Student Employee of Year finalists selected

The Student Employee Recognition Committee has selected the top three finalists for UNA Student Employee of the Year. The finalists are Gavin Best, Amber Bodiford and Bailey Ellis.

Each supervisor on campus nominated one or two of their student employees whom they believe exhibited the criteria for the award, including reliability, quality of work, initiative, attitude, professionalism and their uniqueness of their job. Along with the three finalists, six other nominees received honorable mention for interviewing for the award: Amanda Abernathy, James Beaver, Cayla Buttram, Madeleine Frankford, Noelle Ingle and David Johnson.

UNA will host Student Employment Week April 7 through 13. The 2013 Student Employee of the Year will be recognized and awarded with a $500 book scholarship at the UNA Awards Gala April 11. The winner will be submitted to the Regional National Student Employment Association Organization.

Gavin Best, a senior accounting major from Birmingham, works in the Student Recreation Center as assistant to the coordinator of fitness. Best graduates in May and plans to attend graduate school afterward, where he will complete the CPA exam and attain a master’s of accountancy. Best would like to work either in Nashville or Atlanta after graduate school. He said his commitment to leadership and dependability enabled him to be nominated for the award.

“Gavin knows the job so well and he knows what I need,” said Glenda Richey, fitness coordinator. “I don’t have to go back and double-check his work because he knows what he needs to do and he does it.”

Amber Bodiford, a senior computer information systems major from Foley, works in Student Conduct and Student Affairs Assessment. She is the first point of contact and does general secretary duties in the office. Bodiford graduates in July and wants to pursue a career with the FBI’s Cyber Security Division or work as a bomb technician. Bodiford feels that her work ethic in conjunction with being in tune with students enabled her to be nominated.

“To be nominated for this award is awesome and a blessing in its own,” she said. “Even if I don’t win, to be nominated is an honor to me.”

Bailey Ellis, a senior secondary education and English major from Ozark, works at Business and Financial Affairs. Ellis is a documents specialist working in Financial Affairs and the Controller’s office. Ellis graduates in the fall after her internship and plans to teach in inner city schools. She said her assertiveness, charisma and ability to work well with others enabled her to be nominated.

The UNA Student Employee of the Year is a relatively new tradition that began three years ago by student employment coordinator Stephanie Smith.

“Student employees bring so much value to this university,” she said. “I would not be able to accomplish most of my tasks throughout the day without having a student employee. They are very vital to this campus community. It’s very important not only for them to gain skills that they’ll take into the workplace but also for us as the supervisors to groom and train the upcoming workforce.”