Curriculum and Instruction secretary Dixie Ashburn makes life easier for students, says two-time alumnus Ersa Elaine Tilley.

"Ever since I entered the education program at Tech in 1998, Ms. Dixie has been there helping me and countless other students," says Tilley, a high school teacher who has earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from TTU. "When I was an undergraduate, she helped me get into an intersession class I needed to graduate on time, and I never really told her how much that meant to me."

For her master's studies, Tilley enrolled in the Regents Online Degree Program.

"My grades were not supposed to come in until after graduation," Tilley says. "On the Friday before graduation, Dixie took the time to call and fax everyone under the sun to make sure I was allowed to receive my diploma when I walked. She went above and beyond what was her job in order to help me.

"I work with high school students, and I tell them what a great place Tech is. People like Dixie Ashburn make Tech a wonderful school; she cares about students and takes the time to help them."

Ambassador nomination forms are available from Human Resource Services or by visiting www.tntech.edu/hr.