This year’s Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year, Peyton Nguyen (Sargent’25), and others were honored at an April 15 ceremony. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

Accolades

BU Honors Best Student Employees and Student Supervisor

Awards recognize students and staff serving the University

Boston University can take some getting used to, from its academic rigor to its location in a bustling metropolis. The Community Catalyst Center (C3) helps PhD and master’s students at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine adjust—especially those from abroad, historically disadvantaged groups, and first-generation college families. Crystal Denise Vejar (CAMED’25), C3’s student intern, handles mentor-to-student communications and helps plan events during a typical five-hour workweek that swells during major events.

“Balancing everything definitely takes intentional planning,” says Vejar, especially as she also serves in the US Army Reserve, which requires one weekend a month and two weeks during the summer for duty. Plus, she’s a 15-hour-a-week lab research assistant. “I am very diligent about using a calendar and planner. I’ve learned to stay organized and prioritize what matters most each week,” Vejar says. 

Her work, and her skill in managing it, have earned her BU’s Graduate Student Employee of the Year Award.

The joy of the job also fuels her, Vejar says, especially in fostering community among diverse students. “In my personal life, I’ve always loved hosting and organizing events—it’s something that brings me a lot of joy—so being able to use that creative side of me in a professional setting is incredibly fulfilling.” She recalls organizing C3’s First-Gen Lunch Hour and Chat, where two faculty members were invited to share their own stories with Terriers. 

“Their journeys were so inspiring,” says Vejar. “The room was filled with a real sense of connection. It was amazing to see everyone come together, relate to one another, and leave feeling more empowered.”

The University conferred her award during a ceremony April 15 at the George Sherman Union Ballroom. The ceremony also honored several other people:

Peyton Nguyen (Sargent’25), Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year

As a student ambassador at Student Health Services (SHS), Nguyen puts in anywhere from 3 to 10 hours of work a week, from student outreach and event planning to promotional matters, and “providing the student perspective on well-being,” he says. He helped pilot All Ears, the SHS program matching students with peers to discuss stressors, such as academic pressure, homesickness, and relationship issues.

“Talking to students is always so fun, and they always have very thoughtful input,” Nguyen says. “Their varied perspectives are what make the University a wonderful place, and being able to voice those perspectives has been a privilege.” Participating in BU’s annual World Mental Health Day event remains his treasured work memory, because “students are always so engaged with the event, and I had the opportunity to chat with a lot of them. More than anything, though, it’s my favorite because it reminds me that the work I’m doing has a positive impact on the BU community.” 

Like Vejar, Nguyen’s schedule is jammed with activity: as policy intern at Jane Doe, Inc., a Massachusetts coalition working to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence; as a student in an anthropology project, assessing the accessibility of Brookline’s public spaces for senior citizens; and as an avid book club member and crafter.

“As for the secrets of managing my time,” he says, “I’d have to say that I’ve realized the importance of saying no.”

Basilio Serna (COM’02), Supervisor of the Year

A College of Communication alum. A student employee himself for four years, at Mugar Memorial Library. A 19-year employee with the Frederick S. Pardee Management Library. “I guess that makes me a BU lifer,” quips Serna, who is now that library’s user services coordinator, the primary staffer involved with hiring, training, mentoring, and supervising and scheduling student employees.

“My philosophy has always been: I can train you in any library procedures or policies, but I want to hire students who are good people,” he says. “They need to be kind, compassionate, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to helping others, because that is what we do and who we are as library employees. 

“The most rewarding part of my job is forging a true and deep connection with the students, so I truly understand who they are as people, and knowing that I and we [at the library] have played a small part in helping them grow to be successful and happy after they leave BU.”

Runners-up for the awards were Henrique Chamon (CAS’25, GRS’25), for Student Employee of the Year, and Lynda Rieman, assistant coordinator and manager for the BU Dance Theater, for Supervisor of the Year.

A committee of staff members at Enrollment & Student Administration selected the student employee winners, who each received a trophy. A panel of student employees selects the winning supervisor. The University has given the awards since 1989.