SBU Students Celebrated for Hard Work and Service at Career Center Awards Ceremony

The Stony Brook University Career Center hosted its annual Student Employee, Intern and Community Service Awards Ceremony on April 9, honoring students and supervisors who work on campus, participate in internships, and/or volunteer in the community for their dedication and exceptional work.

Career Center Student Employment Manager Michelle Hassman and Karisma Persad, a student employment assistant at the Career Center, welcomed the audience to the ceremony in Ballroom A of the Student Activities Center. After thanking everyone for attending the event, it was time to kick off the awards by giving the spotlight to the supervisor award winners.

The Supervisor of the Year Award went to both Pelin Bozok (Career Center) and Gabrielle Barone (Fraternity & Sorority Life). “To make a lasting impact as a supervisor, it’s essential to lead with intention and empathy,” said Barone. “Start by building a foundation rooted in positivity and mutual respect. Be crystal clear about your expectations, but equally committed to understanding what your student staff and interns hope to gain from their experience.”

The Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Award went to Amelie Nachtmann (Academic Success and Tutoring Center) and Keri O’Neill (Student Affairs), both making a difference in their respective roles.

“My advice to other students is to be open to sharing your ideas and perspectives, even if they’re not fully formed yet,” said O’Neill. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in this role that translated into all aspects of my life is to not hold back out of fear of being wrong. When you advocate for your ideas with confidence, passion, and open-mindedness, you allow them to evolve. With the support, belief, and encouragement of mentors and supervisors, they can grow into something extraordinarily meaningful and impactful.”

This was the second time that Hassman was the host and event planner for the student awards.

“I was absolutely thrilled to see and host a ballroom full of over 200 people to celebrate the contributions of our student employees, interns, and community service volunteers, as well as the supervisors who mentor our students and cheer them on,” said Hassman. “Thank you to everyone who helps create spaces where students can grow, shine, and thrive.”

— Melanie Karniewich’ 25

The full list of winners for the 2025 awards is as follows:

Excellence in Community Service Award:
Aima Chaudhry, Center for Service Learning and Community Service

Critical Thinking Award:
Amanda Zhou, Center for Prevention and Outreach

Diversity and Inclusion:
Lijun Wen, Center for Prevention and Outreach 

Technology and Innovation:
Christopher Nielson, DoIT

Leadership:
Ameillia Benson, Campus Life Centers

Undergraduate Student Employee of the Year Award:
Amelie Nachtmann, Academic Success and Tutoring Center
Keri O’Neill, Student Affairs

Graduate Student Employee of the Year Award:
Julian Chen, Residential Mailrooms

Intern of the Year Award:
Esther Kwon, Psychology

Excellence in Teamwork Award:
Marco Wu, CAD Lab

Excellence in Creativity & Innovation Award:
Tasnim Loqman, Career Center

Community Impact:
Angee Diaz, Alex Mousazadeh, Ciara Woellhof, 3D Path

Supervisor of the Year Award:
Pelin Bozok, Career Center
Gabrielle Barone, Fraternity & Sorority Life

President’s Volunteer Service Award:
Lifetime, Jennifer Andrew
Gold, Trisha Majumdar, William Truong, Ellica Sedigh
Silver, Manahil Kashif, Devi Thoka
Bronze, Drisana Shanthan, Francesca Pezzano, Nada Elzibk,Meleny Estrada, Aaron Cleofas, Arya Nayak, Merica Griffin

Service Cord Recipients:
Trisha Majumdar
Jennifer Andrews
Maya Spottiswood
Chandrema Hossain
Nada Elzibk
Devi Thoka
William Truong
Aveena Desai
Janine Jiang
Drisana Shanthan
Kelly Argueta Guzman