The Student Employment Summer Summit brings together supervisors, hiring managers, and others who support student employment at UW-Madison and beyond. Join us for this FREE event to learn best practices, contribute your knowledge, and network with other student supervisors across campus.
Schedule at a Glance:
10:30am – 10:45am: Check-in
10:45am – 11:00am: Welcome & Opening Session
11:00am – 12:00pm: Opening Keynote
12:10pm – 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Concurrent Workshops (choose one)
- The Art of the Breakthrough: Experiential Learning in Action
- Managing Student Employment with Student Employees
2:10pm – 3:10pm: Concurrent Workshops (choose one)
- A Skill-Based Approach to Student Staff Training
- From Supervised to Supervisor: Lessons That Shape Student Employment Leaders
3:20pm – 4:15pm: State of Student Employment & Closing
2026 Opening Keynote: Alan Mueller
Alumni Lounge
Leading With Emotional Intelligence: Lessons the Classroom Won’t Teach You
Experience is the greatest teacher, but only if you know how to facilitate the lesson. Dr. Alan Mueller dives into the heart of Emotional Intelligence, defining what it means in the modern world and how to ignite it in others. This session moves beyond theory to provide actionable insights for mentors and supervisors. We can close the gap between academic knowledge and emotional wisdom. Are you ready to foster the leaders the world is waiting for?
1:00pm – 2:00pm Workshop Session Topics:
The Art of the Breakthrough: Experiential Learning in Action
Discover how the world’s best facilitators turn simple tasks into profound professional development. This session peels back the layers of David Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory through a live, interactive “learning moment.” Stop giving tasks and start facilitating. Learn to bridge the gap between “doing” and “understanding” to create unforgettable experiences for your teams.
Presenter: Dr. Alan Mueller
Managing Student Employment with Student Employees
Join us to see how the University Centers at UW–Stevens Point leverages a student-driven employment model to support nearly 200 student employees across 12 diverse teams. This session highlights the coordinated efforts of the Student Employment Coordinator and Student Payroll Coordinator (who are students themselves) — who oversee onboarding, offboarding, and foundational training, alongside a robust leadership structure featuring 14 Student Managers. The Student Managers play a critical role in tracking hours, supporting recruitment and selection, facilitating training, and conducting evaluations. Together, this collaborative system creates a high-impact, scalable, and student-centered employment program that enhances operational efficiency while developing strong peer leadership and career-ready skills. Attendees will learn practical strategies and structures that can be adapted to elevate student employment models on their own campuses
Presenters: Dani Allen & Missy Burgess
2:10pm – 3:10pm Workshop Session Topics
A Skill-Based Approach to Student Staff Training
This session introduces a student employee training framework that teaches workplace expectations as practical skills students can practice and develop over time. The framework uses the concept of perception management—the strategic and intentional shaping of how others view you and your work—to help employees develop professional awareness and accountability.
Presenter: Steve Manthey
From Supervised to Supervisor: Lessons That Shape Student Employment Leaders
This session features current student employees and early career professionals reflecting on how supervisory practices impacted their growth, leadership development, and career pathways. Their perspectives highlight the meaningful role supervisors play in supporting students’ transition from campus employment to professional careers.
As student employees move into professional roles, many find themselves supervising former peers or individuals close to their own age. These situations can present unique challenges related to establishing boundaries, developing a leadership identity, and building credibility. Participants will hear from individuals who have navigated this transition, alongside student perspectives that offer practical insights into effective supervision.
This session will inform supervisors ways they can intentionally foster leadership development, confidence, and career readiness among student employees while supporting healthy and productive workplace dynamics.
Presenters: Maya Drumm, Izi Knoernschild, Sabella Maas, & Kristina Rittel
Keynote Speaker: Alan Mueller
A sought-after keynote speaker and leadership trainer, Dr. Mueller blends deep expertise with engaging storytelling to spark real change in organizations. As Senior Consultant at Adaptive Challenge Consulting, he draws on decades of experience spanning finance, sales, higher education, and hospitality management to deliver practical, high-impact leadership development.
Dr. Mueller is the author of Leading with Emotional Intelligence and the TEDx speaker behind “Doing the Math: How Do We Measure Privilege.” His work is grounded in intercultural intelligence, helping executives and teams lead boldly across difference. He is also a Myers-Briggs Certified Interpreter, who teaches teams how to unlock the power of this tool to understand how leaders and followers can work better together.
What sets Alan apart? A background in professional improv comedy. For nearly a decade, he performed with an award-winning troupe and now teaches organizations how to use improv to strengthen executive presence, build trust, and supercharge collaboration.
Whether in the boardroom or on the stage, Dr. Mueller is known for his authenticity, inclusion, and sharp sense of humor. He equips leaders not just to manage complexity, but to rise and thrive within it.
Working for some students on campus isn’t a choice, but a necessity to meet their basic needs. Sometimes their student job isn’t enough. That’s why the Student Employment Summer Summit is asking participants to bring non-perishable items to donate to the Open Seat Food Pantry.
Not sure what to bring? Here’s a donation guide.
Fast Facts:
- “At the time of the survey, UW–Madison undergraduate students reported experiencing a higher rate of food insecurity (27%) in the past 30 days than the national average (20.9%). Of the 27%, 14.4% reported moderate hunger, and 12.1% reported severe hunger.” ( Basic Needs Survey)
- Between the East Campus Mall and Eagle Heights locations, they have distributed around 100,000 pounds of food each semester of the last school year
- Between the two locations, since the start of Spring semester, they have served an average of 1,500 individuals each month.
Real Students, Real Stories
“Without the Open Seat, I wouldn’t be able to afford enough food for my partner and I to have enough to eat.”
“Thank you for this awesome service you’re providing to the UW community. It has been such a help, especially in these times where it feels like all aspects of life are unstable.”
“I’ve been able to have a steady supply of food at a time when my income has been severely limited.”
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Green Event Certification Program
The Green Events program provides guidance and resources to improve the sustainability of events on the UW–Madison campus. The program aims to reduce the environmental impacts of events by focusing on six major categories: Venue, Décor, Communications, Transportation, Food, and Waste.
For more information, please contact greenevents@g-groups.wisc.edu
How you can help:
- Bring your own reusable water bottle and/or coffee mug
- Recycle what you’re able. For questions on what is recyclable, check out the UW-Madison Zero Waste Compass guide
- Food: Take all you’d like, eat all you take
- Explore more sustainable transportation options
Transportation
Please plan ahead for parking by checking out the City of Madison or UW Transportation Services websites.
If you have a DIS ID hangtag or handicap placard, you can park in any 2-hour metered zone outside the Pyle Center, at no cost and without time limitations.
Here are more sustainable transportation options we encourage you to explore.
Accessibility
- The Pyle Center (702 Langdon St) features a ramp-accessible front entrance on Langdon Street and is fully wheelchair accessible. An elevator is available immediately to the right of the front information desk to access all floors, with accessible restrooms located on each floor.
- An all-gender restroom will be available on the 2nd floor.
- A nursing lounge is available, please visit the Pyle Center front desk to gain access.
- Live captioning will be provided.
- Please refrain from wearing scented products.
- Dietary and other accommodations are collected upon registration.
If there is an accommodation for this in-person event that will help you attend and engage safely and comfortably, please contact Kari Temkin: kari.temkin@wisc.edu by June 4th.
Previous Summer Summit Content
2025 Student Employment Summer Summit
2025 Opening Keynote: Vantrel Mainor
Fly Little Eagles Fly: Coaching Students to become more Self-Sufficient
When baby eagles reach the flying age, the mother eagle begins to stir the nest in order to teach them how to fly. This is clearly an instinctive intentional method that has proven to work with eagles. As supervisors we too have a responsibility to teach our students how to fly and soar in the higher learning environment through processes that will stir them. This session is designed to share the processes that are included in helping students become more self-sufficient. We will examine and discuss how the content in each of the five “nest stirring” processes contribute to the students becoming more of a partner in the employment and coaching process
2025 Closing Keynote: Amanda Goodenough
Accountability as an Act of Love: A Human-Centered Approach to Student Supervision
As supervisors of student employees, we’re not just managing tasks; we’re mentoring the next generation of professionals. This closing keynote invites us to reimagine supervision through a human-centered lens, where accountability is an act of love and challenge can be a catalyst for growth. We’ll explore how generative conflict, and moving beyond “Midwest nice,” can create the conditions students need to thrive. Through practical strategies and mindset shifts, we’ll discuss how to offer feedback as a form of care and build relationships grounded in trust and shared responsibility.
2025 Breakout Session Topics
How to teach and train transferable skills in campus employment settings
In this workshop Dr. Matthew Hora will discuss how current research on the nature of key “transferable” skills – not as generic competencies but as context-specific habits of mind and behavior – can inform how college students are trained in campus employment settings. Insights from medical education, the learning sciences, and workplace training on how to best teach and train skills such as critical thinking, communication, and teamwork will be discussed, with participants applying this new information to their own supervisory and training situations.
Presenter: Dr. Matthew Hora
Workday for Student Employment
The July 7th launch of Workday is on the horizon. Join this workshop for an adventurous dive into all things Workday for student Employment.
What is Workday? How will student employees and supervisors use it (and how won’t they)? And what’s the deal with all this new Workday jargon?
Don’t worry- we will chart this course together with plenty of “a-ha!” moments along the way. Come for the solidarity, stay for the knowledge, and leave ready to navigate Workday like a pro.
Presenters: Kristina Rittel & Kasie Strahl
Big Ideas, Short Talks
This time will be used to highlight 2 processes or supports through 10 minute lightening talks. The rest of the time will be used to mix and mingle to share your big ideas or seek support related to the theme of the room.
Theme: Recruitment
Short Talk: Big Interview Day
Hiring is a difficult time of the semester, especially if you want to include as many qualified applicants as possible. The College of Engineering piloted Big Interview Saturday in the Fall to hire tutors for Spring. They successfully interviewed about 75 candidates and hired 24 tutors. By including their current tutors in the process, they gained a more holistic understanding of the candidates and gave their current tutors experience in the hiring process. The presenters will share what they did as part of the day, what they learned from the process, and what they will change in the future.
Presenters: Dane Mattila & Leah Rineck
Short Talk: Centralized Hiring Process
This short talk session will discuss the shift from a decentralized to a centralized hiring process for student employees in the Office of Student Financial Aid. The new approach streamlines recruitment, improves consistency, and enhances the experience for both student applicants and supervisors. Learn how centralization increases efficiency, supports compliance, and strengthens student employment practices across the office.
Presenter: Kristina Rittel
Theme: Retention
Short Talk: Students as Supervisors
How do you empower students to lead their peers with confidence and care? This lightening talk explores how Rec Well supports student supervisors through a philosophy rooted in training, trust, and togetherness. Blending a manager’s principles with a student’s lived experience, we’ll share what it takes to build impactful peer-to-peer leadership. Whether you’re developing a new peer supervision model or looking to strengthen existing ones, join us to exchange big ideas and practical insights.
Presenters: Sydney Erickson & Alec Triggiano
Short Talk: Basic Needs support for student employees
Basic Needs insecurity continues to be a widespread challenge for college students across the country. As supervisors, we have a unique opportunity to share campus and community resources available that can make a difference. Join this short talk to learn about basic needs resources at UW-Madison and in the Madison Community, better understand when and how to refer, and how you can support as a supervisor.
Presenter: Kasie Strahl
2024 Breakout Session Topics:
High Impact Strategies for High Impact Work-Based Learning
In an era where internships dominate the narrative of experiential learning, this session delves into the intersection of student work and transformative educational experiences. Work-based learning is presented as a catalyst for enhancing the academic trajectory of college students, particularly those who identify as underserved or underrepresented minorities. Through both Campus Employment as a High Impact Practice and an innovative general education course, this presentation will highlight best practices that increase equity and promote career readiness. Participants will examine strategies to integrate work-based learning throughout a student’s college experience, fostering meaningful interactions among students, faculty, and staff.
Presenter: Kaila Bingen- UW Parkside
Woe to Whoa! Student Performance Improvement Plans
This workshop is designed to provide supervisors with the necessary tools and strategies to support student employees who may be struggling to meet performance expectations. Join this session to learn tangible intervention strategies, best practices, and timelines aimed at enhancing student performance. We’ll help to re-frame performance improvement plans from punitive to developmental to instill confidence in having crucial conversations. Participants will have the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from one another as well.
Presenters: Kasie Strahl & Tracey Pritchard– University of Iowa
Artificial Intelligence and Student Hiring
This session explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence in student employment. We’ll offer practical insights to help campus employers modernize their recruitment practices while staying aware of ethical considerations. Join us to learn how to harness the power of AI while maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of your student hiring process.
Presenters: Gautam Jayanthi & Brock Doemel
Engaged Leaders through Employment
Learn how to create and sustain a work culture that values student leadership development through integration of the UW-Madison Leadership Framework, Leadership Certificate into the student employment experience.
This session focuses on a program and materials specific to UW-Madison, and may not be as relevant to folx joining from other institutions or off-campus Work Study partners.
Presenter: Kari Temkin
Panel Discussion: Lessons learned from supervising students
As a student supervisors, much of our focus is on how we nurture the growth of our student employees. The closing session is the opportunity to reflect on our OWN learning and growth within our roles as supervisors, coaches, and mentors. Hear from colleagues from different areas on campus as they come together to reflect and share their insights and learning from their time supervising students, and how those experiences have influenced their career trajectory and approach to work.
Panelists:
If there is an accommodation for this in-person event that will help you attend and engage safely and comfortably, please contact Kari Temkin: kari.temkin@wisc.edu by June 4th.