The President's Student Employee of the Year Award is given annually to an outstanding student employee who made a positive impact on the University, demonstrated an exceptional quality of work and commitment to the University's purpose and core values. This year, we are proud to announce that two UHD student employees have been recognized for their outstanding work. Sahithi Alla is named as the winner, and Wyatt Golden is recognized as a finalist.
Sahithi and Wyatt exemplify our core purpose and values through their everyday actions - Sahithi processing countless Star to Star peer recognition submissions, Wyatt analyzing pricing data for the launch of the Drink of the Week program, and both showing up each day with a willingness to learn. Their work serves the University while embodying what we stand for as Longhorns.
As a Human Resources Student Associate, Sahithi works on the Employee Development and Engagement (EDE) team. She played a significant role in managing the Star to Star peer recognition program where UHD staff members can recognize one another through digital or physical submission forms. Since its launch in August 2024, the program received over 4,200 submissions with envelopes to create, fill and organize for distribution across campus. Most of these passed through Sahithi’s hands at one point. As the initiative quickly gained traction, she was instrumental in identifying areas for improvement by documenting workflows and streamlining processes.
Wyatt also demonstrated impressive initiative through his creation and implementation of a campus-wide Drink of the Week program across six different UHD-operated coffee shops. In developing the program, Wyatt analyzed pricing data from nearby competitors and created a master document with long-term scheduling, ordering strategies and communication plans. The Drink of the Week program provided valuable insights into student preferences, directly impacting student engagement. His meticulous work, from creating the program to creating rollout timelines, planning supply orders and more, exemplifies his exceptional leadership.
Beyond their work on the Star to Star and the Drink of the Week programs, both Sahithi and Wyatt’s attention to detail and dedication extended to the behind-the-scenes aspects of their roles. In her three and a half years with UHD, Sahithi organized and helped lead several events and initiatives, including the processing of over 670 nominations for the annual Golden Horns staff awards event, ensuring that each submission was tied to the correct staff member. During the show, she also ran a presentation in front of a live audience of over 500 staff members. Her preparation ensured each winner was carefully revealed, and tackled technical issues with quick thinking and composure.
Wyatt’s impact as a student manager could be felt through his team. As a manager, he excelled at training and instilling confidence in his team members. His ability to mentor and support all of his colleagues created a workplace environment rooted in collaboration and trust. Throughout his time at UHD, Wyatt consistently sharpened his skills as a manager by attending leadership training, participating in meetings and shadowing his supervisors. The extra care and effort he put in wasn’t about checking a box – it was about serving those around him.
This award, and recognition from the entire University community, is fitting for the extraordinary quality of work demonstrated by both students. Wyatt’s vision transformed a simple coffee run into a weekly ritual that Longhorns across the Forty Acres look forward to. Sahithi’s work with the Employee Development and Engagement team’s recognition programs ensured thousands of UHD employees felt appreciated for their work. The care, communication, respect and initiative both students led with transformed their projects into points of connection. These contributions may not be listed in a job description, but they are essential to creating our Home on the Forty.