Heidi Wells Named Global Campus Employee of the Year

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Heidi Wells, center, accepts the Global Campus Employee of the Year award from Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education and head of the Global Campus (left), and Jamie Loftin, assistant vice provost for distance education administration (right).

Heidi Wells, a content strategist on the marketing and communications team at Global Campus, has been named employee of the year by the U of A Global Campus. Wells also was honored as the employee of the third quarter for the campus in July by the U of A Staff Senate.

"I am really grateful to work with the bright, creative, knowledgeable and dedicated teams that make up Global Campus," Wells said. "They keep students top of mind in every aspect of their work, and students studying in online degree programs and workforce training programs have such inspiring stories to tell that it makes my job rewarding and fun. The emphasis on quality teaching and content that faculty members and instructors provide to online learners is also uplifting."

Cheryl Murphy, vice provost for distance education and head of the Global Campus, recognized Wells during a July 12 staff meeting. Wells joined the Global Campus in November 2021.

"I have had the great fortune of working with Heidi in both the College of Education and Health Professions and in Global Campus, and she never fails to amaze me with her talent," Murphy said. "She is always creating new and innovative ways to communicate our story, and the campus is very lucky to have her."

Wells' immediate supervisor is Kay Murphy, director of marketing and communications at Global Campus.

"Heidi has proven an amazing addition to our team," Kay Murphy said. "Her passion and drive for excellence in producing and relaying authentic U of A stories are obvious to those who know her work best. She uses her extensive experience and skills to tell the inspirational stories of successful learners and the educators who made their success possible."

Wells, who assists with many marketing-related tasks, also writes and edits posts for The Online Learner, the blog that promotes innovative online education. She provides content for the U of A's Arkansas News and three Global Campus websites. She works with the media production team to develop video messaging for both online degree programs and professional and workforce development programs.

Co-workers who nominated Wells for the employee of the quarter in October 2022 — which made her eligible for the employee of the year award — praised her work on the Summer 2022 Razorbug Diploma Tour, an initiative launched by the Global Campus to recognize U of A graduates who studied online while living and working in their hometowns. The tour increased awareness of online degree programs and the success of students. 

"Heidi reached out to media and community organizations in every town on the tour, helping local influencers feel the excitement and celebration," Kay Murphy said. "Heidi never missed a presentation day in the summers of 2022 and 2023. Her ability to sustain a powerful, cheerful, authentic spirit day after day for weeks was extraordinary. She pushed through a tiredness that's unique to this summertime initiative."

Outside of the tour, Wells' content work adds another layer to overall marketing efforts. She applies the experience and skills she developed through 19 years as a newspaper writer, editor and designer, and 13 years as the former director of communications for the College of Education and Health Professions.

The Global Campus employee of the year is chosen from among the four employee of the quarter recipients who remain employed with Global Campus through the end of the award year. The award recognizes outstanding achievement and accomplishments that relate to the unit's goals and the U of A mission. The award recipient receives a commemorative certificate and a monetary award.

Three other candidates qualified for Global Campus employee of the year 2022-23. They were:

• Colleen Whitman, online student support manager in the Online Student Liaison Office, second quarter EOQ
• Lesley Speller, e-learning developer in Learning Technology Support, third quarter EOQ
• Kerry Garcia, grant compliance specialist in Professional and Workforce Development, fourth quarter EOQ

The Global Campus supports U of A academic colleges and schools in the development and delivery of online degree programs and courses, self-paced online courses and workforce development programs. This unit provides instructional design services, learning technology support, media production services and assistance with financial administration, recruitment and marketing.

The Global Campus also supports the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship, which is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying in online degree programs.