Kudos to Student Employees

Student employees were treated to pizza, punch and selfies at EWU’s recent celebration for National Student Employee Recognition Week.

With 800-plus student employees helping the university with processing data, serving as peer advisors, planning competitions, and other functions, the April 8 gathering, hosted by President Shari McMahan inside the PUB NCR, was a timely way to honor these hardworking Eagles.

During the event, the president went from table to table, meeting, greeting, and offering thanks to individual students for a job well done.

McMahan said these Eagles bring energy and fresh perspectives to EWU’s workplace as they develop professional skills for the future.

“Student employment is not merely a job at EWU,” McMahan said. “It is a pathway to enhance future careers and become better equipped for the competitive job market post-graduation.”

McMahan gave a special shout-out to Deborah Danner and other members of the event-planning committee for organizing the successful event. Later she was invited by a number of full-time and student staff to join them in posing for photos taken at the EWU Alumni Association’s selfie station.

Matthew Sandell, 18, of Bremerton, Washington, was one of the students in attendance. Sandell said he enjoyed the opportunity to connect with other student employees over a free lunch. “Everyone always appreciates free food, so this is really fun,” he said.

For his job at EWU, Sandell, who is majoring in business and data analytics, works at the EWU Center for Entrepreneurship (E-Ship Center).

There he helps to organize the popular entrepreneurial pitch-competitions that are open to students from Eastern and other colleges. Those competitions award thousands of dollars in start-up funds for budding entrepreneurs whose plans are ranked by experienced business leaders.

Because student employees sometimes work behind the scenes, Sandell said bringing everyone to a celebratory get-together was a great idea.

Another student worker, Stacia Dehamer, a 24-year-old from Spokane, is majoring in English as a second language. She works as an international peer advisor helping international students in the Asia University America navigate their study abroad experience.

“I think it’s really nice that there is an event that honors student employees, because I think that sometimes they do get looked over, especially in some of the small work-study positions,” Dehamer says.

Rebecca Covarrubias, a 21-year-old from Orondo, Washington, is majoring in psychology and Spanish. She works in EWU’s Global office, assisting students who are interested in studying abroad.

“It’s pretty kind for Eastern to allow students to get to know each other at this event and get to know a little more of their bosses,” Covarrubias said.