OSU's 2005-2006 Student Employee of the Year
Mike Wilson named Student Employee of the Year
Employer: OSU Equestrian Team
Position: Facilities and Herd
Management
Nominator: Larry Sanchez
Mike Wilson, animal science senior from Enid, has been named the OSU Student Employee of the Year for 2005-06.
A Student Employee of the Year reception is set for Friday, April 7, from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Willard Living Room, and the campus is invited.
"The more than 4,500 students who work as employees on our campus are vital to our day-to-day operations and have played a key role in what we have accomplished this school year," said OSU System CEO and President David J. Schmidly. "I want to commend them for an outstanding job and thank them for their commitment and hard work. They continue to touch our university in countless ways."
Wilson works in facilities and herd management for the equestrian program in OSU Athletics. He is responsible for feeding and watering the 54 horses used for the Varsity Equestrian Team, maintaining indoor and outdoor arenas and the fencing around the entire Equestrian Center, keeping equipment in working order, ordering grain and supplies for the horses, administering medications in emergency situations, and corresponding with animal science crew in the maintenance of the indoor facility.
"Mike's dedication to his job and self motivation are evident in a variety of situation," said Larry L. Sanchez, head coach for the Equestrian program who nominated Wilson for the honor. "He takes pride in his job, and also has taken superb care of the herd on numerous holidays. This kind of care and dedication is rare and I never worry when Mike is on the job."
Runners-up and their employers are Zach Baldridge, OSU Visitor Center/Undergraduate Admissions, Pawhuska health promotion senior; Kyle Jameson, Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, Bluejacket health promotion senior; Stacy Sanders, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Glencoe sociology senior; Jeremy Tillman, School of Chemical Engineering, Oswego, Ill., chemical engineering junior; and Tracy Vargas, Arts and Sciences Outreach, Stillwater secondary education senior.
"Employment can be a vital part of the college experience, helping many students develop important life skills and professional expertise," said Dr. Charles W. Bruce, director of Scholarships and Financial Aid. "Not only does it also allow them to not rely as heavily on student loans, but research has shown that students who work part time while in college tend to earn higher grades than those who don't."
As part of Student Employee Appreciation Week, employers both on and off-campus are encouraged to plan activities to recognize their student employees, according to Chad Blew, community service work study coordinator in the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
A proclamation will be issued by the Stillwater Mayor's Office on April 11 to recognize the week of April 9-15 as National Student Employee Appreciation Week.
The OSU Student Employee of the Year program is jointly sponsored by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, and OSU Career Services.
