The 2022 Fall Supervisor Learning Cohort is complete! Over the course of seven weeks, 14 student employee supervisors took sessions on core supervision topics, including supervisor styles, equitable recruiting & hiring, developing students, identity conscious supervision, performance evaluations, addressing performance issues, and well-being in the workplace. At the end, supervisors received a certificate in Supervisory Skills: Student Employment.
The Supervisor Learning Cohort embeds 4D and NACE career frameworks within the student employee experience, all through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. Tools and resources are designed to help supervisors navigate the entire student employment lifecycle. As part of the cohort, supervisors are given the opportunity to take part in an on-going community that encourages deeper connection and learning. These cohorts will continue to run quarterly, including the summer.
Below we are highlighting student employee supervisors who is leading the way in how we supervise and develop our student employees. Feel free to reach out and connect with them.
Yoshie Matsubara, Associate Director, Fisher Learning Center
What is your favorite thing about supervising student employees?
I truly enjoy working with student employees because they bring fresh perspectives and energy to Fisher as much as Fisher kiddos do! I am very fortunate that I get to work with two different groups of students, young adulthood and early childhood, every day!
What is one piece of advice you would give to other supervisors about creating a meaningful student employment experience for student employees?
We want to set student employees up for success. Meeting with each student frequently & regularly to check in on how they are doing has helped establish positive working relationships with them from the start. Simply staying connected with them throughout their time helps identify their needs and provide appropriate support.
What is one resource you’d recommend to other supervisors who would like to grow their supervision skills?
(Just one??!!) Supervisory Skills Training with (Student Employment in the) Career and Professional Development office 🙂. I also found their website has good resources for supervisors. Reflective Supervision and Consultation and Career Skills GROW Questions.
Christopher Miofsky, Associate Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life and Advisor, Queer Student Alliance
What is your favorite thing about supervising student employees?
Watching their growth into young professionals. Those moments where something “clicks” and those moments where they take full creative license on a project is beautiful to watch.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other supervisors about creating a meaningful student employment experience for student employees?
Hear their ideas! Their lived experience is with the students we serve daily so they have first hand knowledge on what students needs. Hear your students out and listen to them. They are your best resource.
What is one resource you’d recommend to other supervisors who would like to grow their supervision skills?
Other than take the supervisor training, be open to changing your views and the way you work. Now more than ever we have to be adaptable. Be ready to change year to year to best support your students and their growth.
Hayley Olson, Operations Coordinator, Office of Graduate Education
What is your favorite thing about supervising student employees?
I think student employees bring a great deal of energy to our office. They have diverse career motivations and academic goals, so it’s interesting to learn from them as individuals as well as hear of their time in different programs at DU (particularly from the student viewpoint). I also think they have such unique perspectives from the rest of our team. We are an academic office, so they are a vital resource to have as they represent one of the populations we serve.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other supervisors about creating a meaningful student employment experience for student employees?
Recognizing that their work is a large contribution to the greater team and they are not just there to do “busy” work is a substantial step to make the experience beneficial and valuable to student employees. For our office, we’ve found that student staff are invested in our goals and services, just as much as appointed staff.
With that in mind, we have them join larger All Team meetings to learn from the larger group and their goals, as well as opportunities to provide feedback (whether it’s in the larger All Team meeting or smaller check-ins). We also work to engage them in team bonding events (birthday/holiday parties) as well as DEI training. Schedules are so varied not all student staff can attend, but the open invitation is important.
Some student staff want to be more involved than others, but allowing the opportunity helps ensure they are a part of the larger team and feel that their work is appreciated.
What is one resource you’d recommend to other supervisors who would like to grow their supervision skills?
One-on-one check-ins are so significant and useful when supervising student employees. It’s undisturbed time where we can talk about all things related to the student’s employment, as well as just general catching up. The Student Employment office provides helpful reflection questions that have opened up meaningful conversations, both in terms of the staff member’s career development, as well as ways to discuss helpful and feasible changes by our office to create a positive experience for the student staff.
Erica Jorgenson, Assistant Director, Office of International Education
What is your favorite thing about supervising student employees?
My favorite thing about supervising student employees is the opportunity to build relationships and support them in their future endeavors. I also love all the energy and creative ideas they bring to our office.
What is one piece of advice you would give to other supervisors about creating a meaningful student employment experience for student employees?
Ask them questions and what kind of support they need. Student employees are already juggling a lot, check in with them to see where their at and try to be flexible.
What is one resource you’d recommend to other supervisors who would like to grow their supervision skills?
Talk to other student employee supervisors on campus and join the Supervisor Learning Cohort with Student Employment!
Gretchen Pressley, Communications Manager, Marketing & Communications
What is your favorite thing about supervising student employees?
My favorite thing about supervising student employees is seeing the University through the eyes of our students. They have so many creative, new ideas, and I love bringing those ideas to fruition and helping them along the path to their new careers!
What is one piece of advice you would give to other supervisors about creating a meaningful student employment experience for student employees?
To help your student employees get the most out of their experience, I recommend helping them narrow down and set some goals they want to accomplish during their time in your department. This helps them feel connected to the work ang gives them motivation to continue improving.
What is one resource you’d recommend to other supervisors who would like to grow their supervision skills?
To me, you never stop learning how to be a supervisor. There’s always more to learn and to experience, and there are always more ways to grow as a leader. I follow leaders I am interested in on LinkedIn and also make use of LinkedIn’s professional development opportunities when possible.
