ArSAA Honors University of Arkansas with Outstanding Innovative Program Award

The Arkansas Student Affairs Association (ArSAA) is proud to announce that the University of Arkansas has been selected as the recipient of this year’s ArSAA Outstanding Innovative Program Award for Hogs Get Hired: From Campus Work to Career Success.

This innovative initiative is a strategic effort to transform student employment at the University of Arkansas into intentional career development opportunities. Led by Career Connections in collaboration with Student Affairs and Human Resources, the program ensures that student job responsibilities are clearly aligned with the university’s eight Career-Ready Skills, positioning campus employment as a powerful pathway to post-graduate success.

Through hands-on workshops, supervisors were equipped to design meaningful student employment experiences that support both student growth and departmental goals. By intentionally embedding transferable skill development into positions across campus, the initiative reframes student employment as a high-impact practice that advances career readiness.

As a result of the program, 220 student positions were aligned with career-ready outcomes, positively impacting more than 1,000 student employees within the Division of Student Affairs. More than 100 managers participated in the training, prompting not only the redesign of student roles but also broader conversations around organizational structures, compensation models, recruitment strategies, and workforce development.

ArSAA commends the University of Arkansas for this forward-thinking program and its measurable impact on student success and career preparation.