Ashland University Student Awarded Third Prize in National Competition

Martina Selker, senior business management major at Ashland University, was recently awarded third prize in the National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) student author contest.

The contest, titled "How Auxiliary Services Has Influenced My College Experience," was conducted by NACAS and sponsored by Sodexo Education. NACAS is the largest auxiliary services support organization serving higher education. Its members include colleges and universities across the United States, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia.

Selker, who is originally from Lucinda, Pa., has worked in the Auxiliary Services department since the beginning of her sophomore year. Ashland University’s Auxiliary Services oversees 11 departments and sectors of the university and Selker has worked within four of them. Her initial start began in Student Dining where she transitioned into the Catering & Conferences department. She then was placed in charge of parking for football games taking place at Ashland University and has now settled into managing all concessions for university events.

Selker’s winning entry contained a summary of all of her experiences as a student intern for Ashland University’s Auxiliary Services department. She explained her various jobs throughout the year and explained her requirements for those jobs. Selker also highlighted some of her favorite experiences throughout her career in Auxiliary Services, such as planning a high-profile wedding for a professional football player and aiding in the preparation of the Annual Ashbrook Dinner, which played host to Speaker of the House John Boehner.

In her essay, she states, “The experience and knowledge I’ve gained from working in this department have taught me everything I feel I need to be successful in my future endeavors.”

While at Ashland University, Selker has been heavily involved in the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH) and currently serves as its secretary. She is also a member of Delta Zeta sorority.

Ashland University, ranked in the top 200 colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category for 2012, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.