Ann Eastwood was involved from start to finish in the Texas A&M College of Architecture’s Solar Decathlon entry, and she was recognized for that hard work and her work in the Office of Student Services during the college’s spring 2008 faculty-staff meeting.
She received the Linda J. Todd Outstanding Support Staff Achievement Award from Tom Regan, dean of the College of Architecture.
During her 15 years at A&M she has been the assistant to the construction science department head as well as her current post as administrative coordinator in the college’s office of student services.
Eastwood played a vital, behind-the-scenes role supporting the college’s 2007 Solar Decathlon team. Before students went to Washington D.C. for the contest, Eastwood spent many hours making travel arrangements and other necessary tasks to get them on their way. She traveled with the decathletes to D.C., working morning, noon and night providing essential services to the three work shifts at the job site on the National Mall such as transportation, food and water.
After seeing a need for clean clothes for the students, she began doing laundry at the team’s hotel and even arranged for birthday celebrations for students during the competition.
Her role with the students earned her the nickname “Mary Poppins,” a moniker that was on her hard hat at the job site.
The award is named after Linda Todd, who worked in the Department of Architecture for over 30 years and was working at the College of Architecture when Eastwood arrived.
“It was a real special honor for me to win the award because Linda was my mentor,” she said. “She was very helpful to me … she was a very sweet, wonderful lady.”
