SMG, MED, Sargent Staffers Receive Perkins Awards

A general theme played out in the letters of recommendation for the 2008 Perkins Distinguished Service Award recipients: each one acknowledges the winners as compassionate individuals whose dedication and hard work go well beyond their job description.

Each spring, the Perkins Awards are given to three BU nonfaculty members in recognition of outstanding service. This year’s recipients are Norman W. Blanchard (SMG’88, GSM’94), director of the Undergraduate Program Office in the School of Management; Joan E. Gentile, clinical assistant for fieldwork education in the departments of occupational therapy and rehabilitation counseling and of physical therapy and athletic training at Sargent College; and Linda L. Parlee, administrative manager in the department of microbiology at the School of Medicine. Each will receive $500 and a plaque in a ceremony today, May 6, at the Castle.

“Norm has an abundance of energy, good humor, and is never too tired to sit with students, no matter how late in the day it becomes,” writes Sandra M. Procopio, assistant dean of the School of Management’s undergraduate program. “His dedication, willingness to listen, and grasp of the big picture make him an invaluable asset to our program and school.”

A BU employee since 1989, Blanchard has worked at the Undergraduate Program Office for 10 years. As director, he oversees the budget and student services, helps with course offerings, and advises students enrolled in the collaborative degree program.

“The office is a home away from home for so many of our undergraduates,” Procopio says. “The staff provides academic advising, counseling referrals, and event planning, in addition to working with admissions on recruitment efforts. Norm extends himself at every opportunity to make certain all constituencies are being heard and concerns addressed.”

Since joining the Sargent College staff in 1991, Gentile has earned a reputation among her colleagues as both industrious and nurturing. “She loves what she does, and it shows in how she relates to our clinicians, to the students who stop by with a myriad of questions and concerns, and to all the faculty and staff with whom she works,” writes Linda Duncombe, a SAR clinical associate professor and academic fieldwork coordinator. “She willingly agrees to take on extra responsibilities and surpasses all expectations.”

When Duncombe was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, she turned to Gentile for help. “I was able to work from home during recovery from surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiation, with Joan picking up the pieces in the office,” Duncombe recalls. “I trusted that the office was running well and that she knew when I needed to be informed or involved. She sees the whole picture and knows where all the tasks fall in the landscape and what the priorities are.”

When Glen Zamansky, College of Arts and Sciences assistant dean for premedical studies and a MED associate professor of microbiology, joined the faculty in 1981, it didn’t take him long to realize that Parlee was the “go-to person if I needed help in getting something done,” he says. “She helps create a professional environment and sets a wonderful example for faculty, staff, and students to follow.”

As administrative manager, Parlee handles all aspects of the department, interacts with staff, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty and supports the teaching and research missions of the department.

“Linda keeps herself informed of anything that could impact the daily lives of investigators, staff, or students at the institution,” says Ronald B. Corley, a MED professor and chair of the department of microbiology. “She is a full partner in the achievements of the department, and in many respects, she is the heart and soul of the department.”

The Perkins Awards are presented by the Faculty Council and funded by an endowment from the late John S. Perkins, a former University faculty member, administrator, trustee, and treasurer. Only members of BU’s faculty can make nominations, and three letters of support must accompany each form. Members of the council’s Research Activities, Libraries, and Support Services Committee then read each letter independently and recommend four to six nominees. Members of the Faculty Council make the final decision, and letters are carried over year to year so that repeat nominees can be reconsidered.

Vicky Waltz can be reached at vwaltz@bu.edu.