OU Recognizes Student Workers During National Student Employment Week

Fourteen students from across the University of Oklahoma Norman campus are being recognized as outstanding student workers this month during National Student Employment Week.

Scheduled to take place April 10-14, this week is a time where offices and departments across campus celebrate, appreciate, and recognize the hard work of their student employees. The week will culminate with a banquet to honor the nominees and announce the top three nominations for OU’s Student Employees of the Year (SEOTY).

Of the three nominations, one will be forwarded to the National Student Employment Association for national recognitions.  

“Student employees are the gears that make the university run,” said Brad Burnett, OU’s associate vice president for Enrollment Management and director of Financial Aid. “They feed, guide, advise, tutor, and support nearly every administrative function on campus. Student employees graduate with critical skills such as completing an employment application, participating in a job interview, and the knowledge of how to add value to their employer. You take two job applicants who are equally qualified, but one of them has student work experience along with a supervisor reference, the student employee has a distinct advantage for landing that position.”

To celebrate and commemorate the contributions of OU’s student employees, we asked this year’s nominees to share a favorite memory created while on the clock.   

“At OU, I have the privilege of being surrounded by people from different nations, circumstances, and cultures. I believe that the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics is a celebration of that diversity. We all have different stories that make us who we are. Sometimes, my colleagues and I tell stories about breakfast in Mexico, winter in Italy or the trains in India. Every week, there is always a new story shared about the different lives we have led. Last year, as winter holidays rolled around, faculty gifted us small presents related to their culture. During that time, I learned about a sweet Italian bread called Pandoro, the 12 grapes eaten on New Year’s in Spain as a holiday tradition, and Mexican hot chocolate. The language department has helped me understand the different aspects of what shapes our lives, it has helped me understand myself better.”
- Ismail Abdulla, Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics

“It is difficult for me to single out one memory or experience as a student employee that trumps all the others, because my joy came from doing the work. I began as a research assistant for Dr. Miranda while taking her Business Data Analysis course in Fall 2021, and from that point on until graduation, I have been given numerous disparate tasks, each different from the last. The best part of the job was always exploring the new task, coming up with an initial plan, and reworking it as I went along.”

- Joshua McClain, Price College of Business

Congratulations to the 2023 Student Employee of the Year nominees! 

• Nicholas Alonzo, Oklahoma Climate Survey
• Ismail Abdulla, Modern Languages, Literatures, & Linguistics
• Trinity Bucker, Food Services/Union Market
• Caleb Cochran, Food Services/Couch Restaurants
• Kathlyn Dannewald, Architecture Dean’s Office
• Ashley Gonzalez-Vasquez, Center for Faculty Excellence
• Javier Martinez, Office of Admissions & Recruitments
• Joshua McClain, Price College of Business
• Kasiah Mims, University Operations, Food Services/Couch Restaurants
• Ava Moore, Architectural & Engineering Services
• Teagan Raeburn-Romero, Food Services/Couch Restaurants
• Haley Riggins, Housing & Food Services, Marketing and Communications
• Cleveland Shepard, Persistence Coordinator
• Gillian Stinson, Facilities Management, Engineering & Design

Offices and departments can celebrate their student employees by finding creative ways to say, “Thank You.” From delivering a handwritten note of thanks to gifting a small token of appreciation, use this week as an opportunity to encourage student employees.

For those participating, we encourage you to share your ideas and pictures with OU-SEOTY. To submit an idea, contact OU-SEOTY via workstudyprograms@ou.edu.