CLAS Staff Council is pleased to feature a staff member each month in the Dean’s Notes. Staff are invited to be profiled by random selection and participation is voluntary. We encourage staff who would like to be profiled to reach out to us directly! If you are interested in sharing your story in a future edition of the Dean’s Notes, please email clas.staffcouncil@ucdenver.edu or Anne.Beard@ucdenver.edu.
As the Program Coordinator for the Learning Assistants Program, Bickner has been key to that program’s success and its mission to “support student learning, satisfaction, and retention in Science, Technology, Mathematics, and Engineering (STEM) courses, particularly those courses that are large enrollment, critical for success in a degree program, and/or have historically low retention rates.” Bickner has managed most day-to-day aspects of the LA Program since 2016 and says the best part of her position is the people she works with.
Bickner says that she finds inspiration in her own children, who work hard in school and in their activities while she, in turn, strives to model the same behavior by working hard to do her best at her job — and in life in general. Asked what might surprise her colleagues, Bickner says that she loves to water ski and has played soccer for over 40 years.
Bickner’s pivotal role in the LA Program is greatly appreciated by her supervisors. Bud Talbot, Co-Director of the LA Program, remarked that, "The LA Program would not be the success that it is without Julie's coordination efforts and hard work. She is an excellent manager and keeps the program running smoothly. And she is an absolute joy to work with!” Laurel Hartley, Co-Director of the LA Program, echoes that sentiment, saying, “Julie is simply the best. She steers the LA Program and makes a difference for students, LAs, and faculty at CU Denver. I love working with Julie and appreciate her both as a professional and a person.”
Julie Bickner is one of the many staff people who are essential not only to the functioning of CLAS, but also to its heart by fostering a culture of service, learning, and hard work on behalf students.
A welcome side benefit of the CLAS Staff Profile series is the chance to remind people about valuable programs and resources within or available to the college. A case in point is the Learning Assistants Program which is a free service that supports student learning, satisfaction, and retention in STEM courses. https://clas.ucdenver.edu/la-program/
