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Celebrating students who work during college

Student Employment of the Year Awards honor the outstanding contributions and achievements of students who work while pursuing higher education.

Celebrate supervisors

Nominate and recognize outstanding supervisors of student employees.

Who is eligible to be Student Employee of the Year?

All IU Indianapolis student employees are eligible. There are two awards: an undergraduate award and a graduate award.

A red and white balloon letter sculpture of IU Indy.

Selection criteria

For undergraduate and graduate students, a nomination letter addressing the appropriate criteria must be submitted.

Nominations must come from a supervisor, colleague, or other IU Indianapolis employee. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Nominees are not restricted to students employed through the Federal Work-Study Program.

We coordinate IU Indianapolis awards with the National Student Employment Association (NSEA) and Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators (MASEA), enabling our winners to advance to regional and national recognition programs. Selection criteria align with NSEA and MASEA criteria.

Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year criteria

Nominees are evaluated on their contributions to criteria in one of the following categories:

  • Community service
  • Critical thinking
  • Innovation and technology
  • Leadership

Graduate Student Employee of the Year criteria

Nominees are evaluated on their contributions to criteria in all of the following categories:

  • Teamwork and collaborative mindset
  • Impact
  • Professionalism, effective communication, and interpersonal skills
  • Leadership
Past Student Employee of the Year honorees
Year Name Position Office
2025

Priya Patel, Undergraduate

Mary Grace Mantica*, Graduate

*Also won Midwest Graduate Student Employee of the Year

Events Fellow

Graduate Assistant

IU Alumni Association

School of Science PREPS Office

2024

Ashley Remy, Undergraduate 

Ericia Henry, Graduate 

Senior Ambassador 

Graduate Assistant of Student Success 

Life-Health Sciences Internship Program 

Diversity Enrichment and Achievement Program 

2023

Henry Woodburn 

Also won Midwest Student Employee of the Year in the Community Service category 

Sustainable Transportation Intern  Office of Sustainability 
2022 Lacey Smith  Media Production and Marketing Assistant  Office of Student Employment 
2021

Holly Lindsey 

Also won Indiana Student Employee of the Year award 

Web Developer Intern  Division of Undergraduate Education 
2020

Dylan Patterson 

Danilo Almeida 

Energy Intern 

Resident Assistant 

Office of Sustainability 

Housing and Residence Life 

2019 Jonah Gjertson     Office of Student Employment 
2018 Brianne Karazsia  Employer Relations Ambassador  Office of Student Employment 
2017 Roshni Patel      L Program 
2016 Aayushi Kabra  International Support Ambassador  Office of International Affairs 
2015

Anthony Taylor 

Also won Indiana Student Employee of the Year award 

Course Administrator  School of Science 
2014 Sara Suarez  Information Desk  Campus Center 
2013 Christina Grimany      Office of Student Services 
2012 Kassandra Hickman                                 
2011 Kawa Cheong  International Programming Assistant  Office of International Affairs 
2010 Gabby Mendoza       
2009
Adam Hooker     Department of Orthopedic Surgery 
2008 Simone Akins  Research Technician  IU Department of Medicine, Endocrinology 
2007 Joshua Springer  Communications Graduate Assistant  Center on Philanthropy 
2006 Kimberly Keller  Marketing Assistant  Jags Bookstore 
2005 Joanna Fields      Department of Foreign Language 
2004

Yasmilaa Burgos 

Andrea Mettert 

               

Circle City Bar & Grille 

Indiana Humanities Council 

2003

O’Shea Utley 

Dawn Baker 

Computer Support Technician 

Team Staff Member 

University Information Technology Services 

Opportunities for Positive Growth, Inc. 

Nominate a student employee

Nominations for the awards are currently closed.

IU Indianapolis

Office of Student Employment

University Tower, Suite 202
911 W North St

Indianapolis, IN 46202
USA

+1-317-274-0857

future@iu.edu