The 6th annual 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.
Registration and full schedule coming soon!
Featuring 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.
Great event, thank you so much for putting it on. It was just what I needed as a new supervisor and I feel very motivated and energized after attending!
2024 Participant
"This was a wonderful event, not only because of the information covered, but also because it provided an opportunity to connect with and learn from other student supervisors across campus."
2023 Participant
Leader, mentor, artist, visionary, author, and an entrepreneurial spirit, are just some of the words to describe Vantrel Mainor. He is a strong advocate for both student and professional development, speaking to various groups on subjects pertaining to leadership, personal growth, workplace culture, among other topics. Vantrel is a 2002 graduate of Savannah State University (SSU) where he completed his undergraduate degree of Business Administration (BBA) in Marketing, with a minor in Art. He would later receive both a Master of Arts in Religion and Master of Divinity from Liberty University. He also received his certification in both Academic Advisement from Kansas State University and College Student Wellbeing: Trauma & Resilience from Florida State University. Vantrel has been employed at Savannah State University for almost 19 years, working in Trio Programs (Education Talent Search), Academic Coaching, Professional Advising, and is currently the Coordinator for Academic Recovery Services. He is the co-founder of Mainor Global, a coaching, consulting, and training company; in addition, he is the author of The Common Sense Leader: Leadership decisions are not as complicated as the leaders themselves. He is also an award-winning speaker earning Best of Region 4 for NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) in 2022 for his presentation titled “Fly Little Eagles Fly: Advising and Coaching Students to become more Self-Sufficient”. Last but certainly not least, Vantrel Mainor is the proud husband of Sheri Mainor; together, they have two beautiful daughters.
Vantrel Mainor
How Participants felt at the end of the 2024 Student Employment Summer Summit:
11:00-12:00 Breakout Session Topics:
Overture: 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
Concerto: 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
2:00-3:00 Breakout Session Topics:
Overture: 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
Concerto: 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
3:15-4:00 Closing Session
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:
Symphony Rm: Facilitating Success for Neurodivergent Students in Their Workplace, Heather Stelljes & Ryan Keegan
In this session, participants can expect to learn background information on neurodivergence before exploring strategies and considerations to build an environment that allows neurodivergent students to meaningfully belong in their workspace.
Overture Rm: Engaged Leaders Through Employment, Barb Kautz Wittwer & Kari Temkin
Learn how to create and sustain a work culture that values student leadership development through integration of the UW-Madison Leadership Framework, Leadership Certificate, and best practices across campus.
Concerto Rm: De-Centering Whiteness, Triston King
At this workshop we will break down the impacts of recognizing one’s proximity to race and race related-topics, the impact it has on one’s interactions with those different from themselves, and how to build tools to develop an anti-racist framework. Participants will examine their role in these systems and structures, and how we can move forward in playing our part in dismantling them.
3:10-4:10 Breakout Session Topics:
Symphony Rm: Supporting Students in Peer Supervision, panel
Natalia Cavazos- Dining & Culinary Services
Mi Levy- Office of Student Financial Aid- Front Desk
Julia Disano- Campus and Visitor Relations Tour Guide Coordinator
Elliot Christensen- University Housing Student Supervisor
Hear the experience of students who supervise their peers directly from the experts themselves. Learn their unique challenges, opportunities, best practices and advice.
Overture Rm: Student Employment Recruiting & Onboarding Tips & Tricks, Kristina Rittel
Supervising student employees is very rewarding but also comes with a lot of moving pieces to make sure your team is adequately staffed, the students are supported, among countless other items. Come learn about hiring and supervising resources and techniques to assist you as a supervisor of student employees.
Concerto Rm: Supporting Student Employee’s mental health, Alex Little (they/them) & Gina Williamson (she/her)
- Learn about the principles of trauma informed care and how to apply them to your work with student employees
- Utilize the recognize, respond, refer framework of student support strategies
- Practice at least one active listening or response strategy from this framework
- Learn about campus and community resources to share with student employees