A student assistant who was key to helping the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa move online and observe pandemic protocols has been recognized with the campus’s Student Employee of the Year (SEOTY) award.
A Japanese studies major, Kaylie Hayashida has worked with the University Scheduler’s office in the Office of Undergraduate Education for more than two years. Due to COVID-19, the office revamped the fall 2020 course schedule twice over the summer, reassigned classrooms for social distancing in fall and in spring 2021, and converted all operations from paper to digital procedures.
Hayashida adeptly switched gears to digital tracking forms and helped teach departments how to use the new process. She precisely entered new information into the database to change 3,000 course formats and locations, twice. Without her assistance, the fall 2020 course schedule would not have been completed in time for the semester to begin.
Hayashida was also selected as the State of Hawaiʻi SEOTY winner by the Western Association of Student Employment Administrators earlier in April.
Hayashida was presented with the UH Mānoa SEOTY award on April 21 during an online event.
Other students recognized were:
- Phuong Giang, a student office assistant in the School of Life Sciences and a junior majoring in marketing.
- Dean Carillo, a student office assistant in the School of Life Sciences and a senior majoring in art.
- Student Employee Team of the Year—Angel Hiu Ki Au, Dustin Chang, Kaylen Daquioag, Hana Fulghum, Moises Lio Can and Beau Nakamori of the School of Architecture, UH Community Design Center.
The Student Employee of the Year Program was created in 1986 by the UH Mānoa Career Center to recognize and highlight the achievements and contributions of student employees on the UH Mānoa campus. The winners receive cash awards from proceeds from fundraising and the annual craft fair and silent auction, traditionally held on campus on the Friday before Thanksgiving.
