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 links 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. 2013 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2012 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2011 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2010 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2009 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2008 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2007 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2006 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter 2005 SEOTY Winner Nomination Letter

2014 Timetable December 2, 2013

Regional Coordinators distribute announcement and application materials to their members and NSEA members in their region. SEOTY nominations are due to the campus Student Employment office. Notification of campus winners is due to the Regional Chair. Regional Coordinators submit the regional winners to the NSEA VP of Administrative Services.

February 17, 2014

March 3, 2014 March 17, 2014

March 31 April 4, National Student Employee of the Year is selected and winner's school 2014 notified by NSEA President. April 13 - 19, 2014 National Student Employment Week observed. National SEOTY winner announced and runner-up finalists notified. National SEOTY award is presented at winner'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. 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. 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, and 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. List of Proclamation Info by States - information on how to contact your state governor concerning a Student Employee of the Year Proclamation Proclamation Letter Example 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.