Student Employee of the Year

The Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators (MASEA) is excited to offer this award so members can recognize and celebrate their outstanding student employees. The intent of this award is to recognize the outstanding contributions and achievements of students who work while pursuing higher education.

The National Student Employment Association (NSEA) is running a similar process to award a National Student Employee of the Year. NSEA members are encouraged to submit their campus winners to this process. More information can be found on the NSEA website. 

Process:

To start, each institution will conduct their own nomination process. Then, any institution who is a member of MASEA may submit their SEOTY to one of the 5 categories listed below. Institutions may submit a different student for each category. A committee of MASEA volunteers will then read nominations and select a winner and runner-up for each category. 

Eligible Students:

All undergraduate student employees at institutions with at least one MASEA member are eligible. Graduate students are ineligible for this award, but may be nominated for MASEA's Graduate Student Employee of Year award. Nominees are not restricted to students employed through the Federal Work-Study program. Nominees must be an employee at an institution that is a member of MASEA.

New in 2025, Teaching Assistants (TAs) that are undergraduate students may be nominated for this award. 

Selection Criteria

Students will be evaluated on their contributions in the category they are nominated to by using the criteria in the rubrics listed below. 

Timeline

• November 27, 2024 - MASEA distributes announcement and application materials to members.
• February 21, 2025 - SEOTY campus winners are due to MASEA.
• March 14, 2025 - Winners will be identified and institutions will be notified by this date.
• April 14 - April 18, 2025 - National Student Employment Week observed. Celebrate nominees and winners!

MASEA Awards

• A SEOTY winner and runner-up will be selected for each of the five categories. The winners will receive a certificate and a check for $100. The runner-ups will receive a certificate and a check for $50. 

Submission Instructions

Nominators will need to complete and submit the SEOTY Campus Selection Form which should be in letter format (2 page maximum - this does not include the cover letter) and include the following requirements:

Please ensure the SEOTY Campus Selection Form and the nomination letter are combined in the same PDF file. 

In order for your institution's student employee of the year to be considered for MASEA Student Employee of the Year, you must email your SEOTY Selection form with letter of nomination to info@masea.org no later than 11:59pm CST February 21, 2025. No late materials or previous forms will be accepted.

Please note: the information you provide may be shared with the public through press releases and other promotional opportunities.

Student Employee of the Year Implementation Tips

The nominating process is easy! To help you with the process we have some suggested steps listed below:

• Send the SEOTY information, corresponding forms, and a memo explaining the award and nomination process to your supervisors of student employees on your campus for SEOTY nominations. Establish a campus deadline date for submissions that allows your selection committee time to determine and submit your campus winner to MASEA.
• Many institutions create an online "survey" or "form" to collect the same information asked on the MASEA nomination as part of their process or you can use our template above.
• Collect all nominations by the deadline date and request a "call for readers" on your campus. Consider adding student voices to your selection committee. Readers will simply read and review all nominations. Be sure to determine a deadline for completion of all ratings to allow time to submit your campus winner to MASEA. See the above rubrics and consider using with your campus readers.
• Collect the rating forms and calculate all scores. Select your SEOTY!
• Be sure to submit your campus winner to MASEA.
• Celebrate your winners!