Outstanding Student Employee Award Winners

Meet UVA’s 2025 Outstanding Student Employee Award Winners

A group of 11 students who were nominated by their managers for exceptional dedication, leadership, and initiative across their area, department, and the University. This year we received many incredible nominations for this recognition, and we are thrilled to recognize the following recipients: 

Ryan Aguilar, Astronomy

• Nominated by Whitney Richardson, Fiscal Administrator, Ryan’s contributions to the Astronomy department range from technical machine support to the mass digitalization of all machine shop and departmental telescope files for easy access and reference. Their leadership and ownership of processes big and small has made them an invaluable part of their department and its research initiatives.

Bliss Bodawala, Statistics

• Nominated by Harsimran Somal, Assistant Professor, General Faculty, Bliss’s work with the Mathematical Statistics courses taught by Professor Somal have allowed her to demonstrate extraordinary commitment to the success of their students through coordination of homework support, efficient grading turn arounds, event management, and mentorship. 

Mack Brumbaugh, Media Studies/Sloane Lab

• Nominated by Mona Sloane, Assistant Professor of Data Science and Media Studies, Mack is an integral part of the Sloane Lab team due to his dedication to professionalism and communications in his research role. Mack’s willingness to grow and expand his role into new territories has demonstrated his strong work ethic and capacity to balance multiple roles and projects simultaneously. 

Emily Huber, Facilities Management/Office of Sustainability

• Nominated by Libby Dukes, Sustainability Data Analyst, Emily has transformed the processing for nitrogen footprint data at UVA by using her computer science knowledge to create a new and higher efficiency program for data processing, changing the turn around time for a year’s worth of data from 4 semesters to 1. Her team greatly values her can-do attitude and willingness to share her expertise through training others and collaborating with other institutions. 

Anastasia Jones-Burdick, Care and Support Services

• Nominated by Jackie Khawand Ward, Senior Assistant Dean of Students, Anastasia has supported and greatly improved the incredible work of the Community Food Pantry. Her leadership and dedication led to the successful creation and distribution of hundreds of meal kits and countless day-to-day food pick-ups. She has pride in her work, reaching beyond UVA Grounds to advocate to the VA General Assembly to pass the Hunger Free Campus Act, ensuring dedicated state funding to campus food pantries. 

Katie Kenney, UVA Career Center

• Nominated by Elizabeth Wall, Associate Director – Public Service & Government Careers, Katie has gone above and beyond to ensure the success of students, alumni, and her team in navigating the changing world of Public Service & Government Career Communities. Katie not only provides direct support and assistance to the students she works with one-on-one but also proved to be a thoughtful and nimble asset to the Career Center when she assisted with the design and implementation of a multi-day event in DC across a large group of students, alumni, and employers. 

Max Larrazabal, Psychology

• Nominated by Bethany Teachman, Professor of Psychology & Director of Clinical Training, Max has shown impressive commitment to the well-being of their fellow graduate students, fostering an inclusive and safe environment through multiple department committee appointments, community building, recruitment projects, and development of a welcome packet for new graduate students.

Emma Nguyen, Office of Undergraduate Admission

• Nominated by Caroline Headley, Assistant Dean of Admission, Emma serves the office of Undergraduate Admission not only through providing tours to thousands of prospective students & their families, but also through creating institutional excellence in her training of new tour guides during a 5-week intensive process. Emma’s work has directly impacted her area, future tour guides, and countless students who credit her enthusiasm and informative tours as an influence in their decision to commit to UVA. 

Hayden Peper, Central Finance

• Nominated by Brandi Van Ormer, Communications Manager, Hayden has gone above and beyond to ensure that finance communications have had a far reaching impact via the UVAFinance’s biweekly blog digest, where she develops 20 – 25 articles per month. Hayden approaches challenges with curiosity and enthusiasm, expanding her skillset and demonstrating her dedication to the success of the 6,000 finance and administrative professionals across Grounds who benefit from her work. 

Kyleigh Phillips, Starr Hill Pathways/Center for Community Partnerships

• Nominated by DeVon Wade, Community Partnerships Program Manager, Kyleigh consistently exceeds expectations when it comes to accurate data collection, resource creation, and programmatic support of the Starr Hill Pathways program. Since beginning her role, her initiative and aptitude for working with community partners have led to the expansion of her role to also include support of student and academic success via the program’s tutoring program and mental/social emotional learning program. 

Caleb White, Engineering Undergraduate Programs Office

• Nominated by Renice Gray, Engineering Undergraduate Operations Manager, Caleb’s work with the Engineering Undergraduate Programs has solidified him as a reliable, motivated, and resourceful team member, committed to the success of students. Caleb prepares and disseminates the engaging weekly newsletter full of helpful information and reminders, taking a proactive approach to department communications, as well as event planning and mentorship.