The Chambers-Reid Award was created in 1994 to recognize superior performance by a member of the professional staff in Student Affairs. It is an acknowledgment of exemplary service performed through selfless commitment during a time of unusual challenge or through years of consistent excellence and dedication.
The award honors the service of Jay L. Chambers and Harriet E. Reid. Jay was Director of the Counseling Center from 1970 to 1992, a clinician of unmatched skill who during his tenure absorbed all of the on-call duties for the Center—always putting first the best interests of the students and of his staff. In so doing, he built a program of mental health services that became a model for higher education. Harriet also worked at William & Mary for 22 years, 11 as Associate Dean of Admissions and 11 in Student Affairs. Because of her untiring efforts, the university launched a program of career counseling and in 1975 Harriet became its director, quickly establishing the first career library and resource center. Two years after her retirement, she returned to serve as Acting Director of the Office of Academic Support and subsequently as director of the presidential search committee that selected Tim Sullivan as the 25th President of the university. She and Jay Chambers shared many characteristics, the most obvious of which were a willingness “to go above and beyond the call of duty” and “…to give freely of…[themselves] to help others.” Both were recipients of the university’s Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and it is their spirits we celebrate with this award.
Please nominate a deserving professional member of the Student Affairs staff for the Chambers-Reid Award.
