Written by Andrew Reneau// Photo by Jeff Montgomery
Paula Kirby has retired. Mike Chalenburg, the Vice President of Information Systems & Technology at Harding University, announced Feb. 3 through an email that Kirby had retired from Harding. At Harding, Kirby served as the Director of e-learning and multimedia services. The message, sent to employees of Harding University, briefly described Kirby as demonstrating “exceptional leadership, adaptability and a strong commitment to excellence.”
“We will miss Paula’s expertise, her spirit, and her unwavering dedication. She has been a valued mentor, colleague and friend to all of us,” Chalenburg wrote.
With Kirby’s retirement, Harding is restructuring her old department and redistributing responsibilities. Naomi Valentine will direct the Center for Learning with Technology and continue Kirby’s work on courseware development. She will also lead the accessibility division and assist faculty in accessing courseware. Allison Case, the new director of eLearning and Multimedia Services, will oversee Canvas, the testing lab, general classroom technology and the Media Center.
Kirby was seen as a mentor by some of her co-workers during her 24 years working in Harding’s Information Systems and Technology department. Valentine said Kirby was an encouraging presence, and rarely wanted the spotlight, instead choosing to push others forward.
“She knows how to challenge her people, she knows how to push you to greatness,” Valentine said. “She always saw the best in me, even before I saw it in myself.”
On top of servant leadership, Kirby was a friend; Case said Kirby helped her family in a time of need.
“There was a certain thing that my daughter needed for her medical care that I couldn’t afford at the time as often as she needed it,” Case said. “I came to the office one day and the thickener that she needed was sitting on my desk.”
Case said Kirby never said it was her, but Case knew anyway.
“What boss does that?” Case said. “I never mentioned it, it was kind of in passing, and every month after that there was a box on my desk.”
The Bison reached out to Kirby, who declined to comment.
