Student staff member of the year: Katy Ahlvin May 31st, 2012
Katy Ahlvin poses with her family just after being presented the Student Staff of the Year award on May 22.
Name: Katy Ahlvin
Major: Anthropology
Class: Senior
Student Job: Food Service Worker
Years of Service: 8 years
Job Duties:
Katy is responsible for opening our pizza concept on the weekends including making sauces, preparing pizzas and specials, and making sure that we are providing a safe and consistent product. During the week she works the service line, providing great customer service to our students and staff. During weeks that we are shut down, she comes in and helps with deep cleaning and reorganization of the concept
Reliability:
Katy is exceptional in reliability. She is always at work when scheduled, covers shifts for other students when they need time off, and often fills in when the concept lead needs to attend trainings or meetings. On the weekends, she is responsible for opening the concept and always arrives on time. She makes sure that we are serving a safe and consistent product to our students and staff by monitoring product, temperatures and quality. When we are short staffed, Katy is the first to volunteer to stay and always make sure to set the next shift up for success by making sure all tasks are completed.
Quality:
Katy sets a great example for her peers. She does a great job in all areas of the concept. When things are slow she looks for tasks that can be completed ahead of time for the next shift. While working 20 hours a week, Katy has maintained a 3.92 GPA and is finishing up her Senior Thesis that focuses on her time abroad in which she worked with youth on developmental skills.
Initiative:
Katy has made it a point to learn every position in the dining center. She often hops in and helps in areas when she sees they are short staffed, and her versatility has made her useful in all areas of the business. She is a leader amongst her peers, often creating an environment with the team of friendly competition to help increase sales on slow nights. Earlier this year, we held a student meeting to share with our students that we would need to make cut backs due to sales being lower than anticipated. After attending the meeting, Katy took it upon herself to talk to her peers, and put together a 7 page initiative on ways that we could increase sales, motivate the students to increase sales and keep moral high during these tough times. She researched business initiatives, added graphics, and put together a working document that we are currently utilizing in our facility. Her ideas to keep moral up were creative and successful, and her graphics suggested ways to reach our international students who struggle with the language barrier. Her initiative helped increase sales, and create a great culture with our team.
Teamwork:
Katy is a leader amongst her peers, a partner to her concept lead, and a valuable asset to the building. She comes in to work each day with a smile on her face and a can do attitude. When we are short staffed, she jumps in where needed and faces the struggles with a positive approach. She is the first to help a new student learn a process and has trained students, staff, and members of the management team. If unsure of a process or procedure, she asks for help, and makes sure to share her learning’s with her peers. She does a great job of including everyone in the process and respecting the diversity our team.
Contribution to Employer:
Over the past eight years, Katy has been an exceptional member of our team. She has had to maintain 20 hours a week to help pay her way through college. She always gives 110% of herself in all that she does and her work ethic is exceptional.
This past year, her senior year, our business has seen struggles, changes in management, and a different flow of business. Each step of the way, Katy has been part of team, leading by example, and helping to create a positive and dynamic environment. She spent time talking to her peers about her ideas, and asked customer what they would like to see offered in our business. She goes above and beyond and we appreciate what she has brought to the team.
CONGRATS, KATY!!