While students scurry through Jefferson Dining Hall selecting meals and drinks, J.T. Schroer rushes around keeping everything running smooth.

As student coordinator in Jefferson Dining Hall, the senior supervises 150 student employees, hires and fires students, oversees payroll and makes work schedules. For these reasons he was chosen as Student Employee of the Year.

Mike Crupi/THE POST
J.T. Schroer poses behind the serving counter at Jefferson Dining Hall. Schroer was recently named Student Employee of the Year for his efforts as student coordinator at the dining hall.

"I'm a workaholic, and sometimes I need to devote more time and energy to my studies than to my work," he said.

The award is given to the dining hall student employee who is most dedicated to his job and fellow employees by going above and beyond what he is supposed to do , said Ed Green, Jefferson Dining Hall general manager.

Schroer, an education major from Dayton has worked in the dining hall since Fall Quarter of his freshman year. As a coordinator, he said his favorite part of his job is being able to work with people.

"I'm willing to work with (the students) and the problems they have," he said. "I hope I make it a good working establishment for them. I am a people person. I can't stand to be in the office. I like to be with the students eating and with the student workers."

One of Schroer's strengths on the job is the way he treats people. He always addresses student employees as sir or ma'am, Green said.

"He's the most polite young man," he said. "He's never called me Ed - he always calls me Mr. Green."

But his politeness isn't just toward his elders. Sophomore Jennifer Klontz, who works in Jefferson Dining hall, said Schroer takes his job seriously.

"He's just a really nice guy and he's always professional," she said. "Everyone really likes him."

Even with employee acceptance, Schroer said he wouldn't be where he is now if he didn't have a strong staff beside him.

"I have been able to do so well because of the cooperation among the workers," he said. "I'm lucky I have the full-time management and student managers to help me."

Schroer said he has seen many changes in the past years as an employee. But, he said his biggest accomplishment has been Jefferson Dining Hall's consistent cleanliness.

Each quarter, OU's food service department awards the cleanest dining hall on campus, and Jefferson has won the for 10 consecutive quarters.

As Student Employee of the Year, Schroer now has a chance to win the Association of College and University Food Service Regional award for the Student Employee of the Year, which is a $1,000 prize and a paid-trip to the NACUFS National Conference in Anaheim, CA, where he could win the national award.