Alvin Gonzales has given back to Southern Illinois University Carbondale before he’s even left.
A grad student in computer science, Gonzales was recently named Student Employee of the Year thanks in part to his work creating the SIU SafeWalk mobile application, which allows students, faculty and staff to request a Saluki Patrol officer escort while walking on campus after dark.
“One of the greatest things about Alvin is his resourcefulness – and also his attention to detail,” Bernadette Barnes, local area network administrator for traffic and public safety, said. “Creating the SIU SafeWalk app is an example of going above and beyond his job duties. It was an opportunity that Alvin grabbed and ran with.”
Barnes, who nominated Gonzales for the award, said he had to write source code for several operating systems, which required knowledge of several coding languages. He also added an interactive map and made the app user-friendly.
Gonzales is employed by the SIU Department of Public Safety as a technical assistant.
Jennifer St. Louis, a health-care management major, was named runner-up.
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