Student Employee Appreciation Week

Which student employees are eligible for nomination?

All student employees are eligible to be nominated for student employee of the year, which includes student employees: 

• paid from departments as well as Federal Work Study awards,
• regardless of the length of time they have worked in your department,
• undergraduate student employees and graduate student employees

Additional information:

• Two student awards will be awarded: Overall Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year and Overall Graduate Student Employee of the Year
• The questions asked on the nomination forms are based off of the rubrics provided by the National Student Employment Association and the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators

Nominate a student employee for Student Employee of the Year 2026

Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year nomination questions

When you submit a nomination for Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year, you will provided the prompts below. You do not have to answer all of the prompts to submit a nomination.

• How does the student you are nominating take the lead to learn and use new skills to help their department?
• How has the student grown professionally by improving their skills in areas like communication, teamwork, leadership, or using technology? (Core skills that can be referenced include career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork, and technology.)
• How has the student gone above and beyond in their job to make a listing difference at the university or in the community? 

Graduate Student Employee of the Year nomination questions

When you submit a nomination for Graduate Student Employee of the Year, you will be provided the prompts below. You do not have to answer all of the prompts to submit a nomination.

• How does the student you are nominating:
  • Recognize and appreciate the help of others?
  • Show kindness and understanding toward others?
  • Stay open to new ideas and ways of doing things?
  • Respect and value everyone's unique contributions?
• How has the student:
  • Suggested and carried out an idea that helped the department in a big way?
  • Brought positive attention to the department?
• Professionalism, effective communication, and interpersonal skills:
  • How does the student work well with their teammates, manager, department leaders, and others connected to the unit?
  • How does the student use good communication to convince others when asking for agreement?
  • How does the student handle problems in a positive and helpful way?

Which supervisors of student employees are eligible for nomination?

In order to be eligible for consideration, the nominee must be a full-time or part-time staff or faculty employee of Western Michigan University. 

(If the person you want to nominate is a full-time student [undergraduate or graduate], please complete the Student Employee of the Year nomination form.)

Supervisor of Student Employees of the Year nomination questions

When you submit a nomination for Supervisor of Student Employees of the Year award, you will provided the prompts below. You do not have to answer all of the prompts to submit a nomination.

• What are the best things about this supervisor's leadership? Please provide examples
• How has this supervisor gone above and beyond their regular job duties?
• What shows that this supervisor is great at managing student employees?
• How does this supervisor show strong leadership, take initiative, and stay motivated?
• How has this supervisor made a positive impact on student employees?
• What makes this supervisor stand out from others who manage student employees?

Nominate a supervisor for Supervisor of Student Employees of the Year 2026

Congratulations to our 2024 Winners

• Graduate Student Employee of the Year Overall: Jithendran Senthilkumar, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Overall: Muhammad Hassan Asif, University Recreation
• Community Service Student Employee of the Year: Katelyn Frankel, Bronson School of Nursing
• Critical Thinking Student Employee of the Year: Jaqueline Chavarria, Lee Honors College
• Diversity and Inclusion Student Employee of the Year: Antonia Kistler Ellis, University Recreation
• Leadership Student Employee of the Year: Collin Holzberger, College of Education and Human Development
• Technology and Innovation Student Employee of the Year: Seth Falkenstein, Payroll and Disbursements
• Supervisor of Student Employees of the Year: Dr. Brandon Youker, The Evaluation Lab

Read more about these outstanding individuals and their contributions to WMU.

• The week is dedicated to student employees. It is a time to recognize all the hard work and contributions that they make to Western Michigan University and the greater community.  The past year has been like no other. Take some time to celebrate your student staff. This event offers the opportunity to nominate outstanding students and student supervisors for the Student and Supervisor of the Year award.
• Student employees work in most campus departments. Their work ranges from cashiers to graduate assistants. WMU employs approximately 3,500 during the fall/spring semesters. Campus student employment allows students to build skills, explore career options, and make meaningful contributions to the university and community. . Supervisors are encouraged to nominate their outstanding student employees for Student Employee of the Year.
• Student Supervisors play a key role in hiring, training, reviewing and modeling key skills and behaviors. These modeled skills and behaviors are meant to foster the development of skilled, competent student employees. Students are encouraged to nominate their outstanding supervisor for Supervisor of the Year.
• One major activity of Student Employee Appreciation Week includes honoring all nominations and winners for the Student Employee and the Supervisor of the Year. The names of the winning student and supervisor will be forwarded to a competition through the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators (MASEA).

Recognition Ideas for Student Employees

• Treat day - full-time staff bring in treats for student employees.
• Take pictures - post student employee pictures and list what wonderful things they do for your department.
• Send a special "thank you" letter to your student employees to show your appreciation.
• Buy blank certificates and use them recognize students' strengths.
• Office party - celebrate with food and great conversation.
• Friendship plants - take cuttings from a plant in the office and give to each student as a live connection to the office.
• Pat on the back - draw an outline of your hand on a piece of paper and copy for each student. Write a note that tells the student why they deserve it.
• Use this week as an opportunity to start an award recognition program. Look around the office for a white elephant item. Name the item for the award and make the first presentation of it during Student Employee Appreciation Week.
• Make a banner to hang for the whole week in your office.
• Decorate an office bulletin board or the office door for the week in recognition of your students.
• Good Egg Award - buy plastic eggs, fill them with goodies and give out with "good egg" certificates. List what the student did to deserve the award.
• Care package with cookies and treats.
• Evaluate your student employee's performance and give them feedback.
• Buy a pizza for your students or have a potluck.
• Gather gift certificates from local vendors.
• An award ceremony for your student staff.
• Consider setting up a professional development presentation or workshop for your Student Employees; request one here through this form. It will help them identify their transferable skills, enable clearer communication with prospective employers, and promoting professionalism.