PEOPLE
STAR STAFF
The “Can-Do” Attitude Wilma Newkirk shares her passion for performance DRIVEN, TALENTED AND AN EXPERT IN ADMINISTRATIVE affairs, Wilma Newkirk knows what it takes to get the job done: the willingness to roll up your sleeves and do the dirty work. “I never run from a challenge,” said Newkirk “in fact I look forward to hard work.”
I put a lot of my personality into my work. I love resolving issues… working cohesively with a team of professionals who really make a difference at GSU.
So when charged with the responsibility to serve as a marketing administrative professional in the telecommunications industry, Newkirk went straight to work. Operating in a marketing environment allowed Newkirk the room to develop her creative talent while maturing in the field of telecommunications. But, it also would prove useful in her career later down the line.
What impact does OIA have on GSU students? One way GSU students are impacted is by making the option available for them to travel abroad through the Study Abroad and Exchange Programs. GSU students can also get assistance and apply for scholarships through our office to further support their scholarly efforts abroad.
Newkirk would later switch gears to try her hand as a department supervisor for a large call center of a major banking institution. Her background in marketing and creative design enabled her to find innovative ways to carry out her responsibilities more efficiently and create solutions to significantly impact the bottom-line of her company. As a result of her resourcefulness and ‘can-do’ attitude, Newkirk received a promotion for her performance and later became an analyst responsible for process enhancement and risk mitigation.
Georgia State University is a school where everyone at some point is the student and the teacher. What lessons have you learned from your experiences here at GSU? What advice would you give a newcomer? What I would tell a newcomer is to plan for his work and then work his plan. I would tell him that GSU is a good school and, if he is resolute, he can accomplish his goals. I would tell him that along the way he will meet different challenges, but to be unwavering… encourage yourself when no one is around to encourage you.
In 2006, Newkirk left her home state of New York bound for Atlanta to take on a new role serving as Administrative Coordinator for Georgia State University. The b l a c k b o a r d recently caught up with this spirited staff member to learn more about her role in the Office of International Affairs and the impact OIA has on Georgia State University.
How can those interested in OIA contact your office for more information? You can contact OIA by calling 404-413-2530, or via OIA e-mail: oia@gsu.edu. You can also visit our web site: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwoia/index.htm.
What is an administrative coordinator and what are the major responsibilities for your position? An administrative coordinator performs functional tasks within a department such as assisting upper management with special projects and providing reporting. My primary function at GSU is to support the department with the daily processing of International Agreements between GSU and various global institutions. I help with the coordination of the Annual Metro Atlanta WorldQuest event that is sponsored by the College of Education, Office of International Affairs and the Southern Center. My most recent accomplishment was giving the OIA database a new look, making it more intuitive
–Nadeerah I. Franklin
What do you like most about working for Georgia State University? I like being given assignments with a timeline. I love minimizing effort, thus the [emphasis put on] process improvements. I feel a sense of satisfaction when my colleagues and I reach our goals. What role does the Office of International Affairs play at GSU? OIA is devoted to encouraging excellence through worldwide partnerships; through organizing and initiating university-wide endeavors with the foresight to institute an international angle within all phases of student life at GSU. B L AC K B O AR D
TO LEARN MORE VISIT US ONLINE AT: WWW.GSU.EDU/ALUMNI
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