Celebrating Student Employees

During the second full week of April each year, National Student Employment Appreciation Week is celebrated at colleges and universities across the nation. This year the Student Employment team in the Office of Student Financial Aid led a centrally coordinated effort to celebrate all UW–Madison student employees. There were free events such as glow bowling, trivia, ice skating, and DIY crafts offered throughout the week. The week was very successful seeing more than 300 student employees in attendance! In addition to the free events offered, UW–Madison also holds a Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY) Banquet to recognize the individuals that were nominated for Student Employee of the Year. Each student employee is nominated by someone in their department that speaks to their communication, technology, problem solving, professionalism/work ethic, intercultural fluency, career management, leadership, and teamwork attributes. From the nominations a first, second, and third place winner is chosen and receives a scholarship. This year there were 24 nominees and the third place winner, Willem Weigel and first place winner, Dakota Roettger are from the Division of Enrollment Management in the Office of Student Financial Aid! Dakota as the first place winner then goes on to compete in the Midwest regional competition against the other university winners from the State of Wisconsin and if chosen as the state winner the student then goes on to compete against the other 13 states in the Midwest region. Dakota was selected as SEOTY for the state of Wisconsin as well as the Midwest region. Dakota then went on to be recognized by the National Student Employment Association as one of the 16 Student Employee’s of the Year across the nation. This is the first time that UW–Madison has had someone selected and recognized as a regional and national winner. Congratulations to Dakota, Willem, and all of the other nominees and thank you to all student employees for all their hard work and dedication to DEM and UW–Madison!