Amanda Markwardt named UW-Parkside’s Inaugural Supervisor of the Year
The University of Wisconsin-Parkside has named Amanda Markwardt as the inaugural recipient of the Supervisor of the Year Award. The award was created to recognize outstanding campus employment supervisors who have demonstrated a significant commitment to campus employment as a high impact practice for students.
Markwardt is a Multicultural Initiatives Specialist in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) at UW-Parkside. She earned a Bachelor of Science in journalism with specialization in public relations from Bowling Green State University. She also holds a Master of Science in administrative leadership with a concentration in adult, continuing, higher education administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She is involved with the Always Reaching Upward (ARU) Mentor Program, DACA/Undocumented Initiatives and Resources, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Celebration, Hispanic Heritage Month Programming, and Asian Heritage Month Programming. She has supervised nine student employees within the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs in the past year. Eight of those students served as mentors in the ARU Mentoring Program and one serves in the lead position for the ARU Program as the student coordinator.
“I love working with student employees as a supervisor and mentor. It's a high-touch component of my job and such a highlight of my work. Our students are amazing and are the backbone of our office and our service to students at UW-Parkside,” Markwardt explains.
In her role as a student employee supervisor, Markwardt provides students with transparency, accessibility, and equity. She sets a tone of professionalism and employs a nurturing and sincere supervisory style. She strives to accept students for who they are while challenging them to be the best version of themselves. She is vulnerable, transparent, and understanding with her students.
Markwardt champions Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) on a personal and professional level. “It's a part of my values system and a commitment I will keep for the rest of my life. I am constantly advocating for JEDI at UW-Parkside and challenge myself and colleagues to think creatively to remove barriers,” she explains.
Markwardt’s student nominators note her passion and commitment. “Her genuine love for the students she works with drives her passion to do better as a professional and she does everything to the best of her ability to help us in any and all concerns and goals,” one student nominator said. “Amanda is an ally for many groups and is a great person to talk to when it comes to struggling with anything UWP related,” another commented.