Toward the start of September, Coretta decided to cook dinner for the entire RA staff--out of her own budget. She made a full southern spread complete with fried chicken and mashed potatoes and acted as hostess while we all sat around and got to know each other better. While giving us a good meal, Coretta was building community between the RAs, creating an opportunity for us to see each other outside of staff meetings. Because of the conversations I had during that RA dinner, I ended up making plans to co-program with one RA and to go out to lunch with another.

As an individual, Coretta has really helped me manage some personal disagreements this month. Little arguments and conflicts over responsibility could have exploded into much more if it hadn't been for Coretta's guidance and willingness to listen. Between disagreements with my leadership peers as well as a graduate adviser, Coretta was there to talk me through it--even when the conversation lasted three hours. She is always challenging me to see things from the other person's perspective and to try and consider the different ways that we communicate.

What meant the most to me, though, wasn't just what she said to me; it was that she backed up those words of encouragement and support with actions. After talking to me on the phone about how to mediate a disagreement, I told her that I needed to get off the phone to get ready for one of my socials. Less than ten minutes later, as I sat in the hallway for the social, the elevator opened, and Coretta stepped off. She attended my social, talking to my residents and participating in the arts and crafts project, for almost an hour. While she could have just stayed in her room or done something for herself, Coretta came upstairs for me, to show me support without saying anything.

Another testament to her excellence, "Cookies with Coretta" takes place every Tuesday from 3:00 to 4:30pm in Coretta's office. She invites all the residents of the building to come by and have some cookies just so she can get to know them. She isn't just concerned about connecting with her RA staff or fellow professionals. Coretta cares, deeply, about meeting and getting to know all the residents in our building. The best example of this dedication happened toward the end of September when Coretta passed me in the hallway and reminded me that it was one of my residents' birthday. With nearly 600 students in the building, she took the time to learn the birthday of one of my residents.

To really point out how far Coretta soars above expectations, I went to check my RA box at 8:30pm tonight. And who did I find in her office? Coretta, hard at work on a stack of papers. I told her to go home, and she said, "It's got to get done." That is just the kind of person that she is.

Coretta always tells me, "Excellence is a habit." I can think of no better way to sum up the dedication and skill she exhibits every day. It is with the utmost confidence and respect that I nominate Coretta Roseboro for Faculty/Staff of the Month for September 2008.

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