By Dmitry Bulgakov

Reporter

The number of students employed on campus outnumbers permanent employees.

In recognition of students’ contribution, the University annually awards the most outstanding student employees. Currently the nominations for this year’s awards are being accepted at the Career Center.

“You would not be able to run this University without student employees,” said Christine Celestino-Boes, assistant director of Career Center. “Sidewalks would not be shoveled, the grounds would not be cleaned up in the spring, some telephones would go unanswered and surely, in Dining Services, food would not be available. That is why we developed this award that we can acknowledge their hardworking and hard efforts.”

This year there are four award categories: on-campus student employee, on-campus student employee team, off-campus student employee and co-op or intern of the year.

The nominations are open to any undergraduate student or a team of three or more students who have worked at least one semester in the area from which they would be nominated.

The off-campus award is for any off-campus student employee in the surrounding area who is also an undergraduate student at the University.

There are about 1,300 students who work off campus, according to Peg Bucksky, job location and development program coordinator at Career Services.

“This year is a third year in providing employee of the year awards,” Celestino-Boes said. “We have a National Student Employment Association that acknowledges student employers on the national basis and, during a celebration week — titled National Student Employment Appreciation Week — we would have our awards reception.”

It is expected that the Career Center will receive more than a hundred nominations until March 21, this year’s deadline.

“We have already sent the call for nominations out to co-op and internship offices,” Celestino-Boes said. “They indicated who would be eligible for that award and the nomination form and the announcement for the nomination was sent to those companies directly.”

More than 4,500 students work on campus.

According to Celestino-Boes, all supervisors and academic advisors who are working with students or faculty who have students working for them have already been notified about the nominations.

The criteria are the same for all four awards.

Outstanding student nominees should go above and beyond the employee’s job description in his or her job activities, provide exceptional service and show formal or informal leadership. A committee that would go through the process of reading all nominations will chose winners in April. The award ceremony would be held on April 10.