s winners include Elizabeth Barker Brandt, law professor and associate dean for Faculty Affairs; Brenda Helbling, executive assistant to Provost and Executive Vice President Doug Baker; and Carmen Suarez, director of Human Rights, Access and Inclusion.
Both Helbling and Suarez are Athena members at UI, while Brandt is not.
“Anyone can receive the Women of the Year award, not just Athena members,” Corry said. “There are really great women that don’t have time (to join Athena) that do significant work and are contributing.”
Corry said award-winner Helbling can solve any problem and helps other people do the same.
Helbling said she is responsible for implementing initiatives, building relationships across the university and maintaining strong professional relationships all the way to the state board level. She said her job has to adapt to current needs.
“Creating relationships and opening effective lines of communication set the stage to resolve problems when they arise,” Helbling said. “If I have the relationship and communication built first, then I can address difficult or challenging issues.”
Corry said Brandt works tirelessly to address women’s and children’s concerns and tries to enact positive changes to societal perceptions of women and children. She said Brandt is her mentor.
Corry said Suarez, award-winner and Athena secretary, has voiced the need for more women in administrative positions. She said Suarez is a champion for people of all cultures and those with disabilities, and that she is very giving and has made a difference on campus.
All chapter funding comes from membership dues, Corry said, while donations go to an un-endowed scholarship fund. Dues fund meetings and a bi-yearly women leadership conference. UI President M. Duane Nellis funded the Women of the Year Award celebration at his residence March 28.
“Being awarded sort of focuses on the positive side of your balance sheet,” Helbling said. “While it applauds individual achievement, in reality, it applauds availability of opportunities given to me by others and applauds effective relationships I’ve been a part of.”
Corry said anyone can nominate a faculty, staff or administrative member for the award.
“An award to an individual has greater reach than the individual themselves,” Helbling said.
Lindsey Treffry can be reached at [email protected]