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Sandy Spencer recognized as a finalist in the Mentor of the Year

Recognition Program

Dr. Sandra L. Spencer is a Principal Lecturer in the English department and Director of the Womens and Gender Studies program for the
University of North Texas.
Recently, Dr. Spencer was recognized as a finalist in the Mentor of the Year Recognition Program sponsored by the Women of Visionary
Influence(WOVI). Spencersfellow faculty nominated her for this award. The Mentor of the Year award is given by the WOVI, whose mission is to
empower women to lead and mentor. Founded in 2001, WOVI offers programs in mentoring and leadership.
Spencer has enjoyed several mentoring relationships throughout her own life. Of those, one
of great importance was withDr. Tom Preston, retired English professor and former Dean of
the College of Arts and Sciences. Dean Preston was a mentor to Spencer early on in her
career and provided guidance that helped her to find a professional home at UNT.
Understanding the importance of having a mentor, Spencer always makes a deliberate effort
to provide advice and guidance to all graduate students who enroll in her programs.
Spencers past mentees include, a student who currently decodes international transcripts
and another whoserves as a United Nations Representative for the Womens International
League for Peace and Freedom.
As Director of The Women's and Gender Studies program at UNT, Dr. Spencer is at the helm
of a uniquely diverse area of study. As she explains; Our program is coming of age. The
name reflects the national trend. Sixty percent of other universities already have programs
with this focus. It also underscores how UNTs student body has changed, with more men
choosing to minor in the program and take classes that study issues related to women and
gender. In her nearly twenty years as a faculty member at UNT, Dr. Spencer has led
numerous groups of students on study abroad ventures to places such as, England, Scotland,
and Tunisia. A highlight among her many accomplishments within the Womens and Gender
Studies program, Spencer was able to lead one of only nine in the US given for Women's
Studies credit that year. Her most recent study abroad trip was this past summer with the
UNT Honors College studentsin London, England.
As a two-timealumna of UNT, Dr. Spencer loves the university and has stayed because of
the opportunities which she feels have enriched her intellectually and has helped her form
an emotional home, where she is free to indulge in her scholarly passion and study abroad
Kristin Alder, Ozlem Altiok, Dr. Sandra Spencer,
travels. Her scholarly interests focus on gender aspects of globalization, womens roles in
Pauline Raffestin
peacemaking, human trafficking globally and locally, and feminist activity in the Middle East
and North Africa. Spencer isan active member of the National Womens Studies Association,
the Denton branch of the American Association of University Women, and Peacemakers Inc. She also serves on the UNT Castleberry Peace
Institute and Contemporary Arab and Muslim Cultural Studies Initiative boards.
The overall message of the Mentor of the Year Recognition Program awards luncheon was, when you get the call to become a mentor; answer.
Dr. Spencer represents a stellar example of educator, leader and UNT mentor that has certainly answered her call to mentor her peers and
students and does so with a passion that is truly worthy of her new award.

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