Every year, standout student employees compete to be named Student Employee of the Year. This year's winner is Hannah Koford, a special project manager at the Ballard Center for Social Impact.
She is being recognized as a valued asset to the BYU community. Jenifer Jarvis, manager of the BYU Student Employment Office, presented the award Monday.
“It’s difficult to think that there’s anything more we could want or expect from a student employee,” said Steven Fox, managing director of the Ballard Center.
Fox said Koford does much more than simply accomplish a task list: She is sensitive to the needs of others, upbeat, intelligent, highly organized and great at connecting student leaders across the different programs.
Koford has been with the Ballard Center for almost a year and worked at several positions including employee success manager, teaching assistant for the Social Impact Lecture Series and director of operations of Ballard Brief.
Fox reached out to several of the directors at the Ballard Center who worked with Koford. After hearing their experiences working with her, Fox combined their input with his for her nomination.
“An injustice would have been done had we not nominated her,” Fox said.
Jill Piacitelli, adjunct professor of the Ballard Center, said Koford is 'proactive in offering help and delivering help she can see is needed that no one else can see. She shows up to support and adds value to everything she touches.”
Koford said this is the first time she has felt truly valued at a job. She said she's genuinely invested in each program and person at the Ballard Center.
'I think it stems from believing in the mission so much,' Koford said. 'I also believe in the people and the things that they’re doing to make it happen.”
The Ballard Center at BYU is the world’s largest student led social impact organization housed on a college campus. Koford said she hopes winning the award will bring much-deserved attention and recognition to the work the center does.
Employment specialist of the Student Employment Office Kate Windsor said the students nominated for the Student Employee of the Year award are accomplished, proactive, help their departments and even look outside of their departments to help.
Along with winning the title of Student Employee of the Year, Koford was awarded $300 in cash. She will also compete against student employees from other universities for the Regional Student Employee of the Year award.
The BYU Student Employment Office encourages departments to show their love and appreciation for their students this upcoming Student Appreciation Week beginning March 21.