Valentina Mora was recognized as this year’s Student Employee of the Year by The University of Alabama’s Department of Human Resources and Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Mora works with the department of communicative disorders, where she is a bilingual Spanish-English interpreter and office associate. She is a senior completing a double major in communicative disorders and French language and literature. Mora received the department’s Outstanding Research Award by an Undergraduate in 2025. She is also an ambassador for the Blount Scholars Program.
“I am deeply honored to have been selected as Student Employee of the Year, especially among so many outstanding nominees. I am incredibly grateful to the department of communicative disorders and to Dr. JoAnne Payne for giving me the opportunity to work at the Speech and Hearing Center, where I have learned from exceptional speech-language pathologists and audiologists while also serving Spanish-speaking clients,” said Mora.
“My experience at the clinic has given me valuable skills that I know will help me succeed in graduate school and in my future career. I will forever cherish everything I learned there and all the support I received from the remarkable professionals, staff and graduate students in our department.”
Dr. JoAnne Payne, Mora’s supervisor, said her empathy and competence make her an outstanding member of the communicative disorders department.
“Valentina’s role has been critical to the delivery of responsive and family-centered care by our clinical educators and our clinical students, both graduate and undergraduate,” said Payne. “As a native Spanish speaker, she brings lived experience and genuine compassion to her interactions with multilingual families. Families consistently feel welcomed, respected and supported due to her presence.”
Payne added, “I am being honest when I say that she is, without a doubt, one of the most outstanding students I have had the privilege to know. We are all very proud of her and will miss her after graduation. I know that she will accomplish great things in her future as a speech-language pathologist.”
About the Student Employee of the Year Awards
UA employs approximately 5,000 students each year. The 2024-2025 honorees were nominated for demonstrating exemplary leadership skills, valuing and involving others in the workplace, applying critical thinking to generate innovative ideas, and for their contribution to their department, community and The University of Alabama.
Eligible students are undergraduate student assistant employees and work-study student employees working in hourly, on-campus positions. Students must have worked a minimum of six months part-time or three months full-time.
Supervisors are invited to nominate students in early spring each year to highlight students who perform invaluable services with enthusiasm and dedication, all while balancing their respective academic commitments.
2026 Student Employee of the Year Nominees
Camille Ledford (Finalist)
Noah Sells (Finalist)
Kayrie Weldon (Finalist)
Erin Acheson
Hailey Adams
Annalisa Arzola
William T. Battle
Charles Beshenich
Dylan Brearley
Jalynn Chance
Lawson Deason
Ashlie Delgado
Nya Douglas
Jace Earls
Indya Evans-White
Abbey Ferguson
Brea Gaillard
Amy Claire Godwin
Ellie Gray
Dylan Heydenburg
Mallory Hitchcock
Katrina Hubacek
Tikeria Jones
Jakelvin Jones
ShaMiyahlynn Knott
Brookelyn Lake
Liv Lipsey
Linzie Marlow
Madalyn Mitchell
Michael Moen
Madison Morgan
Jacob Nieman
Johnnice Robinson
Talula Belle Scott
Joseph Semler
Sydney Sgrignioli
Isabella Stroh
Grace Tebbe
Eli Terry
Javarai Washington