Kansas State University Student Employee of the Year honor goes to student from Benton
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Finalists for Kansas State University's inaugural Student Employee of the Year award discuss why they enjoy their jobs.
MANHATTAN — A student who took on the challenge of full-time studies and assistant manager of Kansas State University's Horse Unit is the university's inaugural Student Employee of the Year.
Kyle Hooker, senior in animal sciences and industry, Benton, was named Student Employee of the Year at a ceremony April 15. One of five finalists for the honor, Hooker was selected for exceptional reliability, quality of work, initiative, professionalism and adherence to the principles of the Wildcat Way. More than 40 Kansas State University students were nominated for the award based on their outstanding contributions to a variety of offices across campus.
"During the 10-month period when the Horse Unit did not have a permanent manager, Kyle stepped up from an undergraduate student employee position to take on the title of assistant manager, which in reality was a full-time manager position on top of being a full-time student," said Kallie Emig, Horse Unit manager.
Hooker was especially helpful during the unit's busy breeding season, where he assisted with clients, contracts and the unit's horses. Emig said Hooker has always been heavily involved with all activities of the unit and is eager to come to work and prove he cares about his work and the unit's success.
"Kyle also has taken great pride in starting colts through the K-State program and has gone above and beyond the required and expected training that the student employees give their colts," Emig said. "Kyle has continually hauled his K-State colts to outside ropings on his own time and money in order to give them more experience and training in the roping pen, as well more exposure to outside clients, which increases the value of the colts."
The following Kansas State University students also were finalists for the Student Employee of the Year honor:
Blaine Cash, senior in wildlife and outdoor enterprise management, Hutchinson, who works at New Student Services; April Gee, senior in secondary education-English, Manhattan, who works at K-State Libraries; and Sarah Wilcox, master's student in communication sciences and disorders, Shawnee, who works with the Pilots Program.
From out of state: Julia Comstock, senior in elementary education, Honolulu, Hawaii, who works at the Catalyst Center.
