Margaret F. Walden
Margaret F. Walden, associate director for institutional research in the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning, has been selected as Staff Council’s Staff Member of the Month for October. To help us get to know her better, she answered a few questions for Inside Ole Miss.
IOM: How long have you worked at Ole Miss?
Walden: 11 years.
IOM: What is your hometown?
Walden: Pensacola, Florida.
IOM: Talk about your favorite Ole Miss memory.
Walden: It was the day I attended Freshmen Orientation with my son. All of the orientation events were wonderful, but the most exciting part was the realization that I was now officially an Ole Miss parent.
IOM: What do you enjoy most about your position or the department in which you work?
Walden: The best thing about working in IREP is the people. I enjoy working through technical issues with the staff and finding creative ways to support our internal and external stakeholders.
IOM: What do you like to do when you are not at work?
Walden: I love to spend time with my family, go on walks and to read.
IOM: What is one thing on your bucket list?
Walden: To go hiking and watching the sunset in the Grand Canyon.
IOM: What is your favorite movie or book?
Walden: My preference would be to read rather than watch movies. My favorite books are Christian fictions, especially the “Left Behind” series.
IOM: What is your favorite Ole Miss tradition?
Walden: My favorite Ole Miss tradition is the annual Staff Appreciation Week. The university is only as great as its people. I think we should always take time to let those around us know how much we appreciate the outstanding contributions they make to their individual departments, to the university and to the community.
IOM: What is a fun fact about you?
Walden: I am a foster parent. Having reared my own three children, I am enjoying the challenges of partnering with my church, Child Protective Services and the community in providing a safe and nurturing environment for children in foster care as they transition through a very stressful and sometimes unpredictable time in their lives.
IOM: If you could have lunch with anyone alive or dead/fictional or real, who would it be and why?
Walden: While there are several great people in history I would love to meet, if I could have lunch with any one person, it would be my father – Howard Freeman Sr. He passed away almost nine years ago. I think about him every day, and I would love to have just one more opportunity to see him face-to-face and listen to the great wisdom he possessed.
IOM: What are three words you would use to describe yourself?
Walden: Encouraging, analytical and faithful.
IOM: If you could visit one time or place in world history (past, present or future), what would it be?
Walden: I would like to have witnessed Dr. Martin King deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech. I believe this was a pivotal moment in America’s history.
IOM: If I could be an animal for a day I would be _____ .
Walden: An eagle, because I taught my children that they should always soar high and reach for the stars.
To nominate a colleague for Staff Member of the Month, email staffcouncil@olemiss.edu with the name of the individual you’d like to nominate as well as why you feel he or she should be recognized.