Sarah Eltzroth named Indiana’s 2019 Student Employment Supervisor of the Year

Sarah Eltzroth, the assistant director of training and development for University College Academic and Career Development (ACD), has been named the Student Employment Supervisor of the Year for the state of Indiana.

Eltzroth works with the peer advisors, supporting them while they assist other students in their academic and career pursuits. To enhance her ongoing support of them, Eltzroth has focused on fostering and maintaining collaborative relationships between the peer advisors and the professional advising staff of ACD, as well as aiding the students in their personal and professional development. In the past year, she created a career ladder for the mentors that allowed the student employees to achieve greater responsibility at ACD while they build experience, moving from peer advisor to lead peer advisor to student coordinator. Student coordinators are able to earn internship credit for their work in return for responsibility over administrative operations and communications. By implementing this system, Eltzroth incentivized the personal and academic growth of the peer advisors while taking steps that improve the functionality of the unit as a whole.

Eltzroth’s commitment to the personal mentorship of her students has allowed her to form close bonds with them that extend beyond the boundaries of ACD, moving from the mentoring sphere into the research sphere. In November 2018, Eltzroth collaborated with three of her student employees, Jordan Lahr, Daniel Walker, and Myrna Amin, to present “Using Appreciative Inquiry in Peer-to-Peer Interactions” at the IUPUI National Mentoring Symposium. Her ability to work with her students on this type of project demonstrates Eltzroth’s commitment to all areas of her employees’ growth and education.

The supervisory style that Eltzroth employs is best signified in the words of her current and former staff. Tabitha Lannom, former lead peer advisor, says, “Sarah is an amazing supervisor because she is an educator, a positive role model, and thoughtful leader.” Abigail King, current peer advisor, adds, “she listens and understands when I go to her with a question or issue.” Myrna Amin, current student coordinator, says “Sarah is always there when we need help. . . . honestly, every supervisor I have from now on will have to meet the Sarah standard of awesomeness!”

As much as she has had an impact on her employees, Eltzroth herself is grateful for her experience working with the peer advisors:

“I have so much fun supervising the peer advisors and student coordinators in ACD. I love creating a space for them to learn and grow in skill and confidence. It’s not always easy, but it is certainly one of the most fulfilling parts of my job, and I am grateful to know the student staff and my colleagues recognize and appreciate my efforts. “

About the Award

The Student Employment Supervisor of the Year for the State of Indiana is awarded by the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators (MASEA). Higher education institutions run Student Employment Supervisor of the Year campaigns on their campuses to solicit nominations by current student employees. Each institution evaluates and ultimately selects a supervisor as their campus winner.

Supervisors who receive recognition as the campus winner progress to compete against other campus winners within their state to ultimately identify the State Student Employment Supervisor of the Year Award winners. Following each state competition, winners of the fourteen states in the MASEA region compete for the Regional Student Employment Supervisor of the Year Award. Nominees at each level are evaluated on mentoring, professionalism, and excellent leadership. Each campus winner receives a certificate and congratulatory letter from MASEA.