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Shyan Smith, a financial aid adviser for the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, has been named South ��ֱ���� State University’s Civil Service Employee of the Month for February. 

She will be honored at a reception held from 3:30-5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Enrollment Services Center. 

Smith has worked at SDSU for the past six years, serving as secretary and a scholarship processing assistant before being promoted to financial aid adviser. 

She is known for her dedication to serving students and for being a hard worker and a team player, said Sydney Chapman, assistant director of financial aid. 

“Shyan is constantly striving to help support the students at SDSU by providing excellent customer service and by critically thinking about problems and processes to find ways to improve. She does an excellent job of communicating and empathizing with students and navigates difficult problems with them until they are fully resolved,” Chapman said. 

Chapman added that Smith is always looking for ways to improve processes to better support students. In 2023, Smith was responsible for streamlining outside scholarship processing at SDSU. 

Tracey Buisker, assistant director of financial aid, agreed. 

“Shyan very quickly became a valued member of our team and the person I go to with special projects. Her quest for knowledge and understanding of financial aid is invaluable and is why she is a leader in our office. She has had several different roles within financial aid. With each position, she has gained more responsibility and has had higher expectations placed on her, and she has been successful in every role,” Buisker said. 

Beth Vollan, director of financial aid and scholarships, said Smith is an exemplary employee who consistently demonstrates her dedication to SDSU’s core values. 

“Shyan’s people-centered approach to customer service goes beyond her professionalism and her helpful demeanor and includes a willingness to question existing policy and problem solve to ensure each student receives the best possible outcome,” Vollan said. “Rather than forward difficult issues to her supervisor, Shyan researches and works hard to find options. When she cannot resolve an issue by herself, she stays engaged in the process so she can learn and have the information to handle a similar situation in the future.” 

Carrie McClanahan, assistant to the dean in the College of Natural Sciences, collaborated with Smith when she first started working in Admissions. 

“Thanks to her openness and willingness to collaborate, she explained the processes of financial aid to me, and we were able to have a better understanding of how each ‘side’ works through scholarships, making it possible for processes to be streamlined and to have consistency between Admissions and Financial Aid,” McClanahan said. 

Smith is involved in a plethora of organizational memberships, including the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the South ��ֱ���� Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 

Originally from Texas, Smith moved to Brookings in July 2018, when her husband accepted a position with the Department of Animal Science at SDSU. Outside of work, Smith enjoys spending time with their two sons, cheering for SDSU athletics and Chiefs football, and caring for her dogs, cat and geese. 

"Our office has faced many challenges this past year, but I’m incredibly grateful to be part of a team that continually supports and motivates me to grow both personally and professionally. Their encouragement has also shown me the value of stepping outside my comfort zone,” Smith said. “I truly appreciate this recognition — thank you!” 

All SDSU Employee of the Month selections are determined through a nomination process by the Civil Service Advisory Council. Each civil service employee of the month receives an appreciation monetary gift from the F.O. Butler Foundation. The trustees of the foundation recognize the importance of civil service employees and take this opportunity to thank them for their exemplary service.