Brenda Shue, a member of the Chancellor’s Office, is passionate about learning and the University.
At December commencement, where she graduated with a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies and a graduate certificate in technical and professional writing, Shue was chosen to ring the bell during the afternoon ceremony for her exemplary 49er spirit.
“I love UNC Charlotte,” said Shue, “I treasure the words that UNC Charlotte’s founder Bonnie Cone lived by - ‘I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by the grace of God, I will do.’”
As a business services coordinator, Shue oversees all financial accounts and budgets for the Office of the Chancellor, and she performs research, data collection and analyses for reports and special projects. In addition, she manages the governance and senior administration organization chart, and she responds to questions/requests from students, parents and others who contact the Chancellor’s Office.
“The most rewarding part of my job is to help our students and parents,” Shue stated. “It’s a privilege to be able to serve the students; none of us would be here without them.”
With three UNC Charlotte degrees completed, Shue is contemplating her next educational endeavor. She loves learning, and she earned her degrees while working full time, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout.
Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, Shue wanted to accomplish two goals – complete her bachelor’s degree and make a difference.
“After months of chemotherapy, I started taking classes mainly at night or during my lunch hours. My children watched me graduate, and I told them that if I could do it, they could do it,” said Shue. “So I accomplished both my goals at UNC Charlotte. The master’s degree and graduate certificate are just icing on the cake.”
Shue’s son Billy completed an MBA from Wake Forest, and her daughter Katie is enrolled in UNC Charlotte’s Master of Science in Nursing FNP program.
As a graduate student, Shue earned a number of accolades, including the Glenn Burne Graduate Award for the paper “‘Old Yeller,’ From Gipson Tale to Disney Classic,” which is scheduled to be published this year as part of a collection of narratives devoted to Disney.
She was a mentor to others through the Office of Adult Students and Evening Services, and she volunteered more than 1,000 hours as a note taker for the Office of Disability Services. Her detailed study guides received rave reviews from professors and users – one student rewarded her with a rose in class for her efforts.
Earlier this year, Shue was among the recipients of the Employee of the Year Award, in the category of devotion to duty.
“I’m driven to do my best,” said Shue. “I couldn’t have gotten the award without collaborating with others across campus. I’ve had the support from my colleagues all along the way. We have a wonderful office – we work together and support each other. Across the University, we are a community that works for a common goal – the students. We are all on the same team with different roles, and each one is important.”