Andrea Bashara, student services specialist at the College of Veterinary Medicine, received the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association (SCAVMA) Outstanding Service Award this year.

This award is given to a non-faculty employee of the College of Veterinary Medicine who has made a significant contribution to supporting student learning or the college experience. Bashara was given the award at a ceremony on April 18.

Bashara, who knows all of the approximately 400 veterinary students by name, assists with the recruitment and admission of veterinary students and organizes student tours. She also writes all of the publications for the college, including the view book and the Preveterinary Student Handbook.

“I work very closely with all the student organizations, but closest with SCAVMA,” Bashara said. “They are kind of like an umbrella to all the other organizations.”

She advises the veterinary ambassadors — students who do volunteer work at the college.

Bashara also serves on the Academic Standards Committee, which focuses on students who “have academic difficulties, for whatever reason.”

More than anything else, Bashara said, she wants to serve students. She said there is a constant flow of student traffic through her office and she enjoys talking with them about their concerns.

“If you sat here and watched for an hour, two hours, or even a half-day, you would see it is constant,” she said. “It is simple things from, ‘Can I borrow your phone,’ or ‘Can I make a copy?’ to, they come in, close the door and their life is falling apart and they don’t know if they can face tomorrow. So there is a huge continuum there, and I help plan wherever I can.”

She said the biggest problems students have are dealing with the stresses of veterinary school and its difficult curriculum. Bashara deals with many different types of students, from undergraduates to post-doctorates to commuter students.

“[For] some of these students, I am just utterly impressed with what they do,” she said. “It’s absolutely amazing how some of these students keep everything together. Yet they volunteer for things, they’re involved, they’re active, they’re leaders in their classes.”

Bashara’s husband is a fourth-year veterinary student at ISU, which she said puts her in a unique position because the administrative decisions she makes directly affect both of them.

“I think very few people in their careers ever have that opportunity, where your immediate decisions come back and affect you. It makes me think twice. How would the students feel? It gives me a definite different view when decisions are made. That’s helped,” she said.

Bashara has a B.S. in Psychology from Texas Christian University and an M.S. in Higher Education Administration from ISU. She has been the CVM student services specialist for two years.

As for the award, “I think it is just appreciation for time, caring and commitment,” she said.

Bashara said the award lets the students show that they appreciate their help.

“It’s nice to know you are appreciated. I know I am, but it makes you feel like everything’s worthwhile, and the little things that you do during the day are making a difference in someone’s life.”