Marty Parker, a lecturer in the Department of Management, is the recipient of the 2020 Lee Anne Seawell Faculty Recognition Award from the University of Georgia Career Center. The award recognizes faculty members who positively influence student career development.
“Marty consistently does a tremendous job facilitating the career development success of his students,” said Scott Williams, executive director of the Career Center. “The network that he has established plays a pivotal role in students gaining incredible insight into supply chain careers, as well as connecting with potential employers.”
Parker joined the Terry College of Business as a full-time lecturer in 2016 after a long career in the supply chain industry. Parker maintains a position as chief operating officer at TechCXO, an executive professional services firm. At UGA, he teaches students in the supply chain management program and created the Supply Chain Advisory Board, a student-administered organization that works with 20 member companies to improve course curriculum.
“I have a personal motto: I help students and companies grow and succeed,” Parker said. “I developed that because I left industry to come teach at Terry. Really, the whole intent of doing that was to give back.”
Parker reserves sections of his calendar for career appointments, meetings where Parker offers feedback on student resumes and LinkedIn profiles, career advice and arranges informational interviews between students and companies.
“I really think this is what I was made to do,” Parker said. “I have all of this experience from the past, and now in my consulting roles I have real, relevant experience today to be able to bring that into the classroom.”
Parker has developed a reputation with students as a faculty member who is accessible and happy to help. In fact, students are booking career appointments with Parker as early as six weeks in advance due to the high demand.
“He purposefully took this job,” said senior Sydney Hasler, student vice president of the Supply Chain Advisory Board. “I think he sees that as his mission, to help people and to do good. That really drives and motivates him to help all of us.”
The Lee Anne Seawell Award recipient is selected based on student feedback gathered in the Career Center’s annual Career Outcomes Survey. The survey provides insight into the employment and continuing education status of UGA graduates six months after graduation. While completing the survey, recent graduates are given the opportunity to identify faculty members who positively influenced their career paths.
“He just really takes chances on students, believes in them and then gives them opportunities,” said senior Parker Quinn, student treasurer of the Supply Chain Advisory Board.
The Career Center’s executive director presented the award to Parker on Feb. 28.
“[Winning the award] just sort of validates that the work I’m doing with them is really making a difference,” Parker said.
The award was endowed by the late Lee Anne Seawell, who joined UGA in 1947 as one of the university’s first female administrators. She worked in career services and student financial aid until her retirement in 1987. The award has been presented annually since 2017.