Video Collection of Nova University / NSU

NSU Oral History: President Abe Fischler interviews Helen Graham – June 14, 1997

NSU Oral History: President Abe Fischler interviews Helen Graham – June 14, 1997

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Reproduced from The Nova Knight, January 24, 1992

Helen F. Graham: First and Only VP Set to Retire

Helen F. Graham, director of Nova University's Human Resource Department, will be retiring on 31 March 1992. Ms. Graham has served Nova in many capacities, from a secretary to her present position as a member of the University Cabinet.

Ms. Graham, a Nova graduate, came to Nova University in April of 1965. She was one of five who made up the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly in building the University. Ms. Graham did everything from making the blinds in her office to sending out brochures to prospective students.

In a recent interview, she commented on the difficulty of trying to sell a university that really didn't exist.

"When the first class of seventeen graduate students enrolled in Nova University of Advanced Technology, only the Rosenthal building had been completed. The Parker Building was under construction and the rest of the campus was barren," she stated.

In August of 1967, Ms. Graham's office was moved on campus into the Rosenthal Building. She had been working out of a small office on Las Olas Boulevard. She recalled how the office was furnished.

"The furniture was donated and we cut the blinds to fit the windows."

In the Rosenthal Building, Ms. Graham worked as Dr. Fischler's assistant. In 1975, the university established a Personnel Department directed by Ms Graham, with the help of a secretary. As the responsibilities grew in the areas of employee relations and training, the name of the department was changed to Human Resources. which appropriately reflected the department's functions.

After twenty seven years, Ms. Graham has had the opportunity to see Nova become a major educational force in Florida and beyond. All her planning, talking, hoping, fundraising, promoting, and recruiting has helped shape our university, from its inception to its present success.

Original Date

6-14-1997

Date Digitized

7-29-2024

Keywords

Abraham "Abe" Fischler, Helen Graham, higher education, history, oral history, Nova Southeastern University, Nova University

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | Education | Higher Education | History | Oral History

Original Format

VHS

Run Time

01:42:26

Repository

NSU Archives, Nova Southeastern University

NSU Oral History: President Abe Fischler interviews Helen Graham – June 14, 1997

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