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September 24, 2004

Mary Sparks receives Wright State President’s Award for Excellence in Service

Along with her full-time job, Sparks is a student in the Raj Soin College of Business, majoring in management information systems. She has a grade point average of 3.9 out of a possible 4.0 and has been admitted to the University Honors Program. She is also a member of the Golden Key International, Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and the Wright State Organization for Women. She balances all this with caring for her husband and three stepdaughters.

“The special skills Mary has gained from her studies in computer science and management have been an enormous help to the chemistry department,” said Paul Seybold, Ph.D., professor of chemistry. “Her computer work in managing the department’s many databases, her co-editorship of the department’s popular Annual Chemistry Newsletter and her efforts in maintaining and improving the department’s Web pages have been especially beneficial.”

“As a former Procter & Gamble employee, I have managed a great variety of individuals in a large corporate environment,” said David Portlock, Ph.D., research professor of chemistry. “Mary has all of the attributes I looked for in my own staff: initiative and follow-through, cooperative and suitable to multi-disciplinary team environment, excellent communication skills, hard working, bright and insightful and the ability to keep a sustained effort yet also multi-task.”

Sparks’ colleagues consider her the total package: exceptional employee, active university citizen, dedicated parent and family member and outstanding student.

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