ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 17, 1997 TAG: 9704170012
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: RADFORD
SOURCE: TOM ANGLEBERGER THE ROANOKE TIMES
Emily Wilkinson Stallings gained respect of university faculty while juggling children, school and work.
On any given day, Emily Wilkinson Stallings might be a student at Radford University, an instructor at Virginia Tech, a lecturer at a conference, a consultant to the Roanoke County police or a mom at home with her family.
Until recently, she was also a bank teller at First National Bank in Christiansburg in addition to everything else.
While every day brings some combination of scholarly pursuits and motherly duties, she has had some special moments recently.
She has just been named the graduate student of the year at Radford University. Three years ago, as an undergraduate, she was the Outstanding Student of 1994.
She was also recognized on a regional level recently, when she beat out students from 27 Virginia and North Carolina colleges and universities to be named the Student Leader of the Year for Virginia and North Carolina by a prestigious honor society.
Just to be in the running for the award, Wilkinson Stallings had to be chosen to represent all of Radford University in the competition for members of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Society. Now Wilkinson Stallings is one of 13 students competing for the national award.
But Wilkinson Stallings is a little different from other college students. For one thing, her son is in college himself. When her youngest child started school, she decided it was time for her to go back to school, too. She went, at age 36, but not without some trepidation.
"I really thought my brain would not function that way anymore," she says. "I decided I was going to try it and I liked it."
Since then it has been a steady stream of honors, deans' lists and awards. She graduated magna cum laude from Radford in 1995 with B.A. in communication and a B.S. in psychology. All while raising children and working at the bank. Now she's after her master's degree and doctorate.
"I do have a wonderful family. I truly could not do it if we did not all pitch in," she says. "I think it's been a good example for my children, too.
"You have to be involved and have to have initiative in the communities in your life," she says, whether it's in your neighborhood or at a university.
This involvement includes not just a slew of public service duties, but also socializing with her fellow students.
"I've made many, many friends that are my kids' age," she says. "I have thoroughly enjoyed the students that I have been in class with."
"She really fits in, even though she's a nontraditional student," says Radford University Dean of Students Bonnie Hurlburt. "She always has time for people."
Hurlburt notes that all of Wilkinson Stallings' achievements and activities have not hurt her grades, which she says are very high.
"She's a pretty amazing person. She really has excelled academically," says Hurlburt, "I just marvel that she's able to do it all."
While Wilkinson Stallings may be a good student, her mentor, Professor George Grice, says she is the best graduate teaching assistant he has ever seen.
"She has many interests and strengths, but I think at heart she's a teacher," he says. "She's a marvelous person and an extremely dedicated teacher. She does view the classroom as a community of learners."
Grice says he hopes Wilkinson Stallings continues to teach and makes it a career.
Wilkinson Stallings brings a maturity and a concern for students to the classroom, he says, and also employs innovative teaching strategies and works to empower students to take a responsibility for their own learning.
"Our profession needs more people like Emily," he says.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: GENE DALTON THE ROANOKE TIMES. Emily Wilkinson Stallingsby CNBhas just been named the graduate student of the year. color.