Student Employee of the Year and Supervisor of the Year Awarded

University of Findlay has recognized senior Olivia Hatton as the Student Employee of the Year and Nicole Williams, Ph.D., assistant professor of education, as the Supervisor of the Year for 2020.

These are awards in which supervisors nominate student employees whom they feel warrant particular recognition for their performance on the job, and vice versa. Once nominations are submitted, UF faculty and staff review and score the nominees following a rubric. The rubric criteria for Student Employee of the Year include communication, digital technology, problem solving, professionalism/work ethic, intercultural fluency, career management, leadership, and teamwork. The criteria for the Student Employee Supervisor of the Year include mentoring, professionalism, and leadership provided to the student employee.

Student Employee of the Year

Hatton was nominated by Jaymelee Kim, Ph.D., assistant professor of forensic science, for her work as a student assistant in the Forensic Science Program. Since the fall of her freshman year, Hatton has worked as a student assistant and helped develop new course material, updated current courses, maintained the forensics lab facility, and more.

“Olivia puts thought into her work and gets it done efficiently,” Kim said. “She has been adaptable and flexible in her position as the department’s student assistant. Working with her has been great, and she will be hard to replace when she graduates. She balances work with a full course schedule, other jobs, research, and community service. Given those factors, I think the quality and reliability of her work is noteworthy and she is well-deserving of this recognition.”

Graduating this spring with degrees in forensic biology and biology and a chemistry minor, she has also been involved in several on-campus organizations. She is Habitat for Humanity’s Campus Chapter Fundraising Chair, a TriBeta Biology Honor Society Historian, and a member of the Scholarship and Research Society. She has also been involved in research with biology faculty since her sophomore year and presented at various conferences.

Student Employment Supervisor of the Year

Williams’ graduate research assistant Jonathan Woodward nominated her for the Student Employment Supervisor of the Year award. Woodward says she has demonstrated professionalism, leadership, and mentored him both academically and professionally.

“It means a lot to me that my supervisor is looking out for my best interests, believing in me and wanting to see me succeed,” Woodward writes in his nomination letter. “This exemplifies a supervisor that goes way above and beyond the standard work expectations to truly be a mentor.”

Williams said she is honored to be the Supervisor of the Year and appreciates the recognition of her efforts. “It is an immense privilege to be the recipient of this award,” she said. “My students are the heart of my teaching, research, and service.”

To learn more about student employment, visit https://www.findlay.edu/offices/business-affairs/human-resources/student-employment/.