Selaba Travis is Gold U Awardee

Selaba Travis was the Gold U recipient for January.

Travis, the research program associate in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine, coordinates departmental publications, the Internal Medicine Research Council, which includes membership from across the department’s 10 divisions, the Summer Undergraduate Research Program and the Summer Undergraduate Alcohol Research Program.

She has been at UNMC for nearly 30 years, starting in pathology in 1988 before moving to internal medicine about seven years later.

“I did not expect it to be a career,” she said. “But I really enjoyed the culture here; I enjoy working with the professionals here. Everyone is treated with respect, and it’s a really nice place to be.”

Travis’ feelings are reciprocated. In a nomination letter written by Debra Romberger, M.D., the Henry J. Lehnhoff Professor of Internal Medicine and Chair for the Department of Internal Medicine, and Ted Mikuls, M.D., Umbach Professor of Rheumatology and vice chair for research, the two supervisors touted her willingness “to not only accommodate others, but to help them feel comfortable.

“In the past, Selaba has ferreted out bus passes for students who do not have their own transportation … She is an annual-return, ready and willing contributor and shopper when the department ‘adopts’ Midtown Clinic patients and their families during the holiday season. It is an impossible task to enumerate Selaba’s selflessness and compassion, because she does not tout her good acts,” the letter states.

“In performing her various functions, Selaba interacts with persons of all ethnicities, cultures and races recognizing the uniqueness of each individual, while treating all with equal respect. Not only does she support the departmental research program, but she also has primary responsibility for gathering information, keeping abreast of new events and new hires and promoting members of the department through publication of a quarterly newsletter.”

Travis said she’s been fortunate to work for fine faculty members, many of whom served as mentors.

“The information they share gives me a better understanding of the overall goals and helps me to be a better team member. They make me feel like a useful part of a team.

“And, as part of a UNMC team, there are lots of people along the way who help us accomplish things, like the IT people, coworkers, web designers, and others who give technical assistance, without whom it would be impossible for me to do my job. This honor should be a collective thank you to all of them also. Hopefully, they know who they are.”