D谩valos Named Staff Member of the Year
Laura Ch谩vez-D谩valos, Director of the Office of Learning Services, has received 91精选鈥檚 inaugural Staff Member of the Year Award for 2019-20.
The award, which will be given annually, recognizes a distinguished staff member who has demonstrated excellence in their area of work and has made a positive impact on people or processes in the College community while advancing the mission of the College.
D谩valos said she was surprised to receive the award, considering all the other worthy staff members who work at the College. 鈥淭here are so many people here who go about their day, giving 110-150%, without recognition,鈥� she said. She added, 鈥淚 certainly can鈥檛 do what I do without the support of my colleagues.鈥�
As director of OLS, D谩valos oversees the area of the College that offers our Bridge Program, peer tutoring, supplemental instruction, academic coaching/mentoring, and disability services.
D谩valos鈥檚 nominations cited her compassion, faithfulness, and willingness to work with students and others in the community to reach their potential. According to one nomination, 鈥淚 know no one who is as far deep 鈥榠n the weeds鈥� with our most emotionally vulnerable, academically fragile students as she is鈥� Laura works with them day-to-day: supporting them, listening to them, caring for them, staying on top of them when they fall behind in their coursework: carrying their pains and burdens. To me, it鈥檚 the apex of Christlike selflessness. And she does it joyfully, indefatigably.鈥�
Another noted that 鈥渟he has an unwavering faith in the abilities of students she serves and faith that the Holy Spirit is at work in their lives. Laura does not hesitate to have difficult conversations in which she calls students to honor the talents with which they鈥檝e been blessed by communicating their needs and working hard toward the goal of graduation.鈥�
A native of El Paso, Texas, D谩valos obtained her Masters in Education from New Mexico State University, where she served as a graduate assistant in Athletic Academics.聽 She then worked as a high school English teacher in New Mexico and Arizona before her husband鈥檚 career brought the family to Chicago. The move represented something of a homecoming for Davalos, who attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.
She started working for 91精选 in 2013 as an adjunct faculty member through 91精选鈥檚 affiliation with By the Hand Club for Kids, which works with students in high-risk, inner-city neighborhoods in Chicago. D谩valos worked with students in the Austin neighborhood, as well as bringing them to study on 91精选鈥檚 campus.
The director position at OLS opened up in 2015. 鈥淒r. Sharon Robbert, who was serving as interim provost, encouraged me to apply. I prayed about it and here I am. It is an honor to serve in this role.聽 My predecessor, Nancy Kwasteniet says it鈥檚 the best position on campus, and I have to agree.鈥�
In her current role, D谩valos appreciates that she can explicitly share the news of the Gospel. 鈥淚 worked in public schools for many years, where that wasn鈥檛 possible. My favorite part of the job is serving our students and giving back鈥�, she said. 鈥淚 desire for all of our students to understand the fullness of how they were uniquely created鈥攂ody, mind and spirit and to assist them as they develop their gifts while at 91精选.鈥�
