Runner Up: Alleyna Martes, Graduate Assistant for the Office of Field Experience in College of Education

Alleyna plays a crucial role in assisting our student teaching candidates in preparing their requirements for the student teaching semester. Her exemplary organizational skills are commendable; she operates with a level of precision and attention to detail that ensures all tasks are completed efficiently and accurately. What sets Alleyna apart is not only her professional competence but also her compassionate approach when working with our student teaching candidates. During their last two semesters before graduation, when stress levels can be particularly high, Alleyna has shown remarkable empathy and understanding. Her ability to provide support and guidance with a compassionate touch has been instrumental in helping students navigate this critical phase of their academic journey. Reliability is one of Alleyna's standout qualities. She consistently completes work promptly and to the highest quality. Her commitment to responding to student questions promptly and professionally reflects her dedication to providing excellent service. Alleyna's responsiveness significantly contributes to the positive experience our student teaching candidates have as they prepare for their upcoming student teaching placements.

Second Runner Up: Md Fazle Rabbi, Graduate Teaching Assistant in the Computer Science Department

Rabbi’s greatest attributes include his hard work, honesty, reliability, intellectual ability, enthusiasm, motivation, and commitment. These are among the qualities in him that distinguish him from other student workers/researchers. While doing research alongside faculty and the GTA work for the department, Rabbi has been maintaining a CGPA 4.0. He is a key member of a research team as he helps and leads the two other members, especially the one who joined our jab in Fall 2023. He has established himself as a role model for a graduate student. He helps his teammates in their research not only through discussion of ideas but also through actively co-authoring manuscripts for scientific publications. Rabbi co-authored three scientific publications [1, 2, 3] with me in 2023 and four more publications [4, 5, 6, 7] that he has co-authored have been accepted at prestigious IEEE/ACM conferences for publication in 2024 while three [8, 9, 10] more are pending decision. A list of these publications is available here.

Third Runner Up: Brynli Nalder, Peer Advisor in Academic Advising

Brynli proactively jumps into her job head first the moment she walks in the door! She leads by example and encourages others to do the same. Brynli does not complain, procrastinate, or blame others. She takes responsibility for her mistakes (few and far between), makes the corrections, and shares what she has learned with other student employees. Her greatest attribute is her positivity and willingness to engage in her job because that’s who she is. While she is not overly confident, she does exude a high level of competence that puts others at ease. She is welcoming to students and is down to earth and personable, which allows her to form relationships with students and staff. Her willingness to assist students with their questions, concerns, or problems is apparent with each interaction she has. Students feel comfortable and confident opening up to her and they trust her recommendations. Brynli is passionate about being a Peer Advisor and you can physically feel her dedication and desire to help others. It is this quality that sets her apart from other student employees.