Hamby named as 2016 PSEAS Spirit Award recipient
3/18/2016
By Yixuan Li
When Heather Hamby first stepped into the Department Civil and Environmental Engineering as a student intern during her last year at South Hills Business School in 1990, she had no idea that her journey with Penn State had only just begun.
March 19 marks the 26th anniversary for Hamby in the office, now the administrative support assistant with the department. She was recently named the recipient of the Penn State Engineering Alumni Society Spirit Award (PSEAS), which recognizes the excellence in her service for more than two decades.
“If there is one person that our students will remember when they leave here, it is Heather,” said Peggy Johnson, professor of civil engineering. “Not only does she do her job extremely well, but she regularly goes well beyond the call of duty and always with a smile and a pleasant word for everyone."
Time has passed and people in the department have come and go, but Hamby said that somehow the atmosphere has stayed the same, one of the biggest reasons that she has enjoyed working here for so long.
“We work really well as a team,” Hamby said.
Relationship-building is an important aspect in Hamby’s job. A typical day for her involves a lot of answering questions. Those questions could range from “Where is the engineering advising office?” from a freshman fairly new to the campus to “Could you write a recommendation letter for me to show my prospective employer?” from a senior ready to take on the world.
For every question she is asked, Hamby has to come up with an answer. She finds it a rewarding opportunity working with people from all manners and is always ready to learn something new.
“Working with students on a regular basis really brings a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, to see someone grow and evolve as a person,” Hamby said.
Hamby manages to handle every situation with patience, kindness and always gives her full attention.
“I think a lot of it was how I was brought up,” Hamby said. “My mom has always been a positive person.”
Hamby has indeed carried on her mother’s spirit, believing deeply that everyone has a story and every story is interesting.
Last summer, Hamby traveled to Panama with the student organization Bridges to Prosperity for two weeks. Working alongside students to build a bridge for the community, she called it “an experience of a lifetime”. It gave her a completely new perspective beyond what she could have learned behind her desk.
“Students would always tell me about their work and internships, but actually being there in real time and seeing them taking charge in the projects at such a scale makes me feel really proud,” Hamby said.
In Panama, Hamby and the students lived in the jungle and shared meals together. Although she still couldn’t really comprehend the construction and structure of the bridge, she found fulfillment from simply being part of the local community and engaging in the simpler tasks of bridge-building.
In fact, she enjoyed it so much that she will be going again this summer.
“You see students pouring their souls into it, and I just couldn’t help joining along,” Hamby said. “They are such good teachers. And I’m so thankful to be a part of it.”
When she is not working in the department, Hamby can be found at the Mommy Shoppe, a nonprofit organization in State College that provides affordable clothing for children ages zero to 18, where she serves on the board of directors.
Started as a grassroots organization, the store has grown fast into serving 1,000 families in the area with volumes of clothes getting donated and waiting to be sorted out every day.
Even with her busy work and volunteer schedules, she manages to help out with neighbors and friends whenever she can.
“Making life a little easier for everyone” is her life motto.
The PSEAS Spirit Award is presented annually, honoring a staff member that displays a positive and enthusiastic attitude and promotes a spirit of cooperation and collegiality in their work unit and the college. All full-time staff members who have worked for the College of Engineering for at least two years are eligible to receive this award.
Hamby is the second staff member to win this award and will receive $500 and a memento. She will be presented this award on Wednesday, April 27, at the Faculty & Staff Awards Ceremony.
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Heather Hamby has worked in the Department of Civil and Environmental for 26 years.
