Local agricultural science center employee receives award

Staff Report

Patricia Cooksey, an employee of the New Mexico State University's Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari was awarded the 2016 Malone Farms Distinguished Off-campus Staff Award from NMSU's College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences.

Cooksey is an associate administrative assistant at NMSU. She received the award that is given in recognition of excellence in job skills and performance of those skills.

Cooksey was honored for her on-the-job initiative that contributes to the effectiveness of a unit, creates an effective work atmosphere and develops good working relationships among the units in the university.

Since coming to the Agricultural Science Center nearly 15 years ago, Cooksey has performed her tasks with a can-do attitude, said Leonard Lauriault, science center director.

Lauriault said in addition to the typical administrative assistant duties, Cooksey serves as the central source of information regarding NMSU policy and procedures, making things go smoothly for all of the team at the Agricultural Science Center. He said Cooksey keeps the center more effective in maintaining its high level of productivity.

Lauriault said another, more atypical miscellaneous duty as an administrative assistant Cooksey handles the collecting and summarizing weather data for monthly reports to the National Weather Service and interested parties as well as for Agricultural Experiment Station publications. He said Cooksey also prepares the center's annual report (http://tucumcarisc.nmsu.edu/documents/2015-annual-report.pdf) and minutes from advisory committee meetings and she assists the Quay County Cotton Boll Weevil Control District.

Lauriault said the research programs at the Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari are diverse and often interdisciplinary.

“Consequently, Cooksey regularly communicates with faculty and staff in other departments of the College, as well as at the other off-campus research facilities and county Cooperative Extension Service offices,” Lauriault said.

Lauriault said the outreach activities at the facility also are diverse and Cooksey coordinates meals, refreshments, and other components for such functions as the annual field day (Aug. 2), a couple of public school activities, and advisory committee meetings.

“Because of all the miscellaneous duties performed by Patricia Cooksey in addition to the typical responsibilities of an NMSU Associate Administrative Assistant, and her willingness to take on new and/or additional challenges, her contribution to the success of NMSU's Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari cannot be overstated and she is well-deserving of the 2016 Malone Farms Distinguished Staff Award,” Lauriault said.