Today@Sam Article
Faculty And Staff: Circle Of Service
Jan. 22, 2020
SHSU Media Contact: Hannah Haney
Sam Houston State University consistently attracts students with its historical roots and world-class academics, but it also draws many graduates back to campus to serve as members of the faculty and staff.
In classrooms, labs, and offices across campus, our alumni are working to positively influence the next generation of leaders and thinkers. They are all ambitious and dedicated individuals, whose daily efforts make not just the SHSU community a better place, but the world.
As for what brought these more than 800 employees back, it’s the caliber of the faculty and staff, an unrivaled commitment to student success, and a culture built on tradition that set the foundation for their careers.
Here are their stories:
Meet Dana Bible
Bible earned her bachelor’s degree in Business, an MBA, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Higher Education from Sam Houston State University. She originally pursued a career in the private sector before finding her calling in higher education. Today, Bible is an assistant professor of Business Communication at SHSU. Prior to accepting a full-time faculty position, she worked on the administrative side of the university and as an adjunct instructor for almost a decade.
T@S: Why did you choose to attend SHSU for your education?
After visiting SHSU during one of the Saturday at Sam events during my senior year of high school, I remember deciding that it was the right school for me due to the genuine caring and compassion demonstrated by the faculty and staff who we encountered during the visit. Although I made the choice to attend, I was unsure of my financial ability to attend SHSU until I was notified of my status as a recipient of the highly competitive Smith-Hutson Scholarship. Upon receiving this life-changing scholarship, my choice to attend SHSU was an easy one because it provided me with funding for my education, as well as mentoring, life coaching and tutoring.
T@S: What initially drew you back to SHSU to serve your alma mater?
The opportunity to give back to the university that gave me so much while making a difference in the lives of students drew me back to SHSU.
T@S: What do you love about your job?
The best part of teaching is watching students grow as professionals through their engagement with the course material and extracurricular activities.
Meet Jeff Butterworth
Butterworth, more commonly known around campus as Officer Butters, originally enrolled in classes at SHSU because his Army Reserve unit was stationed in Huntsville at the time. Shortly after beginning his education, he applied to work as a student assistant in the University Police Department. Over the years, Butterworth would move through the ranks and change positions, while also working toward the completion of his bachelor’s degree. He graduated with his degree in Criminal Justice in 2017. Today, Butterworth is primarily employed as a patrol officer for the university and works to ensure the campus environment is safe and conducive for learning.
T@S: Why did you choose to attend SHSU for your education? 
I chose SHSU because of its elite criminal justice program, and because I was in the Army Reserve unit that was stationed in Huntsville.
T@S: How did SHSU prepare you for your career?
Shortly after beginning my education at SHSU, I applied with the university police department.
T@S: What do you love about your job?
I enjoy being able to positively interact with our university population. As a patrol officer, we generally see people in negative situations (victims, suspects, vehicle accidents, etc.). By taking on a crime prevention/community outreach role, I am able to engage with our university population in positive way to help build trust with law enforcement. I love being able to host various community events, such as the Kats Safety Bash, Pizza with the Popo, etc. I also love having the opportunity to interact with our student population during freshman orientation to being able to see them walk across the graduation stage.
Meet Amanda Crowley
Crowley graduated from SHSU in 2011 with a degree in Finance and an Accounting minor. During her time as a student, she was a Smith-Hutson Scholar, a member of the Honors College, Beta Alpha Psi, Alpha Key, and a student worker for the same department in which she is currently employed - almost 11 years ago. Today, Crowley is the assistant director of Advancement Services. She helps manage receiving donations made to the university and maintaining the alumni and donor databases. These same databases are also used to send alumni and donors event notices, solicitations, and initiatives from other departments on campus.
T@S: Why did you choose to attend SHSU for your education?
I graduated High School from Lovelady, TX, not far from Huntsville. For one thing, I wanted to stay closer to home, but I was also given a great scholarship opportunity that turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life.
T@S: How did SHSU prepare you for your career?
Much of my preparation came from the professors themselves; even if not directly related to their class subject, they offered wonderful advice as well as tutelage. However, I owe the most to Dr. Valerie (Muehsam) Richards, who was my advisor and scholarship coordinator. She informed me about a student worker position open on campus in which she thought I would be well-suited for. That position was in the department I am still working for today.
T@S: What do you love about your job?
Being able to see just how much people give back to the university to help students in need. We process scholarship donations daily, and knowing those scholarships are helping someone else reach their potential, and occasionally communicating with, or even meeting, the donors who are responsible, is very fulfilling. I was rewarded a scholarship due to someone else’s generosity that helped me along my path, and now I help to facilitate that process for others.
Meet Russell Martinez
According to Martinez, being a Bearkat runs in his blood. For this Huntsville native, family tradition and the proximity to home are what encouraged him to complete a degree in Criminology and Corrections from SHSU in 1991. He now serves as the associate athletic director for External Operations and is responsible for the revenue generating aspects of Athletics, including corporate sponsorships, ticketing, licensing, marketing and fundraising.
T@S: How did SHSU prepare you for your career?
I took different electives from Political Science and Business so I could have exposure to a variety of disciplines. I think taking different classes not too closely related to my major helped round out my educational background and allowed me to develop different perspectives based on those fields.
T@S: What initially drew you back to SHSU to serve your alma mater?
The opportunity to promote the university and athletics through development. My background in state government, political management and fundraising made the opportunity to work with donors and fundraisers most appealing.
T@S: What do you love about your job?
I get to meet and work with our alumni, donors, letterwinners and supporters of Sam Houston State and Bearkat Athletics. It’s exciting to develop plans and promotions to help advance our university, athletics programs and student athletes. There are also a lot of great people on staff at SHSU. It is an honor to work alongside them.
Are you a current SHSU employee and want to share your story? Please email today@shsu.edu.
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