Student Employee of the Year
Gerald F. Scanlon Student Employee of the Year
As part of the university's continuing effort to encourage and reward exemplary employees, the Gerald F. Scanlon Student Employee of the Year Award was instituted in the 1987-88 academic year. The intent of the award is to recognize and honor students who have demonstrated outstanding performance by contributing their time and/or skill to help the university achieve its goals and objectives.
A departmental supervisor may nominate any currently enrolled undergraduate student, who has been employed by the university for at least six months, is in good academic standing, and meets nomination criteria.
Nomination Criteria: The student nominee should have demonstrated performance that is considered “above and beyond” in most, if not all of the following performance qualities:
- Regular attendance, high dependability
- Successful completion of all assigned tasks
- High quality of assigned tasks
- Ability to work well with other employees
- Original contributions to the workplace
- Demonstrated initiative/professionalism
- Ability to work without constant supervision
About Gerald F. Scanlon: “Gerry” Scanlon, as everyone knew him, grew up in Holyoke, Massachusetts and served at the Westover Air Force base during WWII. Gerry married Frances Doherty, who was a secretary at Stockbridge College, and they raised five children (four of which went on to get degrees at UMass Amherst). After finishing his master’s degree in educational administration at UMass, Gerry served as Assistant Dean of Students during the 1960s and finished his career as Associate Director of Financial Aid. Gerry was very kind-hearted and often went to great lengths to help students find a job. The winners of this award are recognized because they demonstrated similar virtues in the work they performed at the university.