Empowering Student Workers to be Leaders

Rebekah Karth Chojnacki, BA 2011, MA 2013Academic Advisor II, Interdisciplinary Studies

June 2, 2016

BackgroundCurrently

Academic AdvisorMAVS 1000 Instructor

PreviouslyGraduate Assistant Student Affairs

TA for EDAD 4390 Service Leadership Supervised student workers for The Big Event and

Alternative Breaks

1st (or close) Job

What Did You Gain From Your First Job?ExperienceMaturity ConsequencesReferencesSkills

What’s Our Goal?To get work doneTo train/develop students for their next

job/career after college

Where Are Your Students?In terms of developmentSkillsMaturity

The Power of Mentoringhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atme26C

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Goals and AssessmentDevelop goals for your employee after hiringAssess them when they begin and endAre they progressing/have they progressed?Assessment Handout

Culture of EngagementModel the wayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZA94sm

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Be a Role Model!Be the employee you wish your students to

see!What can you do to more actively show

students that you are engaged in your job and want to make a difference?

Be Authentic

Different Expectations?You still want them to get the job doneThey are responsible for living up to their

roleBe realistic (figure out what they are capable

and push them, but not so far that they snap)

Provide OpportunitiesLet your students have freedom to

succeed/failGive them opportunities to suggest

projects/run an event

MentoringMatch students with employees for

mentoringIf possible, have mentors who *aren’t* the

supervisor, so the student has someone to learn from who isn’t their supervisor

ActivityDivide into pairs and take turns as either

student or staffStudent wants to make the most out of their

opportunity working for UTA, but isn’t sure what they can do to improve their skills

What Are Your Students’ Goals?Is this a stepping stone to a chosen career?A place to gain transferrable skills?A way to get money for food?

Connect Them to Leadership Resources

Celebrate Their Achievements!

Assess—Then Get Ready for the Next Group!