Like Mother, Like Daughter

by Lauren Bradfield

Sharon Carey has been with UTA since 1990 and has served in various capacities on campus. You can say that she is very versatile and always open to new opportunities. Sharon started as the Assistant Director for Recreational Sports and her office was in the Activities Building, which is now the MAC. She was with Student Affairs for 17 years before moving over to the Special Event Facilities (SEF) department, which included the College Park Center, Texas Hall, Maverick Stadium and UTA Tickets. After a brief retirement, Sharon came back to UTA and is now in the Office of Facilities Management overseeing the Housing Maintenance and Campus Custodial departments. Sharon’s time in the SEF department demanded many nights and weekends due to events held but that is no longer the case since she’s found Work-Life balance in her current role in Facilities.

Having been here at UTA for over 30 years, Sharon has worked with many folks. Her most memorable interaction was with past president Jim Spaniolo when while working on the College Park Center (CPC) construction. President Spaniolo tasked the team with moving up the completion date in order to host the first basketball game for that season. Talk about carrying a heavy weight on your shoulders! Not only was the construction a couple of months out of nearing completed but now they must speed up the process even faster. The CPC did open in time for that basketball game through the efforts of the CPC team. Another person who is memorable to Sharon is John Hall, VP of Administration and Economic Development. He has played a pivotal role in her professional career by serving as her mentor and role model during their 10+ years of direct work together.

Sharon wants people to know that she is an “open book”. Just ask her anything and she’ll give you an answer. Sometimes you may not like it, but she’ll tell you like it is. She also wants you to know that her proudest moments are spent with her family, and that she loves being a mother. She enjoys being there for her husband, daughter and stepson as they bring her great pleasure. Sharon has been married to Tim for 24 years and they will soon be grandparents. When asked who she would like to have lunch with, Sharon replied that it would be with her late mother who was an amazing woman with a strong value for education and social service. She was able to raise six strong daughters who contribute to society.

Being an open book does not necessarily make you an extrovert, at least not in a group setting like at conferences. Sharon does not like making small talk with strangers, but you wouldn’t know this because of her can-do personality. And it is ironic that Sharon obtained her first job out of college at a National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) conference where she met Jim Garrett and landed an interview with UTA. And the rest is history. If there’s one thing that Sharon would tell her younger self, it would be self-awareness. It has given Sharon a better understand of the people around her, which in turns create stronger relationships with them. Just be mindful how your actions may affect others.