Leading at LSU: Meet This Year’s Student Employee Award Winners
May 05, 2026
Each year, LSU recognizes student employees who go above and beyond in their roles, demonstrating leadership, innovation, and a commitment to excellence that strengthens both their departments and the broader university community.
The 2025–2026 Student Employee of the Year award winners exemplify what it means to make an impact through student employment. From leading teams in high-risk environments to advancing research that supports coastal communities, this year’s honorees showcase the impact of student work on campus.
Meet the 2025-2026 Student Employee of the Year Award Recipients:
Maddi Sansouci
Student Employee of the Year – Gold Award
The Gold Award recognizes students who excel in leadership, professionalism, and quality, and Maddi Sansouci embodies all three through her work at UREC.
At UREC, she serves in multiple roles, including Outdoor Recreation Supervisor, Aquatics Supervisor, Challenge Course Program Assistant, and American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor. Each position places her at the center of high-risk, fast-moving environments, requiring technical proficiency and emotional control, especially in moments that can’t be anticipated.
Maddi Sansouci at the 2026 Student Employee of the Year Reception.
Leading Through Action
“All of UREC staff is certified in first aid or CPR, but it’s hard to emotionally prepare for when you have to use your training,” Maddi explains. Yet, when those moments arrive, she doesn’t hesitate to act. During a medical emergency, Maddi activated the Emergency Action Plan and provided care until EMS arrived, an intervention that contributed to the individual’s survival. What helps her in those situations, she says, is not just her training, but also her team, “Knowing that I have a full staff to support me both during and after.”
Maddi also leads in the quieter moments, stepping in before being asked, filling staffing gaps, and investing time in mentoring newer staff. Her leadership is defined by action. She does this not out of obligation, but because she understands what strong teams require and cares about contributing to that.
Maddi knew that working on campus would expose her to new relationships and professional opportunities. “Choosing UREC just felt natural to me,” she says, referencing both her personal interest in health and the opportunity to grow as a leader. What began as a campus job quickly became a place where she could challenge herself to build relationships and take on increasing levels of responsibility.
Shaping Experiences Through Mentorship
Some of her most meaningful experiences have come through teaching. After leading her first lifeguard certification course, she realized that her impact extended beyond maintaining operations and into shaping others’ experiences. “I developed a passion for teaching other students,” she says. Many of those students now work alongside her, viewing Maddi as a mentor.
“ Knowing that I play a critical role in keeping the facility open, running, and safe makes me excited to come into work each day. ”
Maddi feels connected to the UREC’s mission of inspiring lifelong health and wellness. She explains, “The work we do serves the LSU community,” acknowledging the role the facility plays in inspiring healthy habits and supporting student well-being.
A Foundation for the Future
Through this experience, Maddi has gained a strong foundation in leadership, communication, and team management. She reflects on her role, “I see all these experiences as a foundation for my future career,” adding that she feels “prepared and confident to enter the workforce.”
After more than three years at UREC, she is considering a future in campus recreation with a focus on mentorship. “I'm interested in being a mentor to students,” she says, hoping to provide others with the same support and opportunity she has.
When asked about her recognition, Maddi shares, “Receiving this award is not only a reflection of my own personal work, but of all UREC employees that I work alongside.” This statement captures Maddi’s leadership, which is not focused on individual achievement, but on the strength of the team she helps build every day.
Nikki Perry
Student Employee of the Year – Purple Award
The Purple Award recognizes students who excel in innovation, creativity, and unique contributions, and Nikki Perry’s work stands out for its impact across these areas.
As a student research assistant in the Caribbean Spatial Justice Lab in the School of Architecture, Nikki contributes to a multi-phase study of Gulf Coast environmental nonprofits while also supporting the interdisciplinary Living Pods initiative. Her research and design role requires her to translate complex ideas into systems and solutions that others can build upon.
Nikki Perry at the 2026 Student Employee of the Year Reception.
Building Systems From Scratch
Nikki’s entry to the role came as an unexpected opportunity, with her supervisor reaching out to her because of her previous academic work. She soon learned that with this new opportunity came challenges. “Learning how to code was a challenge,” she shares, noting that as a design student, “Coding is not a skill I was even remotely familiar with.” Instead of treating this as a limitation, she approached it as a problem to solve, teaching herself through tutorials until she could build the survey systems her research required.
That willingness to adapt has become a defining part of her contribution. Nikki has strengthened research processes by building systems that improve data reliability and reduce errors. When projects face critical obstacles, she identifies risks early and uses sound judgement to protect outcomes, approaching challenges with analytical precision.
Translating Vision into Solutions
Beyond her contributions in the research space, Nikki also exhibits creativity through the Living Pods project. Here, she translates environmental goals into buildable designs, taking initiative in teaching herself digital fabrication methods and applying them to prototyping. The balance of analytical thinking and creative execution shown by Nikki allows two complex projects to move forward reliably. What drives Nikki’s work is a clear sense of purpose.
“ I'm always very excited by the idea that the work that I'm doing will actually benefit coastal communities. ”
Nikki’s impact expands beyond the university, transforming her research into a tool that can be used by non-profits to effectively and efficiently overcome socio-political, environmental, and economic challenges.
Opening Doors Through Research
When asked about her post-graduation plans, Nikki says, “I am not entirely sure—and in a good way,” recognizing that multiple paths now feel accessible. “I have gained the ability to read sets of data and take a critical eye to research conclusions,” she shares, skills she already sees influencing her academic work and approach to problem-solving.
“I’m truly grateful for the number of ways this position has allowed me to grow professionally,” Nikki reflects. She is looking forward to expanding her research this summer, as she was accepted into the Gulf Scholars Program. She shares that student employment has significantly impacted her college career, emphasizing the "overwhelming opportunity” she has available to her after graduation.
The Impact of Student Employment
While Maddi and Nikki represent two distinct experiences, they both showcase the same core idea: Meaningful learning can happen outside the classroom, in spaces where students are given the agency to lead and the room to grow.
Through student employment, both honorees have developed technical skills in their respective areas, but also the ability to lead, adapt, and contribute to something larger than themselves. Their stories reflect the possibility of what on-campus roles can offer, serving as foundations for future careers.
The impact of student employment is visible in the teams they strengthen, the systems they improve, and the communities their work ultimately serves.
To learn more about the Student Employee of the Year program, how to hire a student worker, or ways to celebrate your students please visit the LSU Student Employment webpage.
About the LSU Career Center
Our team is committed to ensuring every student has ample opportunities to gain experience, grow their network, and communicate their aptitude for a chosen career long before graduation. We believe LSU students are unparalleled in their potential to step into leadership, solve problems, and elevate the workforce for the benefit of all.