OUR VALUES

Summer Ladd

Student Assistant, Physiology and Anatomy

More than 100 ninth graders from the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences got a memorable taste of life at UNT Health Science Center this summer. And Summer Ladd, Student Coordinator for the Summer Bridge Program, made it all happen.

Summer made sure their days were filled with discovery, challenges and rewards. From hands-on activities to research lab tours, the students had plenty of activities to keep them engaged. Summer did not stop there. She organized lunches and provided lots of caffeine to help faculty and volunteers keep going strong throughout the demanding days. She was also very careful to make sure that the UNTHSC volunteers received acknowledgement for their efforts.

Summer’s dedication started nearly two months before it started when she coordinated with UNTHSC departments and student groups to develop a well-rounded, engaging program for the TABS students and it showed.

With 100-plusTABS students on the campus every day, she efficiently managed last-minute changes in the schedule and unforeseen circumstance. She also sought out feedback from both the UNTHSC and TABS participants to improve next year’s program.

Summer not only made this year’s program a success, she compiled a list of tips for next year, ensuring that the 2019 Summer Bridge Program will go just as well.

Caroline Gourley

Senior Administrative Coordinator, Academic Affairs -TCOM

Caroline Gourley has her hands full with a challenging new role working with TCOM but she always makes time to make life easier for students by sending out reminders to keep them on track and replying to everyone in a timely manner. She does it all with a smile on her face and willingness to go the extra mile.

Caroline works hard to maintain an environment that is conducive for students to voice their concerns and constructive criticisms. She empathizes with the challenges students face and never assumes an attitude that is dismissive of their feedback. Recently when a student suggested a small group could be created to restructure course material for the upcoming class, Caroline was quick to encourage the idea. The opportunity was immediately available to the class the next week after following-up with the student who proposed the idea.

This is just one example of how efficiently Caroline advocates for students and in turn, creates more opportunity for collaboration and success.

Facilities Management: Willmoth, Talavera, Thetford, Short, Clark, Emerson

When water suddenly burst through the ceiling and started pouring on a student’s graduation party below, the Facilities Management team quickly came to the rescue.

Seth Willmoth, Jack Thetford, and Miguel Talavera braved the rain and wind to get the scene quickly, even though it meant they got soaking wet.

The trio jumped into action without thinking about their own discomfort and quickly addressed the problem.

Larry Clark and Jerry Emerson also did their part to stop a river gushing in and soon had moved furniture into the hall, vacuumed the water and set up a fan to dry out everything right away.

Soon Bob Short also arrived on the scene to take pictures of the problem and by that afternoon, he had a crew on the job working to permanently fix the damage. The crew managed to fix everything that same day.

After the walls and floor were dry, Jack returned a few days later to paint and replace all of the damaged tiles within a week.

This team works together to solve the problem efficiently.

Didi Ebert

Assistant Professor, Family Medicine

Dr. Didi Ebert pushes her students hard to do more than just the basics, like history taking, when caring for patients.

As a result, her students are on their way to becoming health care professionals who provide the best patient care possible.

She helps her students become better doctors in so many ways. For example, she holds them responsible for the full spectrum of patient care, and expects them to follow up and follow through with the people they care for. She pushes students to interact with every patient, to really listen and to do whatever it takes to build trust.

For the past 18 months, Dr. Ebert has worked at the Family Medicine Clinic in the Health Pavilion, where she has demonstrated the skills she teaches by showing students how to genuinely care for her patients. She continually looks for ways to best meet the needs of her patients.

She is a dedicated and driven physician who strives to improve patient care and education of health care professionals.

Haylie Miller

Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy

April is Autism Awareness Month, but Dr. Haylie Miller is an advocate every day of the year.

As a researcher, she studies ways to better meet the needs of those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. But her dedication doesn’t stop there. She always looks for ways to raise awareness and improve the lives of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their caregivers. For example, she worked with area museums to provide sensory-friendly programming for this population.

On Autism Awareness Day, she worked with her team to coordinate a variety of activities including an information fair, stakeholder panel discussion, and a caregiver/self-advocate happy hour.

She is someone who treats people with respect and regularly checks in with others to see how she can support them. Recently, she hosted an event for World Autism Awareness Day. She worked hard to create a day for families and caretakers that was informative, supportive and fun. She also included students, encouraging them to learn valuable, non-clinical information that will help them better serve their patients and clients.