America Negrete Wins 2019-2020 LMU Student Employee of the Year Award

We are delighted that America Negrete ’20, library student assistant, has been recognized as the 2019-2020 Student Employee of the Year by Loyola Marymount University’s Student Employment Services. America held two positions in the library’s Outreach Department, working as both as library events assistant and as a library ambassador.

“America far exceeds the expectations described in the professional standards for student employment at Loyola Marymount University: exemplary communication skills, a strong work ethic, interpersonal and teamwork skills, initiative, accountability/integrity, critical thinking/cognitive reasoning, intercultural/diversity skills, and management/leadership skills” said her supervisors Ray Andrade and Carol Raby. “America is a role model for other students. She is resourceful and her empathetic, positive attitude demonstrates her interpersonal and teamwork skills.”

As a library events assistant, America assisted Carol Raby, library events manager, with a wide variety of duties including event planning, preparation, production and execution. She frequently interacted with event guests, catering staff, facilities staff, and presenters/panelists at library programs. Additionally, she supported the production of items contributing to event ambiance (e.g. custom centerpieces, buttons and souvenirs, flowers). America has demonstrated a variety of strengths in her role as an events assistant: collaboration, creativity, design and execution, time management, enthusiasm, communication, leadership, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills. While helping to manage library events, she always reacted thoughtfully, quickly, and with grace when inevitable surprises and problems occur. America is resourceful and her empathetic, positive attitude demonstrates her interpersonal and teamwork skills.

In her position as a library ambassador, working with Student Engagement Librarian Ray Andrade, America led library tour groups, represented the library during orientations and festivals, and worked on library promotional videos (in front of or behind the camera) to highlight the library’s services, resources, and programming. Her excellent communication skills, friendly disposition, enthusiasm, and broad knowledge of the library resources, services, and staff made her a welcomed member of our outreach team.

During the course of the past year, America went above and beyond in two significant ways that impact the library and the entire LMU campus. America made a colossal contribution toward first-year student orientations by helping the library outreach team completely redesign our New Student Orientation presentation, commonly referred to as “LMU Sue.” This presentation was delivered to hundreds of incoming students. We know America’s work made a significant impact because of the overwhelmingly positive response to America’s script modifications and students’ reaction to America when she was on stage at orientations. Her contributions are unparalleled in the history of the library ambassador program and have helped elevate the library’s role among first year student success.

America’s second major contribution to the library ambassador program is her recommendation to target specific student groups around campus through tabling. For example, to serve graduate students in the College of Business Administration’s MBA program, she suggested setting up a table in Hilton with the Business Librarian Nataly Blas. As a marketing major, America was perfectly positioned to engage MBA students and introduce them to the most helpful library resources. This is just one example of America’s ability to articulate the application of concepts she’s learned as a CBA student and to diligently assist the library in reaching a specific student population.

“America represents the best of LMU, the best of the library, and the best of the student employment program” said Andrade and Raby. “Given America’s original, creative, and lasting contributions to the library and the entire campus, she deserves strong consideration for this award.”

Thank you, America, for all your contributions to the William H. Hannon Library. Congratulations on this well-deserved award!