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Diane Potts received her bachelor of science degree in social sciences from Kansas State University in 1976. In the years since her graduation, she has served as a valued administrator for Kansas State University. Since 1986, she has served in an administrative role for the Dean's Office in the College of Architecture, Planning and Design.

Because of her extraordinary skills and devotion to the College, Ms. Potts was unanimously nominated to receive the Distinguished Service Award by the executive committee of the college. In her role as assistant to the dean, she is responsible for the fiscal affairs of the college which are increasingly complex due to our expanding reliance on private funding. Because of her skilled oversight of the $6 million budget, the college has remained "in the black" for 12 years. The monitoring and management of scores of foundation accounts allows the college to understand the funding available for discretionary spending and scholarships.

Ms. Potts' skills in event planning and coordination are among her strongest contributions to the college. She works tirelessly, year after year, to solicit student volunteers to work at the annual Telefund evenings when alumni are asked for annual donations to the college. In addition to Telefund, Diane supervises, directs, and coordinates Open House, Alumni Fellows, Alumni Honorees, Mock Interviews and DesignExpo. Each of these activities, along with our other special events including the annual student rendering and photography competitions, the annual faculty art show, management of the Chang Gallery exhibition series and the College of Architecture, Planning and Design speaker series, are all run with perfection. These events have grown in stature and flourished under Ms. Potts' oversight.

In addition to budgetary management and event planning, Ms. Potts is responsible for public relations for the college. She has found creative and innovative ways to showcase our college in the production and sales of marketing items that bear the college name and logo. Ms. Potts has managed the college website and written scores of press releases that tell the world of our lectures, exhibits, faculty and student accomplishments, and alumni successes.

As a skilled and dedicated administrator, Ms. Potts has worked tirelessly to sharpen her skills by enrolling and participating in continuing education, workshops, and training sessions that keep her abreast of emerging technologies.

Ms. Potts' attention to detail, insistence on perfection, and follow-through on these many very public events is a major factor in the establishment of our national reputation. For these many reasons, the college faculty, staff, and students wish to honor Diane Potts with the Distinguished Service Award from the College of Architecture, Planning and Design for 2007.