Extension Student Employee Tops in Southeast

                Auburn, May 2, 2003 --- For the last four and a half years, George Richburg has spent at least 20 hours a week ensuring that the bulls at the Auburn University Bull Test are healthy and well fed.  Richburg’s dedication won him the respect of his supervisor, Dr. Lisa Kriese-Anderson, an animal scientist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, other animal science faculty and his fellow student workers.

            But most recently, his commitment and hard work won him the honor of the 2003 Auburn University Student Employee of the Year, sponsored by Career Development Services.  Richburg also won the Southeastern Student Employee of the Year Award from almost 300 entries.  The Southeastern Award is sponsored by Southern Association of Student Employment Administrators.

(Right: George Richburg, right, displaying his awards with the assistance of Dr. Lisa Kriese-Anderson, Alabama Cooperative Extension System animal scientist.)

                Richburg is modest about his accomplishments, commenting “I am kind of astonished.  I thought someone else would win.”

            Kriese-Anderson, on the other hand, is not surprised.

                “George is the cornerstone and rock of all the student employees at the beef unit,” she says.  “He is the one who tells new students to check their attitude at the door, and we may or may not do things in the manner they are accustomed.  He tells them to be patient and open minded.  Most of all, he tells them to listen, work and have fun learning.”

            Kriese-Anderson says Richburg set the standard for work quality among his fellow student workers. 

            Unlike many student employee positions, Richburg’s job was not a Monday through Friday affair.  Cattle must be fed and checked daily.  This includes Christmas break, spring break, football games and weekends.  Kriese-Anderson points out that Richburg has worked Christmas Day three of the last four years, every Easter, and more than his fair share of weekends.

“I have never heard a complaint out of him,” she says.  “George is as reliable as they come.”

After graduating this May, he plans to attend graduate school in the future.  His ultimate goal is to become a beef cattle Extension specialist. 

An Auburn High School alumnus, Richburg is a former 4-H and FFA club member.  He also operates Richburg Cattle with his father, Mahlon Richburg.

SOURCE:  Dr. Lise-Kriese Anderson, Animal Scientist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, (334) 844-1561

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