UF urged to appreciate student employees this week

April 14, 2014

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida Office for Student Financial Affairs urges offices on campus to show their appreciation to student employees this week.

Student employees play a key role in UF’s educational, research and operational excellence. Offices on campus can use this opportunity to express their appreciation for their student employee’s hard work and contributions throughout the year.

Ideas on how departments can show their appreciation:

  • Have a special gathering to honor student employees. Ideas include a departmental open house, pizza party, potluck, sundae bar, sub sandwiches, popcorn machine, or a decorated cake.
  • Prepare and distribute certificates of appreciation. 
  • Decorate office doors or bulletin boards with posters expressing appreciation to student workers and listing their names. You can include pictures and short bios to help staff get to know them better.
  • Take student employees to eat at one of the on-campus dining facilities.
  • Ask staff members to take turns bringing snacks for student employees each day of National Student Employee Appreciation Week.
  • Prepare “care packages” or “finals survival kits” to give to student workers, with popcorn, trail mix, fruit, pens, sticky notes, etc.
  • Send handwritten or electronic thank-you notes to student employees. Or have staff sign a thank-you card for each student worker.
  • Create a fun special project for student employees (e.g., theme decorations for the office).
  • Present awards for special categories (Best Computer Skills, Best Customer Service, Best Telephone Skills, etc.).
  • Honor student employees with a round of applause in your staff meeting.
  • Take a few moments to say thank you!

A flier for the appreciation week has been posted at:

http://www.sfa.ufl.edu/pub/other/StudentEmpAppreciationFlier.pdf