Katie Rea, of Martin, received the University of Tennessee at Martin Beth Maloan Outstanding Student Employee Award for the fall 2019 semester during a ceremony Dec. 14. Rea is a junior studying agricultural business and works as a student assistant in the Department of Agriculture, Geosciences and Natural Resources.

Rea assists the department’s business manager, Carrie Arant, with the organization and verification of 16 department accounts and approximately 27 external research grants. She also helps faculty in the department compile data for research and grant production, course management and other requests as needed throughout the year.
<blockquote>“Katie is an enthusiastic, trustworthy and hardworking individual. The work she currently does for me is very fast-paced and subject to change at a moment’s notice. She always has a positive attitude and handles these last-minute changes very well,” wrote Arant in Rea’s nomination materials. “I have faculty in our department and other departments compliment her on how well she does her job.”</blockquote>
According to Dr. Wes Totten, department chair, Rea was instrumental in the creation of a more streamlined financial management system for the Tennessee Governors School for the Agricultural Sciences, which reduces the time spent distributing funds to individual students and requires fewer supplies and special requests overall. She also serves as a student ambassador for the department and assists Totten with recruiting events, student visits and high school presentations across the region.
<blockquote>“It has certainly been my pleasure to advise, instruct and supervise Katie during my service here at Martin. Her diligent work ethic and productive collegiate experience is the subject of positive commendation and is held in high regard by the faculty here,” wrote Totten in his nomination letter. “Her mother and father truly have a daughter to be so proud of.”</blockquote>
The Beth Maloan Outstanding Student Employee Award is named for the late Beth Maloan, longtime UT Martin director of budgeting and payroll, who was a strong advocate of student employment. It recognizes exemplary work ethic and commitment to the university. The award is given each semester to a student nominated by his or her supervising office or department.

For more information, contact the UT Martin Office of University Relations at 731-881-7615.

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