Student Employee of the Year 2025-2026 Process
Nominations Open: Monday, December 22, 2025
Nominations Close: Wednesday, January 28, 2026
The Student Employee of the Year process recognizes our dedicated Student Employee staff members who serve on campus working to further the goals of the institution and to support university operations.
Student Employee of the Year nominees are traditionally invited to a reception during Student Employment Week, where the winners are announced.
Nominations will be considered for both undergraduate AND graduate Student Employees. Winners and runners-up in both categories will be awarded scholarships generously provided by the Office of Financial Aid. The winner in each category will receive a $1000 scholarship and the runner-up will receive a $250 scholarship.
Additionally this year, we will be submitting student nominees for the National Student Employment Association SEOTY sub-categories.
Students submitted from CSU for these categories will be recognized at the reception and considered for additional prize money through NSEA.
Congratulations to our 2025 - 2026 nominees and winners!
Thank you for submitting your nominations for the 2025-2026 Student Employee of the Year and for celebrating with us at the reception on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. We loved getting to hear about the amazing work that student employees do on campus and having the opportunity to celebrate them for their accomplishments. We look forward to next year’s nomination process and reception!
Winner, Runner-Up, and Honorable Mentions
UNDERGRADUATE WINNER: Mia Burton, Annual Giving Team
In many ways, Mia Burton is the glue that holds our Annual Giving team together. In 2025, our team broke multiple campaign records and our success, in many ways, can be attributed to the innovation and in-depth understanding of how to effectively engage students that Mia brought to our work.
UNDERGRADUATE RUNNER-UP: Nicholas Biel, Biology
Nicholas Biel has transformed the Charles Maurer Herbarium through exceptional initiative, leadership, and technical skill, creating lasting improvements to specimen processing, digitization, and student training. His work has strengthened our operations, elevated our professional standards, and fostered a supportive, inclusive environment that benefits the university and broader research community.
GRADUATE WINNER: Meghan Turner, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Meghan will make a lasting impact on the HDNR department through inclusive, high-quality research that elevates underrepresented perspectives in recreational fisheries and strengthens the department’s reputation for socially engaged scholarship.
GRADUATE RUNNER-UP: Courtney Brown, Off-Campus Life
Courtney Brown, Off-Campus Life’s Graduate Assistant, excels in supervision, professionalism, and working with integrity. Courtney supervises the RamRide team, has significant emergency response responsibilities, and is a respected leader on our team.
NATIONAL NOMINEE: Melanie Matthews, Colorado State Forest Service, Environmental Learning Center, Ram Kidz Village- Adult Learner and Veteran Services
Category: Community Service
Melanie’s impact on the Colorado State Forest Service is defined by her unique ability to bridge the gap between technical forestry and community education while fostering vital partnerships across the university. Through her leadership in statewide outreach and her dedication to inclusive programming, she has not only enhanced our department’s reach but has also established herself as an essential mentor and collaborator within the CSU community.
NATIONAL NOMINEE: Rachel Delorie, Warner College of Natural Resources
Category: Social Impact and Belonging
Rachel makes an effort to connect with any student who comes through the halls of Warner College, demonstrating what it is to be a Warner Ambassador, an inclusive team member, and embodying the values of Warner College students. She has made a lasting impact on the Warner Career Services team and deserves all the recognition.
NATIONAL NOMINEE: Erica Montgomery, Off-Campus Life
Category: Leadership
Erica Montgomery, Off-Campus Life’ Senior Graphic Designer, is an exemplary student employee. She has produced thoughtful, inclusive designs on behalf of Off-Campus Life and the City of Fort Collins, has improved our unit’s entire graphic design process, and has provided supportive mentorship to our other graphic designers.
NATIONAL NOMINEE: Beau Noland, Lory Student Center Operations
Category: Critical Thinking
Beau Noland exemplifies the highest standards of student employment through his reliability, leadership, and professionalism, consistently ensuring the Lory Student Center remains a safe, clean, and welcoming environment. His ability to balance a demanding academic course load with strong academic performance while leading weekend Environmental Services operations has made a lasting, positive impact on both our team’s success and departmental operations.
NATIONAL NOMINEE: Annika Buhr, Career Center
Category: Technology & Innovation
Annika does not simply excel within her role, she consistently expands what is possible for student employees across the university.
2025-2026 Nominees
Alicia Valencia Campus Activities: RamEvents
Amanda Miller University & Community Engagement/Marcomm
Annika Buhr Career Center
Annika Becker Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences
Ava Kalsbeek Clinical Sciences
Beau Noland Lory Student Center Operations
Bruktawite Dadi SLiCE (Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement)
Celia Feiszli Lory Student Center Operations
Colten Davis Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Drew Hayashi Campus Recreation
Emma Thompson Lory Student Center Operations
Erica Montgomery Off-Campus Life
Eunji Kwak Department of Clinical Sciences
Grace Sjaastad Human Development and Family Studies
Halle Bright Lory Dining Services
Haydin Johnson B/AACC (Black/African American Cultural Center)
James Mastin University Advancement
Jocelyn Villegas Morgan Libraries
Kyla Zamora Campus Recreation
Leandra Thorpe University & Community Engagement/Marcomm & Development/CHHS (College of Health and Human Sciences)
Liliana Lopez Assistive Technology Resource Center, Department of Occupational Therapy
Madeleine Madeleine Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology
Meghan Teumer Human Development and Family Studies
Melanie Matthews Colorado State Forest Service
Mia Burton Annual Giving Team
Miguel Maqueda Academic Advancement Center
Nicholas Biel Biology
Nick Perez Academic Advancement Center
Rachel Delorie Warner College of Natural Resources
Sarah Briggs ClinSci
Shyloh Mortitz Ecosystem Science & Sustainability
Tamsin Izard Walter Scott Jr. College of Engineering Dean’s Office, Engineering Success Center
Leigha Richards-Orcutt Computer Science Department
Tory Ramos OIE Dialogue for Inclusion Advocacy and Learning
Trisha Hammen Academic Advancement Center
William Matzke Energy Institute
Yasmin Landa Carbajal Academic Advancement Center