Patty L. Nelson, the Continuing Legal Education Coordinator for the Law School, has received the Vergil Parks McKinley, Sr. Employee Award from The University of Alabama. She was nominated by Daniel Powell, Director of Continuing Legal Education and Associate Dean for Graduate Law Programs; Charles W. Gamble, Dean Emeritus and Henry Upson Sims Professor Emeritus of Law; and Bryan K. Fair, Thomas E. Skinner Professor of Law.
“It is not hyperbolic to say that Ms. Nelson’s efforts at the Law School have been transformative and essential to its rise as one of the Nation’s Top 10 public law schools and one of the Top 25 law schools overall. Ms. Nelson is smart, motivated, curious, careful, and cheerful in her support,” said Fair. “She supported the efforts of several senior colleagues who were among the most productive researchers on the faculty. All of them would say the same things about Ms. Nelson’s work ethic and professionalism.”
Nelson has served the Law School for over 33 years in various roles: as a faculty assistant, for legal publications, for all of the graduate degree programs, and, most recently, in continuing legal education.
“I have either hired or known staff members from across the University who I would characterize as exceptional,” said Gamble. “Each possessed two primary and essential characteristics: one was a deep and abiding love for the University while the other was a philosophy of work that made them available to promote the interests of the University beyond their job descriptions. The breadth of my experience has never uncovered any such University staff member whose devotion in this regard exceeds that of Patty Nelson.
John K. McKinley and the late Helen H. McKinley established this award to recognize enterprising employees, who by action or idea, contribute to The University of Alabama’s mission of teaching, research, and service. The award honors Dr. Vergil Parks McKinley, a long-time professor at The University of Alabama who began his career in 1918 and retired in 1945 as head of the Trade and Industrial Development Department in the College of Education.
Nelson received the award at the annual Faculty/Staff Picnic on August 22, and will be honored at this year’s campus assembly on September 11 at Bryant-Denny Stadium.