Julie Howell really likes calling North Carolina home, so much so, that she sought the opportunity to settle in the Tar Heel State about 16 years ago.
A native of Olathe, Kan., Howell retired from the telecommunications industry after a 26-year career in which she lived in several large cities.
“I moved around a lot,” said Howell, currently an administrative support specialist for the Department of Public Health Sciences in the College of Health and Human Services. “I’ve lived in Dallas, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Greensboro, Kansas City and Charlotte. While I was always active in the communities where I lived, when I moved to Greensboro – that’s when I felt I was home. And of course, Charlotte has a lot to offer – restaurants, theaters and museums, and the mountains and beaches are only hours away.”
Throughout her time with Alcatel-Lucent (originally AT&T), Howell transferred to new cities to undertake administrative roles with increasing responsibilities. When chance to move to Charlotte presented itself, she took advantage of it.
“Primarily, I was in supply chain logistics and worked with units that built networks, so we’d ship products, such as circuit boards, amplifiers and other technical hardware to priority clients,” explained Howell. “When it comes to technology, I’ve seen a lot of change. I had to be flexible and adaptable because technology is a rapidly changing field.”
Howell is approaching her five-year anniversary as a full-time employee on Oct. 4; she first joined the University as a temporary employee in March 2010.
One of Howell’s chief responsibilities is supporting and managing the undergraduate and graduate internship process.
“I work closely with students to verify their documentation, affiliation agreements with area community partners and other compliance issues before they start their internships,” Howell explained. During the year, she is coordinating the efforts of approximately 100 undergraduates and 150 graduate students. Program directors approve internship sites, but Howell provides students with agency requirements, which can involve criminal background checks, liability insurance and substance abuse testing.
Afterward, she gathers data, such as student/agency evaluations, and maintains all records in case outside accrediting bodies need to review or audit the files.
Beyond her normal job duties, Howell is a member of the Staff Council executive committee. As secretary, she takes meeting minutes and emails agendas and reports to area representatives.
“I just started as secretary, but I was the Area 7 representative for about a year,” said Howell. “I think it’s important for us to be engaged in our place of work. It’s easy to come and do our job, but through the Staff Council we have a chance to be a voice to University leadership. Plus, we are helping to show appreciation to staff members. We realize there are frustrations that have resulted from lack of state raises, but we’re trying to reward people in non-monetary ways to boost morale.”
A history buff, Howell enjoys reading biographies and current events. She’s also politically active; during the 2012 Democratic National Convention, Howell drove one of the vans that comprised the president’s motorcade – her vehicle was filled with members of the White House Press Corps. When she lived in Kansas, President Clinton visited, and she chauffeured White House staffers. “Not everyone gets the chance to drive 100 miles per hour on a wide-open highway.”
Photo: The wall hanging behind Howell is an Amish quilt; she donated it to the College of Health and Human Services in honor of her grandmother, Edith Fife.