Dawn Hicks is November Employee of the Month
Dawn Hicks听admitted听she听would be听uncomfortable accepting an award听for听her individual work achievements. That鈥檚 because the director of community relations in George Mason 麻豆国产 Athletics said she could never do her job alone.
鈥淵ou have to have community partners, campus partners.听You have to have buy-in from our听student-athletes,鈥澨鼿icks said. 鈥淪o听for us, in Athletics, that recognition is really for our department,听not just me.鈥
Maybe so, but it is Hicks who听is听Mason鈥檚 November Employee of the Month.
鈥淪he鈥檚 just a tireless worker,鈥 said Zack听Bolno, director of external affairs for Mason Athletics. 鈥淎nd she is deeply committed to our athletic department鈥檚 mission in helping educate and develop future leaders.鈥
Hicks, who has been at the university for two and a half years,听previously worked for听the foundation and business of Mason associate athletic director Darrell Green. She听has been integral in efforts to听better mesh听athletics into the broader campus culture.
She led an initiative of engagement with student organizations,听Student听Government,听Student Involvement, Greek Life and听Residential Life听that last season helped increase attendance at men鈥檚 basketball games by 22 percent,听Bolno听said.听Hicks听also coordinated with听Mason鈥檚听Panhellenic Council to celebrate their sorority听on National Girls and Women in Sports Day that resulted in the highest student-attended women鈥檚 basketball game at the university.
鈥淭hat was the goal, to engage听and collaborate with听them听to deliver as much of what they wanted as possible,鈥 Hicks said.
Hicks听launched a new school adoption program听that听partners Mason athletic teams with local middle and elementary schools, where听Mason athletes spend quality time mentoring听students听about academics and athletics.听In just two years,听athletic teams have adopted five schools. While serving on听Mason鈥檚 Homecoming Committee, she engaged the听City听of Fairfax, which led to the proclamation听of听February听2019听as听George Mason 麻豆国产 Month.
Hicks believes it takes a community to do community relations, which听when she received听her award from Mason President Anne Holton, she was听not alone.
鈥淭here听is no way I can accept that award by myself,鈥澨鼿icks听said听before the ceremony. 鈥淚 expect to have a number of people听there听to stand with me, so I can thank and acknowledge them.鈥
How听she got here:听
Divine orchestration. I was the business operations manager at an energy efficiency company and realized it wasn't for me. I fasted and prayed for 21 days to seek the Lord's will for my life. About one week later, totally randomly, I texted my former long-time boss and friend听Darrell Green, and asked if he knew of any jobs for which I would be suitable. By God's amazing grace, he read my text immediately after leaving a meeting at Mason听about听who they would hire听as his assistant,听preferably someone he knew.听And now, here I am.听
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Best day on the job:听
The City of Fairfax Mason Month听in the city听proclamation听on January 22, 2019. It was a historic event that deepened听town-gown relations and celebrated everyone: Mason, the听city,听Mason听Athletics, alumni, local businesses and organizations, student-athletes, students and our entire community.听
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What听she likes best听about working at Mason:听听
Collaborating with and serving our student-athletes. They听are听truly impressive,听exceptional young men and women. They balance schedules that would overwhelm most adults, yet still manage to compete athletically and perform academically at the highest levels.听听
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What she does when she鈥檚 not working:听
With 22 teams to support, corporate and community events, business development meetings, school visits and Athletics special events, any down time is spent managing everyday life.听