UH Manoa honors top student employees and student team

Several students were presented cash awards at the Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY) luncheon for their outstanding work as top employees on the UH Mānoa campus, according to Noreen Okikawa, director of university student employment. The Hawai‘i Space Grant Consortium student team was also recognized for excellence.

The Office of Career Development and Student Employment announced top honors went to Jonathan Goto, who received a $1,000 cash award. Goto, a senior majoring in accounting and management information systems, works as a student assistant supervisor for the Shidler College of Business.

“Jon worked closely with our admissions advisor to create an electronic database and help transition our office to a paperless system, said Robert Bachini, Goto’s supervisor and nominator. “In his current role, Jon could impact a student’s admission to our college or petition for graduation. He is very proactive and methodical in identifying degree deficiencies in a timely manner.” Goto was also selected as the SEOTY winner for the State of Hawai‘i in the Western Association of Student Employment Administrators.

A finalist receiving a cash award of $750 was Laurie Tomooka, a senior majoring in management information systems. She works as a graphics publications specialist in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost and was nominated by Sandra Furuto.

Two other students receiving a cash prize of $500 each were Jason Lee and Lily Shao. Lee, a junior majoring in mechanical engineer, is a program assistant/tour guide for the School and College Services. He was nominated by Jan Taniguchi. Shao, a senior majoring in Japanese and Chinese studies, is a student assistant in the Ethnic Studies department. She was nominated by Noel Kent and Janette Yuasa.

The team award, presented to the Hawai‘i Space Grant Consortium, went to Joana Choy, Amber Imai, Lauren Kamei and Bianca Soriano. “We maintain maximum efficiency because our team understands the seriousness of work while fostering a convivial work environment,” said Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology’s Marcia Rei Sistoso, who nominated the team for the award. “We could not have asked for a better student team to work together in harmony to show what teamwork is all about.” The group was awarded a pizza party prize package.

UH Mānoa has celebrated the Student Employee of the Year since 1986, recognizing outstanding student employees throughout campus. The cash awards are from proceeds generated by the annual Craft Fair & Silent Auction, traditionally held on campus on the Friday before Thanksgiving. This year’s fair will take place on Friday, November 18, at the Queen Lili‘uokalani Center for Student Services.