2008 National Student Employee of the Year Winner Jessica Scruggs, Berea College

Jessica Scruggs (middle), NSEA SEOTY winner, recieves congratulations from NSEA President, Cathy Taylor and Bob Harned, her nominator.

It is our pleasure to announce the 2008 NSEA Student Employee of the year, Jessica Scruggs, of Berea College in Berea, Kentucky.

Jessica has worked at Berea College for four years on the college farm learning all aspects of the farm including managing a cattle team. Jessica supervises this team which plans and implements feeding, breeding, healthcare, purchases, sales, fence repair, and barn maintenance for the farm’s cattle.

Specifically, Jessica’s supervisor has stated:

“I remember starting with a shy young woman that had more energy than any two people and with guidance and coaching have channeled that drive into one of the most productive student workers we have had on the farm. To see her mature and grow in responsibility, in using her head to plan her work and assume the role of teacher and coach herself, has been a source of great satisfaction for me.”

Jessica’s nominating supervisor is Bob Harned, and Darlene Stocker is the MASEA member who submitted Jessica’s nomination. The College, Regional, and National awards were kept secret from Jessica, but when she saw her family enter the banquet room she knew something was afoot!

The Berea College Labor Program embraces the dignity of all labor by engaging students in a work experience that is student learning centered, promotes work well done, and serves the college and broader community. This vision of labor and learning was established at Berea by William Ramsay, who was actively involved in NSEA and MASEA as early as 1975, and for whom Berea has named their campus Horizon Award.

Congratulations to Berea College, and to MASEA, to have a regional winner become the National Student Employee of the Year!