Mason Dunleavy named UND & N.D. Student Employee of the Year
The Office of Student Finance is pleased to recognize Mason Dunleavy, editor-in-chief of the Dakota Student, as the 2021 Student Employee of the Year. This recognition highlights the outstanding students employed part-time at UND. Mason was selected as this year’s honoree out of a total of 18 nominations by the Student Employee of the Year Committee.
Mason was recognized at the University level and was also chosen as the North Dakota Student Employee of the year by the Midwest Association of Student Employment Administrators (MASEA).
Nominations are judged on the eight National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Core Competencies:
- Critical Thinking & Problem solving
- Oral & Written Communications
- Teamwork & Collaboration
- Digital Technology
- Leadership
- Professionalism & Work Ethic
- Career Management
- Global & Intercultural Fluency
Mason’s nomination detailed how he displayed each of the competencies listed above. In the past year, Mason has striven to find new ways to digitize the Dakota Student, including creating the DS E-Newsletter as a part of the push to go paperless during the pandemic. Vince Azzarello, the Dakota Student Coordinator and Mason’s nominator, shared many examples of how Mason has striven to use department resources to increase website traffic, social media engagements, and staff involvement.
“In a year unlike any of us have seen before, Mason has strived for greatness and hurdled over so many obstacles that stood in his way. Mason has succeeded in making the Dakota Student relevant in a time when it would have been easy to give up. He has improved nearly every aspect of the paper, and I believe his imprint on the DS will be felt for years to come.” said Azzarello.
Mason was presented the award at the 2021 Leadership Awards, held virtually this year. His name has been added to the Student Employee of the Year Plaque and he will be awarded the $500 Student of the Year scholarship, courtesy of the Office of Student Finance. Mason, a senior, will graduate in May.
