Employee of the Year

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National Student Employee of the Year Award

What is SEOTY?

Each spring, NSEA coordinates a selection process and chooses the National Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY) to recognize the outstanding contributions and achievements of students who work while attending college.

The process begins in the four regions and only members of NSEA or one of NSEA's regional affiliates - WASEA, MASEA, SASEA, and NEASEA - may nominate their student workers. From the four regional winners, NSEA chooses a National Student Employee of the Year. The award winner receives a $1,000 cash award! The NSEA President or a designated representative from the NSEA Board will visit the national winner's campus to present the award.

Eligibility

Each region sets its own eligibility criteria for student nominees, which generally call for some minimum length of employment, possibly a minimum GPA, and possibly a minimum number of hours per week the student must be working. Generally student workers may be classified as "regular Work-Study", institutional hourly wage, graduate assistants, or even Co-op students to be nominated.

Attention Regions

Click on the link below for examples of past national Student Employee of the Year submissions. This may be helpful to you in establishing your regional criteria and selection process.

Click Here to View the Nomination Letters of Previous SEOTY Winners

2009 Timetable
December 1, 2008 Regional Coordinators distribute announcement and application materials to institutions.
February 16 Campus nominations due to Student Employment Office.
March 2 Campus winners due to Regional Chair.
March 18
Regional winners submitted by Regional Coordinators at web link to NSEA’s Vice President for Membership Services.
March 24-28 National Student Employee of the Year selected and winner’s school notified by NSEA President.
April 12-18 National Student Employee Week.

National Student Employee of the Year announced.

Three runner-up finalists notified.

National Student Employee of the Year Award presented at student's campus.

Suggestions

Call for nominations - publicize the competition widely, put it in your campus newspaper, send flyers to all departments, announce on your campus homepage and any departmental listserv's.

Selection committee - be certain it's more than just faculty and administrators. Include clerical staff and one or two students (undergrad or grad). The committee should total an odd number to avoid ties when voting (five, seven, or nine members is recommended).

Promote the competition by posting pictures of nominees around campus as they are received, put articles in campus paper, on homepage, and listserv's.

Selection criteria - have some mechanism to consider all students equally and not give too much consideration to complex job descriptions or longevity of service.

Award presentation - have a meal function with top administrators, students' families, students' supervisors, even local and state legislators present. Allow time for pictures of all nominees with school president (or whoever is presenting). Be sure to invite media (print and broadcast) to cover the event. Have state government issue a proclamation.

Prizes - arrange for cash scholarship, tuition waiver, or bookstore certificate for winner. Have trophies, plaques, or certificates for all nominees.

Hold your recognition event during National Student Employment Week.