Leketa Miller receives 2009 President's Award for Excellence
Leketa Miller of Pembroke,Va., executive assistant for the Department of Military Affairs, received the university's 2009 President's Award for Excellence.
The President’s Award for Excellence is presented annually to up to five Virginia Tech staff employees who have made extraordinary contributions by consistent excellence in the performance of their job or a single incident, contribution, or heroic act. Each recipient is awarded a $2,000 cash prize.
Miller has worked in the military affairs department for 11 of her 21 years at Virginia Tech.
“She has the deepest sense of responsibility, greatest commitment to the motto of Virginia Tech, and the most exemplary work ethic I have observed in my 43-year-career,” says Major Gen. Jerrold P. Allen, commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.
Allen recalls how when the department’s website expert left for another job, Miller took a course and learned how to handle the job.
“She is our expert in all technical, financial, and office-management tasks,” Allen says. “Her knowledge and impact on the entire organization grow continuously.”
After working a full day, Miller repeatedly will spend time online at home helping out members of the corps of cadets or her co-workers, Allen says.
Richard “Rock” Roszak, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel who is the corps’ alumni director, says Miller “would have made a great Air Force officer” and “treats everyone as if they were her highest priority.”
Along with her duties maintaining an organized and professional office, Miller supervises wage employees and mentors two program support technicians, is liaison with residential housing on cadet-housing assignments, and maintains files for more than 600 cadets. She also plays a key role publicizing the corps of cadets’ accomplishments by printing and mailing thousands of letters to alumni and supporters each year.
Dave Spracher, director of development and finance officer for the corps of cadets, values the attention to detail Miller brings to managing day-to-day books on many of the corps’ accounts.
“In my work at Virginia Tech,” Spracher says, “I have met many terrific university employees in a variety of positions. None know their jobs better than Leketa or bring as much enthusiasm to the workplace.”
