For more than two years, psychology senior Alex Pepping has assisted organizations and departments at the university; this week, Pepping and more than 2,500 student workers will be honored for their dedication.
Pepping is a lead student assistant for the Student Involvement office. He told The Rider he applied for the position about two years ago and has been grateful ever since.
“When I became a student employee, I saw the opportunity as both, one that would allow me to continue my education but also improve my networking skills, and allow myself to become more familiar with the way the university works,” Pepping said. “At the same time, I [gained] more experience and [was] able to negotiate and communicate more with department heads and directors. … I believe our bosses do the best that they can to make us as easily approachable as possible.”
National Student Employment Appreciation Week is a nationwide event that universities and colleges celebrate every year in the second week of April.
This year, the university will honor its student employees with a series of events and activities on both campuses.
Events include job fairs, in which students may be able to find jobs for the summer and fall; professional development workshops on résumé building, networking, social media and mock interviews; and award banquets.
“I think it’s very important for us, the staff and faculty, to recognize and celebrate student employees because they do help a lot,” said Ana Perez, assistant director of Student Employment for the UTRGV Career Center. “The good thing about [National Student Employment Appreciation Week] is that we get to celebrate those students that work on campus, [and who] also get good grades. I think it’s a very good thing that they do.”
Today, the UTRGV Career Center will host a Student Employment Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Ballroom on the Edinburg campus. Another fair will happen at the same time Wednesday in Salón Cassia on the Brownsville campus.
Information tables providing résumé reviews and professional attire tips will be available during the fairs.
Professional development workshops will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday with “Building a Career” in Salón Cassia on the Brownsville campus and in the Student Union Sage Room on the Edinburg campus.
That same day, a “Use of Social Media” workshop will begin at 12:15 p.m.; “Time Management,” 2:30 p.m.; and “From Student to Professional,” 5:30 p.m. All workshops will be held in the same locations.
Ceremonies for Student Employee of the Year and Supervisor of the Year will take place at noon Thursday in the Community Engagement and Student Success Building, located at 1407 E. Freddy Gonzalez Dr. in Edinburg, and at the same time Friday in PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus.
Student Success Vice President Kristin Croyle will serve as the ceremonies’ welcome speaker.
Perez told The Rider student employment on campus is important because it provides students with the opportunity and ability to develop professional skills through hands-on practices, which prepares them for future endeavors after graduation.
UTRGV Career Center Director Juan Rodriguez-Nieto said students who work acquire skill sets that they can apply in their professional jobs.
“We definitely want to be part of the national celebration,” Rodriguez-Nieto said. “We want to make sure that we recognize that students, as employees, are benefiting themselves by acquiring soft skills and also play a very important role on the daily operations of the university.”
Pepping said being a student employee has helped him improve his communication skills and work ethic.
Once he graduates, he plans to continue his education at UTRGV and land a full-time position at the university.
“Since I plan to pursue a master’s and Ph.D., I can’t think of a better way to pursue that by working at the university full time as well,” Pepping said.
For more information about National Student Employment Appreciation Week, call the Career Center at 665-2243 in Edinburg and 882-5627 in Brownsville.
