Colleen Whitman Named Global Campus Employee of the Quarter and Employee of the Year

Colleen Whitman, online student support manager at the U of A Global Campus, was named both Global Campus Employee of the Fourth Quarter and Global Campus Employee of the Year.

Whitman received both awards from Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education at Global Campus, at the July staff meeting. The quarterly award is presented to staff who demonstrate exceptional initiative or have a meaningful impact well beyond their assigned duties. The annual award recognizes outstanding achievements and accomplishments that support the mission of Global Campus and the U of A.

"Colleen's dedication to students and her team is evident in everything she does," Murphy said. "Whether she is strengthening her team, removing barriers to graduation or advocating for online and transfer students across campus, she leads with purpose and follows through with meaningful results. Her work is making a lasting difference for our students, staff and the university, and I am delighted to see her recognized for this extraordinary impact."

Whitman manages both the Online Student Liaison Office and the Student Success Office at Global Campus, overseeing teams responsible for helping online students navigate the university—from first inquiry through admissions, enrollment and beyond. Her work focuses on removing barriers for prospective online students, improving communication and ensuring everyone receives the support they need throughout their academic journey.

"I enjoy making processes simpler for students," Whitman said. "I always try to look at the part that we guide them through as if they've never been here before. They don't know all the rules that we know."

That philosophy guides her work on many of the projects that earned Whitman recognition from her colleagues, particularly initiatives that required coordination across numerous university departments.

Nominators stated, "In the spring, Colleen restructured the GC Student Success team, with each role more defined. She served in the cross-campus Graduation Pathways working group that coordinated with Mission 6 to create and launch policy and procedure initiatives identified as barriers to graduation. These and more are examples that exemplify Colleen's determination and dedication to support Global Campus, her staff and prospective online students."

Whitman responded, saying, "It was very nice to be recognized. I really feel like I went above and beyond for a few steps, and it mostly had to do with coordinating across different departments on campus. That is, I think, one of the hardest things anyone at Global Campus can ever take on doing."

Whitman describes her team's mission as helping both students and the faculty and staff who serve them. Her commitment to improving processes extends beyond technology. Whitman continually evaluates websites, communications and student services to ensure online learners have the same access to information and university resources as on-campus students.

"I always think of the program, faculty and staff, the ones that are teaching the students," she said. "I consider them to be the helpers and we're the ones that help the helpers, right? At the same time, our students are treated fairly. That's really important to me."

Success is measured by how easily students can complete the admissions and enrollment process without confusion while knowing assistance is always available if needed, she said.

"We really want to see students succeed," Whitman stated. "We want to help them."

Whitman's supervisor is Patty Milner, assistant vice provost for Innovation and Online Student Experience.

"Colleen and her teams provide critical support for our online learners," Milner said. "She has created a culture of service and support on her team that is really extraordinary. That starts with Colleen and her focus on the student and the processes, systems and structures that influence their experience here. Colleen's drive to make that journey as transparent and supported as possible is unwavering and has led her to introduce innovative tools and techniques across her teams. It is great to see her work recognized in this way."

Looking ahead, Whitman plans to continue expanding the personalized checklist model for graduate students and improving the admissions experience for non-degree-seeking students by providing clearer guidance and more direct connections to academic departments.

Her focus remains the same as it has throughout her career at Global Campus: making higher education easier to navigate.

Other nominees for the Employee of the Fourth Quarter award were:

• Cindy Folsom, assistant to the vice provost, Office of the Vice Provost for Distance Education
• Abi Moser, Blackboard support coordinator, Learning Technology Support
• Nina Reich, human resources coordinator, Financial Affairs & Human Resources
• Heidi Wells, content writer and strategist, Marketing & Communications

The Global Campus employee of the year is chosen from among the four employee of the quarter recipients who remain employed with Global Campus through the end of the award year. The award recognizes outstanding achievements and accomplishments that relate to the unit's goals and the U of A mission. The award recipient receives a commemorative certificate and a monetary award.

The other candidates qualified for Global Campus employee of the year 2025-26 were:

• Kathy Green, administrative support supervisor, Instructional Design & Support Services
• Uthara Unnikrishnan, data and innovation resource specialist, Professional & Workforce Development
• Kati Williams, online student support coordinator, Online Student Success

The Global Campus supports the U of A academic colleges and schools in the development and delivery of online degree programs and courses, and workforce development programs. This unit provides instructional design services, learning technology support, media production services and assistance with financial administration, recruitment and marketing. 

The Global Campus also supports the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying in online degree programs.