Student Employees play a key roll in Summer Success in Accounts Receivable and ISU Card Services
While summer months often bring a slower pace to many campus offices, the opposite is true for the Accounts Receivable and ISU Card Offices. From New Student Orientation in June to fiscal year-end reporting and fall billing preparation in July, followed by mass billing notifications and financial aid disbursements in August, summer represents one of the busiest and most critical operational periods of the year.
This summer, three outstanding student employees, Ava Rehm, Payton Littrell, and Christian Chelsvig, played instrumental roles in ensuring these essential processes were completed successfully.
Supporting Thousands of New Cyclones
During New Student Orientation in June, the ISU Card Office experienced one of its highest-volume periods of the year. Ava and Payton were instrumental in these efforts, helping print and distribute nearly 5,500 ISU ID cards to incoming students. Being the first year in a new ID Card and Affiliate systems, June was not without its system challenges, and they confronted each situation with optimism and professionalism.
Their contributions extended well beyond card production and distribution. When they were not assisting new students and families in the ISU Card Office, Ava and Payton also supported the Accounts Receivable team by answering billing-related phone calls and assisting with special projects that helped prepare the office for the significant workload associated with fall billing.
Stepping Up During Critical Fiscal Year-End Activities
The summer months also presented unique challenges for the Accounts Receivable Accounting Team. With two full-time staff members on extended leave during a critical fiscal year-end reporting period, additional support was essential.
Christian embraced this challenge and became a key contributor to fiscal year end reporting success. He assisted with daily reconciliation activities and helped ensure fiscal year-end reporting requirements were completed accurately and on time. In addition, he documented multiple standard operating procedures, creating resources that will continue to support departmental operations well into the future.
Demonstrating Excellence Every Day
What makes the contributions of Ava, Payton, and Christian especially noteworthy is not only the work they completed, but how they approached it. Throughout the summer, all three students demonstrated exceptional work ethic, reliability, and professionalism during these demanding periods. They consistently looked for opportunities to improve processes, willingly took on additional responsibilities, and approached each task with a positive attitude ensuring excellence for students, families, and campus partners.
The Accounts Receivable and ISU Card teams are extremely grateful for the hard work and contributions of Ava, Payton, and Christian. Their efforts exemplify the tremendous impact student employees make across Iowa State University and the Division of Finance, and we are proud to recognize them for their outstanding service and commitment to excellence.