Student employees are integral to WSU’s success

Most people don’t realize that the grab-and-go sandwich they purchased at Southside Market on the Pullman campus was made fresh by a WSU Dining Services student employee who came to work at 5:30 a.m. to prepare it, or that the early-morning event they attended in the CUB ballroom was set up by student event managers who, in the middle of the night, had to break down a concert and prepare for the meeting. 

Student Affairs and WSU are celebrating student employees like these, who make a big impact on the university’s success, during National Student Employment Week, April 9–15.

The services these students provide are not only essential to making campus run smoothly for everyone — they also give the students hands-on opportunities to learn new skills and reach their highest potential, a key part of WSU’s mission.

“Being able to tie the work we do to the mission of the university, especially as it relates to student success and retention, is critically important,” said Sarah Larson, director of Dining Services.

Student workers vital to campus success

There are over 1,200 student employees working this semester across 21 units in Student Affairs on the Pullman campus, and many of those units would not be able to function effectively without them.

“Students are an integrated part of everything we do in Dining Services,” said Larson, whose student employees fill roles from bakers to delivery drivers. “We do up to 10,000 transactions a day throughout our locations, and we simply could not accomplish this without our student employees.”

Student employees are similarly integral to the CUB, which sees up to 10,000 visitors a day. There they set up stage and lighting equipment for concerts, assist with computer equipment in the meeting rooms, and keep the facility clean.

The skills students learn and practice on the job, such as communicating clearly, providing productive feedback, and working on a team, are transferable to every industry. 

“We give them a lot of responsibility,” said Shaw. “Whether a piece of equipment breaks during a large meeting, someone needs first aid, or they have to transform a ballroom within a few hours, we rely on them to problem-solve and provide good customer service.”

The hard work and dedication of student employees on the WSU Pullman campus was recently recognized by the Academic Success and Career Center — naming CORETECH employee Marielibeth Vanessa Moran the distinguished all-around award winner in the Student Employee of the Year competition.

Building conversation around DEI

Student employees play a vital, but perhaps less visible, role in the success and retention of their fellow Cougs — and in helping the university advance its core value of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Two key programs — the Compass Mentoring Program and the Social Justice Peer Educators — help connect students to resources and facilitate important conversations around DEI.

The Social Justice Peer Educators lead DEI workshops for students, faculty, staff, and community members; since 2020, they’ve led nearly 170 workshops for more than 6,500 people. The Compass Mentoring Program works with 1,300 mostly first-year students in key student centers, connecting them with important social and cultural events, skill-building activities, and academic resources. 

Dominique Faga‘autau, Multicultural Student Services assistant director and retention counselor in the Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Center, said the mentors are the heartbeat of the student centers they serve.

“They have an enormous impact on student retention,” Faga‘autau said. “Data shows that students who actively participate in the mentoring program have a higher fall-to-fall retention rate than those who do not.”

Making WSU great

Whether student employees are contributing by providing excellent customer service, advancing DEI initiatives, or promoting well-being, their presence is helping the entire community have a great experience at WSU. 

“I’m so thankful for the energy and enthusiasm our students bring to work every day,” Shaw said. “It is important for everyone to recognize the big impact they have in making WSU the great place it is.”