Kerry McAlpine, administrative supervisor for our Department of Occupational Therapy, is one of the first six honorees of the UAB Shared Values in Action Program (UAB VIP Award), launched in January to honor employees whose work exemplifies and embodies one or more of values of integrity, respect, diversity and inclusiveness, collaboration, excellence and achievement, accountability and stewardship.
He is joined by Lisa Harvey, Timothy Key, Malcolm Marler, Akia McCurdy and Justin Roth. Each quarter, three employees will be selected by a committee of individuals from across the campus and hospital, from nominations by their colleagues. One of the 12 VIP Award honorees in 2021 will be selected for the new President’s Award for Excellence in Shared Values beginning in 2022. McAlpine is part of the group honored for the first and second quarters of 2021:
Kerry McAlpineThe primary responsibility of Administrative Supervisor Kerry McAlpine is to manage admissions for both Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy degree programs - the new entry-level OTD for future practitioners and the post-professional OTD for experienced occupational therapists or students who want to pursue doctoral-level research in rehabilitation science.
It is a role that demands the ability and personality to work with applicants, advisors and others to ensure that applicants are well prepared and understand the profession and opportunities UAB can provide.
Despite the pressures, McAlpine “always demonstrates a positive and upbeat attitude, which is the first impression seen by all our potential applicants,” a nominator said. “Without Kerry, we would not have the quality and breadth of the applicant pool we get, and without the students we would not have the national reputation we enjoy.”
McAlpine is said to exemplify and embody each of the values that propel the university. As one of UAB’s Global DEI Ambassadors, he seeks opportunities to better ensure diversity and inclusion in the applicant pool and implements his knowledge and experience into our admissions process.
“He is exactly the person you want in this position as he knows that kindness, respect and courtesy are at the root of a positive admission experience,” colleagues say. Equally important, McAlpine never wavers from the highest level of professionalism. “He truly embodies this every day… and he does not fail.”
During the pandemic, Kerry worked to help manage admissions for a new program — the first of its kind in Alabama. Through his efforts, the department will welcome 60 highly qualified young people who will ultimately be the first students to graduate from UAB with a Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
