Mumford award recipient is a priceless member of the CAFNR team
by Kathleen Sprouse, posted May 15, 2008
Described as a resource that could never be duplicated, Donna Vaught has spent 25 years serving the students, staff and faculty of CAFNR. Earlier this spring, all her years of dedication were recognized when she was presented with the Mumford Outstanding Staff award at CAFNR’s Celebration of Excellence ceremony.
Staff members and students nominated Vaught. The Mumford award is given in memory of Professor Frederick Blackmar Mumford, whom Mumford Hall is named after. He was a dean for 27 years at the University of Missouri, was well-known among Missouri farmers and respected for his research.
Vaught first worked for CAFNR in 1969 for former associate dean, Homer Folks. She then moved with her family to Colorado for 13 years before returning to CAFNR again in 1990. She now works as the executive staff assistant to Paul Vaughn, associate dean for academic programs.
“Coming back [to CAFNR] from Colorado as a single mom,” Vaught said. “Was like coming home.”
Vaught is one of the first in the office in the morning and starts the day answering e-mails and continues into her diverse tasks, which on any given day could include: planning a variety of banquets such as CAFNR’s annual High School Teacher dinner, graduation receptions and scholarship dinners; managing Dean Vaughn’s hectic schedule; or organizing and providing oversight for more than 170 scholarship accounts.
Her work with the CAFNR scholarship program is daunting and includes the task of matching scholarship donor criteria to individual students. Vaught is behind the scenes, continuing to help CAFNR achieve its goal of providing the most scholarship money to its students.
“She has to estimate how much each fund will bring in to help students,” said David Trinklein, professor of horticulture. “She thrives under that pressure, always a smile on her face.”
Trinklein is the chair of the scholarship committee and works regularly with Vaught and the rest of the committee to help distribute as much scholarship money as possible to students.
“She’s a resource that is difficult to difficult to duplicate,” Trinklein said.
Associate Dean Vaughn, who has worked with Vaught for more than eight years, admires her work ethic, dedication to CAFNR students and archival knowledge of CAFNR and the many scholarship accounts.
“Her organizational skills, that is why she is so good for me,” Vaughn said. “She understands all my flaws, which are many. If it wasn’t for her, I would be lost. She handles so many things I don’t even know about.”
Cece Leslie, CAFNR’s director of career services, interacts daily with Vaught and has worked with her for more than five years.
“Donna to me is the ideal, perfect colleague,” Leslie said. “She treats every individual with respect.”
Vaught has talked about retiring in a couple of years and the staff is already nervous about the prospect of losing her knowledge, her positive energy in the office and her dedication to CAFNR.
“[Vaught} really will leave a wonderful legacy in the College,” Leslie said.
Vaughn, Leslie, and Trinklein all describe Vaught as the “glue” that holds CAFNR together. She is the first one to send the card around for the sick, the first to make the coffee every morning and the first many go to with questions. Her dedication is priceless, her smile is contagious, and her work with the scholarships changes students’ lives.
