 |
Ashley Turbeville, MBA, executive director of research administration and development, is retiring from the Whiddon College of Medicine. |
Turbeville started her tenure at the College of Medicine as a word processing specialist in radiology before taking a secretary V position in the cell biology and neuroscience department. From there, she moved to the sponsored projects office at USA as an administrative assistant. During that time, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. She was promoted to the assistant director and then the associate director of grants administration.
In 2007, she returned to the College of Medicine as director of the research office and was later promoted to her most recent position as executive director of research administration and development.
“When I started at USA 31 years ago, I never dreamed I would have completed two degree programs and be in this position today,” she said. “The COM and USA as a whole have been very good to me.”
Turbeville said she is proud to have worked with faculty and staff to submit grants for many successful research, public service and instruction projects over the years.
“These projects helped people in our community, and great research was completed that laid the groundwork for some translational studies,” she said. “When you have a faculty member and their lab discover something novel like a biomarker or a protein-coding gene while doing the research you helped them submit to the sponsor is an awesome feeling.”
Turbeville said she looks forward to spending more time with her family and tackling a small list of projects. But, after devoting three decades of her professional life to the university, retirement is bittersweet.
“I have worked with some of the brightest and smartest faculty and staff. These people are my work family, and they will be missed.” she said. “I have been blessed to have played a small part in the research mission and the educational mission of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine.”
