EUGENE–Five University of Oregon student workers received special recognition in conjunction with National Student Employment Week, April 2—8.

The quintet–from Eugene, Portland and Vancouver, Wash.–were honored with certificates of achievement and gift certificates from the UO Bookstore during a campus ceremony on April 5.

"These awards recognize the outstanding contributions of student employees to their colleges and universities," says Joyce May, UO Career Center employment services specialist. "Many departments are able to offer additional services and programs due to the efforts of work-study students."

Award criteria include reliability, quality of work, initiative, disposition/attitude, longevity, adaptability and uniqueness of contributions. Nominated by their employers, each of the five winning students received a certificate of achievement and a gift certificate from the UO Bookstore. Fourteen other nominees received certificates of appreciation.

Nominees must be UO students who have participated in campus work-study and technology-fee programs. Work-study positions are available through the Career Center to students who meet specific financial aid requirements. Most are office jobs on or near campus that are planned around a student’s class schedule.

Of the 19 students nominated for this year’s awards, the five winners are:

• Jessica Born, a senior educational studies of 304 Adams St, Eugene, who is a student recycler for the Campus Recycling Program. "Jessica is a well-respected team player and models excellence in her performance," says UO recycling manager Karyn Kaplan. She notes that Born has done an extraordinary job in meeting the expectations of the position, demonstrates leadership skills and goes above and beyond every task she takes.

• Mandy Chong, a senior Asian studies of 1555 W. 18th Ave. Apt. 18, Eugene, who is student manager of the "The Break" coffeehouse in the Erb Memorial Union. Stephanie Winchester, manager of "The Break," notes that Chong is the "glue that keeps our department together," has done outstanding work in training new and returning employees and in developing training materials. "Mandy deserves to be rewarded for all of her work above and beyond what was expected of her position," Winchester says.

• Olivia Firth, a senior English of 3043 N.E. 52nd Ave., Portland, who is an office assistant for the UO Alumni Association. Julie Jensen, the association’s office manager, says in Firth’s nearly three years as part of the UOAA work-study staff she has set a hard path to follow in terms of reliability, work quality, initiative and attitude. "Olivia’s professionalism, her positive attitude, her concern for staff and fellow work-study students is a model for any staff member," Jensen says.

• Teresa M. Herbert, a senior English of 9261 S.E. Mill St., Portland, who is a library student assistant III. Lara Nesselroad, student coordinator of the UO Library System, notes that Herbert "has an outstanding attitude, consistently asks for new work, tasks and challenges." Herbert has worked at the library for most of her five-year academic career.

• Nicole Fancher, a junior exercise and movement science major of 1411 S.E. Columbia Way, Vancouver, Wash., who is the student office assistant for the Women’s Studies Program. According to office manager Karen Petersen, Fancher willingly takes on new tasks and is very intelligent in her approach to them. "Because she is so dependable, it’s easy to put her in charge of a particular area of work with full confidence that it will be done soon and done well," Petersen says.

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