KU announces Student Employee of the Year

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas held a ceremony to recognize students and award the Student Employee of the Year for the 2012-13 academic year.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday, April 10 at 3 p.m. in Woodruff Auditorium in the Kansas Union. The Student Employee of the Year title was awarded to Patrick Edmonds, an employee at the Life Span Institute from Topeka, who received an engraved plaque and the $500 award.

Finalists for the award included Jenna Domann of Undergraduate Advising Center, from Nortonville, Sara Karcher of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science – KU Medical Center, from Shawnee, Jenna Mittelmeier of International Student Services, from Iola, and Alyssa Ong of KU Marketing, Malaysia.

Each of the five finalists received a brass Jayhawk and was called to the stage with their nominating supervisor who spoke to the audience about the student's contribution to their department and why the student was nominated.

All 41 nominees for the award were called to the stage and received a Jayhawk pin and certificate of recognition.

Provost Jeffrey Vitter spoke during the ceremony about the importance of student employees at KU and their own experiences as student employees.

“As student employees, you are familiar with finding the balance among a multifaceted mission, just like we have at the University. In particular, you are able to excel not only in the classroom, but also in the workplace,” said Vitter. “We could not function as a university without our student workers. We depend on them heavily.”

In addition to becoming KU’s Student Employee of the Year, Edmonds was also awarded the State of Kansas Student Employee of the Year Award for 2013 and will receive a certificate and check for $75. The State of Kansas Student Employee of the Year Award program is administered by the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators.

The Student Employee of the Year award honors degree-seeking students who are currently enrolled at KU. This award was established to recognize student employees that embody service excellence, dedication, and whose academic achievements remain stellar. The student can be in an undergraduate or graduate program and must have been employed by the department for a minimum of four months and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.

If you are interested in learning more about the award or have any questions about the program, email seoty@ku.edu or visit online.