Work+ Supervisor Summit: Cultivating Impactful Work Environments & Empowering Student Employees
Monday, June 1, 2026 | 9:30 AM-3:00 PM
Student Union, Room 304 C | Storrs Campus
This year’s summit will explore strategies for cultivating impactful work environments while empowering student employees to thrive both professionally and academically.
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in sessions across two flexible tracks: Workplace Design & Environment and Developing Your Working Learners. Participants will be able to tailor their summit experience by selecting one learning track to follow or mixing and matching between the two based on their interests and goals. Whether focusing on strengthening office culture or enhancing student growth and learning, the summit will offer practical insights and collaborative conversations to support effective student supervision.
Schedule
| 9:00 – 9:30 AM | Pre-Conference (An overview of Work+ for those who are new to Work+ or are interested in joining Work+) |
| 9:30 – 10:00 AM | Summit Registration and Networking |
| 10:00 – 10:45 AM | Welcoming Remarks and Keynote Speaker |
| 11:00 – 11:45 AM | Morning Break Out Sessions |
| 12:00 – 12:45 PM | Catered Lunch |
| 1:00 – 1:45 PM | Afternoon Breakout Sessions 1 |
| 2:00 – 2:45 PM | Afternoon Breakout Sessions 2 |
| 3:00 PM | Summit Ends |
Speakers and Breakout Sessions
Pre Conference (9:00 – 9:30)
This 30-minute presentation will take place before the summit begins and is designed for supervisors who are new to Work+ or interested in joining Work+. In this session we will provide an overview of what Work+ is, the benefits of joining Work+, and how you can become a part of the initiative to transform the student employment experience for your working learners!
Keynote Speaker (10:15 – 10:45)
Dr.Bradley Wright – Director of the Life Purpose Lab and Professor of Sociology
Morning Sessions (11:00 – 11:45)
From Internship to Impact: Practical Strategies to Create Meaningful and High-Impact Experiences
Presenters: Stephanie Collins / Mark Turek (The Hartford)
Come learn from Early Career subject matter experts from The Hartford who partner to turn internships into powerful, long-term talent pipelines. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling high-impact programs, we’ll share how to create internships that deliver meaningful business results while also building skills, confidence, and connection for students. From structuring work that truly matters to creating moments that make the experience engaging and fun, you’ll walk away with practical, proven ideas to elevate your program. Join us and reimagine what your internship program can be!
Building Trust and Navigating Difficult Conversations with Student Employees
Presenters: Cinnamon Adams / Jim Wohl (University Ombuds)
Many supervisors feel confident mentoring student employees but less prepared to address performance concerns, workplace conflict, or challenging behaviors. This session will focus on practical strategies for creating trust, setting clear expectations, and engaging in constructive conversations that support growth and accountability. Participants will explore communication tools that can help supervisors address concerns earlier and more effectively while maintaining positive working relationships. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and resources to continue strengthening their supervisory skills.
Afternoon Session 1 (1:00 – 1:45)
Building Belonging Through Supervision: Using Calendar Awareness to Support Working Learners
Presenter: Jaron Tucker (Financial Aid Services)
Student employees bring a wide range of identities, experiences, and needs into the workplace. This session highlights how supervisors at UConn can use calendar awareness as a practical tool to create more inclusive, supportive, and responsive work environments for student employees.
Drawing from an inclusive calendar which includes heritage and identity observances, religious holidays, disability and accessibility awareness, inclusion, human rights topics, and student-focused events attendees will leave with actionable strategies to recognize and accommodate diverse identities and experiences in student staff; create inclusive schedules, programming, and workplace expectations; use observances as opportunities for learning, engagement, and connection; foster a stronger sense of belonging among student employees; and explore how these touchpoints can be thoughtfully integrated into supervision, communication, and onboarding.
Every Town Is a Hometown: Belonging, Reflection, and Developing Working Learners
Presenter: Steve Bustamante (UConn Library)
This session is designed to be an interactive conversation for supervisors about creating meaningful learning experiences through student employment. Participants will share strategies, challenges, and successful approaches for supporting working learners across a variety of campus workspaces and roles. The session will explore ways to encourage confidence, communication, reflection, and growth by recognizing students as people with unique experiences, goals, and strengths beyond their job responsibilities. Together, supervisors will discuss creative and accessible ways to integrate learning and development into everyday workplace interactions at UConn and beyond.
Afternoon Session 2 (2:00 – 2:45)
A Much-Needed Resource: The Red Folder
Presenters: Kristina Stevens / Nicole McKelvey Walsh (Student Health and Wellness)
This interactive conference session will provide an in-depth exploration of the University of Connecticut’s Red Folder initiative, a vital resource designed to help faculty and staff recognize, respond to, and refer students experiencing emotional or psychological distress. Participants will guide themselves through the specific protocol indicators—ranging from academic and physical to emotional and risk-related warning signs—and learn actionable communication strategies like active listening and direct questioning. The session will conclude with an open Q&A forum, offering attendees a dedicated opportunity to ask specific questions about navigating crisis resources, connecting with the Dean of Students or CARE Team, and effectively managing real-world scenarios on campus.
Tools and Strategies for Managing Large Student Staffs
Presenter: Bo Toof (Student Union)
Join Bo Toof, AV Production Supervisor at the Student Union as he reviews some of the technologies and workflows that his team uses to provide adaptable scheduling, data driven tracking and impactful training for their student workers. Learn how these tools help provide high quality customer service for their clients as well as arm their students with tangible skills and professional experience that will help them thrive after graduation
What is Work+?
The vision of the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills is to create a university-wide career readiness culture that prepares all students for post-graduation success.
Work+ supports this vision by seamlessly integrating working and learning experiences for students. It transforms student employment from transactional to impactful by supporting working learners in developing key career skills that will benefit them post-graduation. Through our innovative framework, students are empowered to leverage their on-campus work experiences to cultivate essential professional skills and align their endeavors with their career aspirations. This conference aims to provide working learner supervisors with the tools, support, and guidance needed to help support student development. Through this focused lens, attendees will gain valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance their supervision practices.
Work+ Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our Work+ corporate sponsors, The Hartford and Cintas, whose partnership helps make this summit possible. We appreciate their commitment to enhancing and developing student employment initiatives at UConn.
