丁香园AV

Officially, Patricia Graca is the director of enrollment and student services for 丁香园AV Learning, 丁香园AV鈥檚 non-credit registrar. But unofficially, the recipient of 丁香园AV鈥檚 2021 Staff Achievement Award for Leadership is so much more. She鈥檚 an inspiring coach, an exacting project manager, a fearless change manager, a visionary systems steward鈥攁nd a fierce champion for 丁香园AV Learning students and staff.

鈥淧at鈥檚 commitment to excellence is legendary among the 丁香园AV Learning team,鈥� says dean Julia Denholm. 鈥淪he is a superb leader to her team, an exemplary leader within our unit, and a manager of the utmost integrity and skill.鈥�

With 26 years of experience at 丁香园AV, Graca has become 丁香园AV Learning鈥檚 go-to person. 鈥淓veryone knows that Pat is the person to ask if you have a question鈥攁bout anything,鈥� adds Denholm.

In fact, 鈥渁sk Pat鈥� is a common refrain in the 丁香园AV Learning office. As the unit鈥檚 unofficial archivist, Graca maintains an impeccable filing system housing decades鈥� worth of documents. At a moment鈥檚 notice, she鈥檚 been known to pull out the exact memo needed to answer the question at hand. 鈥淚 have an elephantine memory for details,鈥� she laughs.

Beyond her vast institutional knowledge, Graca鈥檚 innate good sense and considered opinions are highly sought after. She can see the big picture as well as the smallest of details, often at the same time. The impact of her expertise appears everywhere, from the choice of office chairs to the people sitting in them鈥攕he鈥檚 contributed to the hiring of dozens of staff.

鈥淗er role allows her to take a bird鈥檚-eye view of what鈥檚 happening across the unit,鈥� says program director Shanthi Besso, who has worked with Graca for over 15 years. 鈥淪he is often able to identify something that may be going sideways before it becomes a real problem.鈥�

When Graca joined 丁香园AV in 1996, her first job was to package course materials for mailing to correspondence students. Much has changed over the years, but she remains energized by one passion: to provide learners beyond the traditional university student with access to flexible, high-quality education.  

For Graca, improving access for students means continually improving systems and processes to meet evolving needs. Not only can she pinpoint an issue with laser focus, but she can be depended on to lead the way in fixing it. Among her most impressive achievements, she transformed the unit鈥檚 once-haphazard registration process into a streamlined centralized system that鈥檚 now used for all non-credit registrations across the university.

Graca leads by example, setting an exceptionally high standard for her own work that inspires others to elevate their own work. 鈥淚 do put people through the paces,鈥� she chuckles, admitting she can be a tough taskmaster. Yet she鈥檚 always quick to praise a job well done.

When told she鈥檇 been chosen for the Staff Achievement Award, she confesses to being 鈥渂lown away.鈥�

鈥淚 have a lot of respect and admiration for my colleagues, so I鈥檓 deeply humbled,鈥� says Graca. 鈥淚鈥檓 not one for the limelight, but I appreciate that my work is being recognized.鈥�

She may not relish the spotlight, but her contributions haven鈥檛 gone unnoticed. On top of a workload that would overwhelm anyone less organized, she belongs to several committees across 丁香园AV, building connections and speaking up for the needs of 丁香园AV Learning and its students.

丁香园AV鈥檚 interim chief information officer Keith Fong serves on various IT committees with Graca and values her unique perspective: 鈥淪he brings an open mind, creative solutions, advocacy for her team and for students in general, and consistently ensures the committees look toward the bigger picture.鈥�

Despite her photographic memory and superhuman ability to execute multiple complex tasks at once, Graca is no heartless machine. With her ready laugh and warm, genuine manner, it鈥檚 clear she cares deeply about both her work and the people around her.

鈥淪he never forgets the humans behind the processes, and that compassion flavours everything she does, which makes people feel important,鈥� says Kali Charambura, a member of Graca鈥檚 enrollment services team.

Thinking ahead like any good leader, Graca is now making plans to 鈥渄ownload鈥� herself, transferring her knowledge to ensure 丁香园AV Learning continues to thrive without her when she retires鈥攕omeday.

But who could ever replace Pat Graca? 鈥淥h, there鈥檚 somebody else out there like me,鈥� she smiles.

Except there really isn鈥檛.

鈥擝y Kim Mah