Jess Williams, administrative support coordinator in the School of Business Administration, was surprised by a visit from several colleagues, on Tuesday, May 19, who awarded her with Stetson’s Supervisor of the Year award. Out of the 31 supervisors who were nominated, a committee made up of Tim Stiles, Resche Hines, Colleen Price, Colin MacFarlane, Kevon Wilson and Nora Huth, chose Williams as the first recipient of the distinguished award.

“When selecting the winner,”said Nora Huth, student employment coordinator, and coordinator of this award presentation, “the committee looked for a supervisor who went above and beyond, who focused on student learning, and who has a strong work ethic.”

As part of the nomination process, student employees who chose to participate had to answer four questions about their supervisor:

• What are the supervisor’s greatest attributes, as they relate to the student employment program?
• How has the supervisor gone above and beyond the standard expectations of a Student Employment supervisor?
• What are some of the qualities of the supervisor’s work and work style?
• What are the qualities that set the supervisor apart from other campus supervisors?

Several students praised Williams in their reviews. When describing Williams’greatest attributes, one student wrote, “Jess never fails to impress me with her incredible organization, amazing interpersonal skills, and genuine personality. Her smile every morning can brighten anyone’s day, and she demonstrates all the wonderful things found in an exemplary supervisor.”

Another student who explained why Williams stood apart from other campus supervisors wrote, “I really think it’s the trust she gives her student employees that makes her stand out. I personally love my work-study job more than any club or organization that I am a part of … and I personally love going to work every day because I feel like I have a purpose.”

Williams was shocked to receive the award, and was full of gratitude for her students. “I care about them, and I care about their future,” she said. “It’s a huge responsibility and one that I take very seriously. They inspire me, and they challenge me, and they send me home thinking about the conversations that we’ve had. I just love them all to death, I really do, and I want only the best for them.”

“Jess Williams embodies all of the admirable qualities worthy of winning Stetson’s first Supervisor of the Year award, and she has set the bar high for all future recipients,” Huth said.

To watch Williams react to the news of her award, the video can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cJCI74GEGo&feature=youtu.be.

By Nicole Melchionda