By Justin Wong

The Department of Psychology is known on campus as one of the best departments to work for. And faculty and staff members credit their department’s prestige around campus to Anita Turner, winner of a 2014 Staff Achievement Award for Lifetime Achievement.

A graduate program assistant in the department for the past 35 years, Turner often puts in countless extra hours to ensure admissions, scholarship applications, defenses and annual reviews are completed by deadline.

She’s also happy to help students who come to her seeking advice on difficult issues or challenges.

“She wants students to do very well academically of course, but also really wants them to thrive personally,” says one nominator. “I can’t tell you how many times she has commented or remarked about ‘what would be best’ for students.”

Turner’s sense of humor, cheerful personal style, and work ethic are a great contribution to the department’s work environment, says another nominator.

“She frequently goes the extra mile—I’d say the extra 100 miles—to help and support the graduate students and the graduate program in psychology.”

Turner spoke with humility when discussing her contributions, crediting her Staff Achievement Award to the department and the bonds she has created there.

“We enjoy a lot of flexibility with our jobs, I think, that really promotes going above and beyond because it goes both ways,” she says. “The most significant benefit to me personally is lifelong friendships. It is the cohesiveness and strong ties we have to each other that makes it wonderful to be here.”

Turner is eligible for retirement in the not too distant future, but has been postponing the decision, she says.

“One of the things holding me back from retiring is that I will miss all of the friends that I see on a daily basis.”