Shown above: Client Computing Computer Lab Consultant Erin Spegal with her Outstanding Recommendation for Initiative award. Spegal was one of 19 students nominated for 2006 Student Employee of the Year.

Erin Spegal was honored with the Outstanding Recommendation for Initiative award at Northwest's Student Employee Recognition Ceremony in April 2006. The ceremony, which was held in the Student Union Ballroom, is designed to demonstrate Northwest's appreciation of the University’s hard-working and talented 900-strong student employee workforce.

Employed as a student Computer Lab Consultant by Client Computing, Spegal provides valuable in-person support to students, faculty and staff while assisting lab users with software issues and troubleshooting basic hardware and software problems in the Information Systems-Client Computing public "general-purpose" computing labs in Owens Library.

According to Barbara Crossland, Chairman of Curriculum & Instruction and Erin’s advisor, “Erin is a fantastic student – serious about her work and dedicated to learning to be the best teacher possible.” According to Crossland, “Erin never takes the easy way out” and “She enjoys a challenge!"

William Richardson, assistant professor in the Music Department, praised Erin as an “exceptional student and person” who “never fails to impress those around her with her abilities, work ethic, and positive personality.”

The Outstanding Recommendation for Initiative was one of the many awards that were given out during the ceremony, including Outstanding Team and Supervisor of the Year. The awards ceremony is hosted by the Office of Human Resources Management to celebrate National Student Employment Week April 10-14, and is held to recognize all university student workers for their contributions and dedication to their respective institutions.

Nominated in 2006 for Outstanding Team was the Information System's Client Computing Comptuer Lab Consultant Team. The Client Computing team competed against seven other deserving Northwest student worker teams, ranging from Student Ambassadors to the President's Office. The latter took home the award for Outstanding team. Also, nominated for 2006 Supervisor of the Year, along with 31 other supervisors, was Information System's Client Computing User's Consultants, Kim Todd and Tabatha Verbick.

Northwest's 2006 Student Employee of the Year was Alison Parkhurst (Educatioanl Leadership). In 2005, Client Computing student Computer Lab Consultant, Victor Chininin Buele, was honored as Student Employee of the Year for both Northwest and the State of Missouri.