Makayla Webb wins Florida Association of Colleges and Employers award thanks to her versatility.
By Curtis Bataille
Florida A&M University (FAMU) graduate student Makayla Webb has been named the Student of the Year for the Florida Association of Colleges and Employers (ACE).
The award was created to acknowledge an outstanding experiential education student for each academic year. Each year, awards are given out in the following categories: Private College or University, State University, and State College.
Winning the award brought a sense of shock and validation for Webb as she nears the completion of her Master of Business Administration program in the School of Business and Industry (SBI) next spring.
“I was shocked finding out about this award, especially once I saw I was the only student from a historically Black college or university (HBCU),” said Webb of Las Vegas, Nevada. “Winning the FloridaACE Student of the Year award has been very meaningful to me. It lets me know that as I remain humble, my hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed.”
FloridaACE President John Sheehy said what set Webb apart from the competition was her versatility.
“In our review Mikayla Webb’s nomination, we learned of her desire to be involved in and excel within multiple areas of her team’s work, including learning to manage and host career expos, demonstrating a superior adaptability to change, and showing an ability to assist with the rebranding of programming and creating new processes,” said Sheehy.
The award is presented to the nominating FloridaACE member or a representative of the member’s school on the student’s behalf at the annual conference each June. Recipients receive an award trophy and a check for $300.
Webb was nominated by the Career and Professional Development Center Director Shereada Harrell, with whom she worked as an employer relations intern for the past year.
“Ms. Webb has been a member of my team for a year, and without her in this role, our office would not have survived many of the challenges we faced over the year,” said Harrell. “When she graduates, our team will be at a loss because she has been the model intern. While I will undoubtedly miss working with Makayla, I am confident she will excel in the next chapter of her life.”
After receiving her MBA next spring, Webb plans to pursue a career in sports management.
“In this internship, I have been able to make employer connections, learn the ins-and-outs of employer relations, and also have been pushed to come out of my comfort zone,” Webb said. “Just about everything I have done in this internship has helped me improve skills needed to reach my aspiration of becoming a sports manager. This award was just another push for me to continue striving toward that goal.”
