Registrar recognized with AFW leadership award

PULLMAN, Wash. – Julia A. Pomerenk, Washington State University registrar, is the winner of the 2016-17 Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award from the Washington State University Association for Faculty Women (AFW).

She will be acknowledged during the Celebrating Excellence Recognition Banquet on March 31, part of WSU’s annual Showcase celebration of faculty, staff and student excellence. Showcase reservations are being accepted at http://gocougs.wsufoundation.wsu.edu/s/1613/index.aspx?sid=1613&pgid=2894&gid=3&cid=4824&ecid=4824&post_id=0 through March 17.

The award recognizes “an AFW member whose leadership has advanced the role of women in the WSU system and/or who has demonstrated leadership in higher education, the community or her profession at the local, state, regional, national or international level.” It was established in 2000 to show AFW’s appreciation to former President Smith for his leadership in advancing the role of women at WSU.

Pomerenk has demonstrated leadership, mentorship and collaboration by promoting, supporting and sustaining a diverse community throughout her career at WSU. She has served on the Common Core Requirements Committee, Student Success Council and University Academic Advising Executive Council, to name a few. She has been recognized as WSU Woman of the Year.

She has been an officer for AFW for many years, including president and treasurer, and currently serves as program chair. During her presidency, AFW addressed issues of child and elder care, research productivity, mentoring of junior faculty and leadership training. Her commitment to the advancement of all people, but particularly of those whose lives are touched most severely by a history of discrimination, makes her a role model for many women.

Pomerenk has served as president of the board of the Gladish Community and Cultural Center. Her tenure as president included guiding the board in major capital expenditures such as
construction of a bridge for a new front entrance of the building (and management of the grant tied to the money for this construction); a major project of updating and moving the building’s power supply; and a capital campaign and subsequent installation of high efficiency windows on the building.

She is a member of the statewide Interinstitutional Committee of Academic Officers (ICORA), the Pacific Association of Registrar and Admissions Officers (PACRAO) and the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers. She is a past-president of
PACRAO, whose 1,500 members stretch from Alaska to Arizona and represent 350 public and
private institutions of higher education.

In addition to the March 31 banquet, WSU Showcase includes the Distinguished Faculty Address (March 30); the Academic Showcase display of faculty, staff and student work (March 31) and other events. See https://showcase.wsu.edu/schedule/.