OUR VALUES

Nicole Phillips

Assistant Professor Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics   

As a faculty member and researcher, Dr. Nicole Phillips has a busy schedule to keep up with every day. But she still manages to find time to help every person who comes through her door.

She has an open door policy that extends beyond her students to include anyone who needs assistance. She never says no to community events, and constantly encourages her students to take on new initiatives.

She understands the meaning of collaboration and puts it into practice. She has worked on initiatives in female health care with other faculty members and often collaborates with other schools. Her dedication to collaboration extends to her students and she has not only encouraged them to take on collaborative initiatives, she guides them through the process.

Her quick response to requests and her prompt follow-up has inspired others to take the same approach when working with others.

Student Development:Dr. Nicki McGee, Lori Saunders, Heather Hale, Chelsea Lancaster, Ashlee Jimenez and Melissa Brand

It took a lot of work and dedication to the smallest detail to make the May Commencement ceremony a success, but the Student Development team proved they were up to the task. They handled the event with poise, efficiency, and grace despite missing a critical member who was out on maternity leave.

The Commencement celebration was the perfect example of how this team works for the good of others rather than recognition for themselves. Their team-first, collaborative spirit, along with many hours of preparation went a long ways toward making the May Commencement ceremony a truly successful event.

While the ceremony was the most recent visible example of the Student Development Team’s dedication to UNTHSC, there are plenty of others. They consistently produce programs that engage students, staff and faculty. One example: the Campus Crawl, a unique and fun event that truly brought everyone together as “One University”.

Alma Armendariz

Medical Assistant Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine

Alma Armendariz is always looking for ways to help others from patients at the clinic to colleagues in the office.

Daily flow in the clinic can be hectic but even when she is extremely busy Alma stops to help anyone in need. If there is a lab or imaging results pending, she is the one who handles it. If there is an electronic medical record problem, she will solve the problem. She always puts patient care as priority.

She is a tireless advocate who treats everyone with dignity and compassion.

Working in an outpatient setting can be challenging, but if there is a patient emergency, Alma leaps into action. Her ability to come up with creative and innovative solutions to navigate hurdles of daily practice is amazing. She has great rapport with the physicians, patients, and staff.

Four Star Café

Troy Masure and the team at the Four Star Café treat their customers like family.

One example: When a customer met their family at the Four Star for lunch only to discover they forgot their debit card, the team stepped in and encouraged them to enjoy their meal. They could come back later to pay for it.

All members of the Team have a mutual respect for every customer’s time and money. They go the distance to make dining an enjoyable experience and an economical one. They recently lowered their prices without lowering the value of their food. They also offer so many services from delivery to catering that it is hard not to appreciate this fine vendor.

Janna Morgan & Jay Henson

Associate Director of Design, UNT System

Associate Director of Construction, UNT System

Janna Morgan and Jay Henson have dedicated much of the last few years to ensuring that the Interdisciplinary Research and Education Building is a huge success when it opens in October.

The UNT System duo took their job to oversee the design and construction of the five-story, 173,000-square-foot building seriously and worked in collaboration with the UNTHSC Operations and Facilities teams to make sure every detail was addressed.

Over the past few years, they have met with faculty, staff, students, architects, contractors, and vendors. When the design of the third and fourth floors changed to accommodate the School of Medicine, they quickly stepped up. They made sure the new requirements were met and they kept the building construction on schedule. Another example of their dedication: they collaborated with Testing and Evaluation Services to schedule loud projects around busy testing days.