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Photography by Reed Hutchinson
UCLA Photographic Services
Department’s Dena Chertoff (right), with colleague
Vinuta Rau, has won Staff Assembly’s 2005 Excellence
in Service Award. |
2005 Excellence in service award winner
She makes life easier for grad students
BY WENDY SODERBURG
UCLA Today Staff
Pursuing a Ph.D. at UCLA is hard, but doctoral students in the
Department of Psychology have a secret weapon working for them:
graduate program coordinator Dena Chertoff.
The first person doctoral students meet when they arrive at UCLA
and the last one they consult before graduating six years later,
Chertoff is a human encyclopedia, whether she’s interpreting
graduate program policies and requirements, obtaining funding or
explaining the ins and outs of oral examinations.
But it’s the little things — her ability to listen,
advise, offer congratulations on a job well done or sympathy during
difficult times — for which students are most grateful. Recently,
they showed their appreciation by nominating Chertoff for the Staff
Assembly’s Excellence in Service Award, which brought her
a turn in the spotlight at a staff reception at the Chancellor’s
Residence and a $5,000 check.
“Dena’s winning the award was not a surprise by any
stretch,” said Rosemary Chavoya, executive officer in the
Psychology Department. “What was really heartwarming to me
was the sincere and genuine effort the students made. Graduate students
are very busy people, and the fact that Dena was the focus of their
energy was completely understandable, completely appropriate and
wonderful to see.”
Faculty members, led by chair Robert Bjork and vice chair Anne
Peplau, needed no prodding in supplying several letters of recommendation
in support of the woman who not only developed an incentive awards
program for graduate students, but who also single-handedly wrote
the department’s policy handbook and funding brochure. The
students adore Chertoff, who adores them right back.
“Every minute I’m working, I’m happy because
I love what the university is about,” Chertoff said. “I
love supporting students and faculty in whatever way I can. It’s
a joy for me.”
The soft-spoken student affairs officer received a bachelor’s
degree in psychology from UCLA in 1966 and worked as a Spanish-speaking
telephone operator at PacBell for a year. After taking some time
off to travel, she returned to her hometown of Boyle Heights to
work as a substitute teacher. Chertoff was working in UCLA’s
English Department when she met her future husband, Rick, a staff
member at Hillel. “He walked into my office, and it was love
at first sight,” she recalled, smiling. “We’ve
been together ever since that day.”
Chertoff joined the Psychology Department in 1971 as a receptionist
in the main department office and reluctantly took the graduate
counseling job at the urging of a former colleague. It was a perfect
fit, and Chertoff has been counseling ever since.
“I’m appreciative of the fact that Dena won this award,
because if anyone deserves it, it’s she,” said David
Creswell, president of the department’s Graduate Students
Association. “She has really put in the time and has made
a tremendous number of sacrifices for us, so it’s cool to
see her honored in this way."
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