Diana Leal has been on a roll lately.
For starters, the research analyst with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at the College of Coastal Georgia in Brunswick and Colombian native is halfway through with her doctoral work on a public administration degree with Valdosta State.
She was also recently named Outstanding Staff Member of the Year at the school.
The annual award, which recognizes a staff member best exemplifying excellence during the past year, was presented Aug.12 during a faculty and staff assembly to kick off the new academic year.
Among the reasons for her selection were Leal’s positive attitude, strong work ethic, caring attitude and creative problem solving.
It’s an honor that still surprises her.
“It was a complete surprise for me,” she said. “They kept it completely secret. I had no idea. We are very young institution. There are a lot of individuals who are very good at what they do and work very hard so it’s great to be recognized for my contributions. I believe in the mission of the school, so it is a great honor and is very rewarding.”
Leal has truly found a new home at the college. But that’s also true for the country as a whole. She moved to the United States in 2003 and attended Wichita State University in Kansas. While she was primarily focused on her academics, Leal was also able to indulge her passion for sports, namely bowling.
“I came here, to the states, to bowl and to get my degree,” she said. “Bowling is not a big sport in my country, but my parents used to bowl for fun and they put us in training classes with a coach and we liked it so we started bowling regularly.
“And I had the option to come to bowl in school. I applied to Wichita State, applied to the bowling team and was accepted. Athletics are not big in college back home so it was fantastic to able to practice and get better at my sport while going to college.”
Leal continues to keep her talents sharp. She frequently bowls with her family as well as with the Thursday Night Ladies at the Strike Zone in Brunswick. Leal says she still enjoys playing but is more focused on having fun rather than competition.
“It’s a good time and I love the longevity of the sport. You can be playing next to someone 100 years old and on the other side there could be a kid,” she said. “It’s also something that my family does together when we find the time.”
From family night bowling to excelling in the workplace, Leal says that all of her experiences in this country have been extremely positive.
“I’ve been received very well everywhere I have been. Everyone has been very welcoming,” she said. “I find it very interesting to see how we are not as different as we think we are really.”
The Brunswick News
Lindsey Adkison
Photo by Bobby Haven, The Brunswick News