When Barbara Stewart retired on January 15, after more than five years at UVM, she left behind a legacy defined not by titles or citations, but by trust and care.
Stewart joined UVM in fall 2019 as Administrative Coordinator for the Department of Economics, a role she assumed just months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the start, during that stressful era, she distinguished herself as both highly capable and humane. “Barbara is an outstanding employee who does all of her tasks efficiently and to a very high standard, while making everyone she comes into contact with feel comfortable and welcomed,” wrote Sara J. Solnick, associate dean and professor of economics.
Whether managing complex grant agreements, redesigning departmental processes, or planning events, Stewart brought rigor, creativity, and a sense of justice to her work. Emily Beam, associate professor of economics, recalled Stewart’s role in creating a more equitable system for student awards. By introducing ways to consider financial need while protecting privacy, Stewart “promoted justice in our selection process while demonstrating integrity.”
Moments that fall outside a job description may best capture Stewart’s impact. Solnick recounted a situation in which a retiring faculty member was struggling with an office move. To ensure the process was handled with respect and dignity, Stewart personally packed and moved the faculty member’s belongings, including fragile artworks collected during international travel. “This positive outcome…was only possible because the faculty member felt respected and because they trusted Barbara’s integrity and responsibility,” Solnick wrote.
In fall 2023, Stewart moved into a new role as Administrative Supervisor for the School of World Languages and Cultures (SWLC), just as the school was being formed from four separate departments. Building an administrative structure from scratch could have been daunting, but Stewart, according to SWLC Director Joseph Acquisto, accomplished it “with grit and grace,” exemplifying “the ideal balance of cooperative teamwork and leadership vision that the Our Common Ground principles collectively advocate.”
Acquisto noted that faculty and staff across the school relied on Stewart’s expertise and integrity, particularly in high-stakes work such as coordinating reappointment, tenure, and promotion cases. “Faculty know that they will not have to worry about anything falling through the cracks when Barbara is in charge,” he wrote. Working with faculty from 13 countries, Stewart took care to adapt to different cultural expectations—down to learning and confirming the correct pronunciation of every colleague’s name.
Her influence extended beyond routine administration. During the school’s launch year, Stewart helped organize major events, including a large symposium on artificial intelligence and world languages education, handling everything from communications and publicity to logistics, design, and student coordination. One colleague observed that Stewart “goes above and beyond expectations…always with good humor and professionalism,” even under pressure.
Those who worked alongside Stewart also emphasize her openness and humanity. “Barbara’s door, heart and mind are always open,” wrote Nicole J. Fleury, CAS HR and Faculty Actions Supervisor. “She has a unique ability to make those around her feel seen and heard, because she truly looks and listens.” As Stewart steps into retirement, UVM celebrates not only her accomplishments, but the many daily interactions through which she made the university a better place.