Intern of the Year

Trystan Potter, 2021-22

职业咨询实习生通过参与希腊生活和职业服务来平衡这一切

365滚球官网一直欢迎来自全国和世界各地的不同背景和兴趣的学生. 无论你是在一个小镇长大，还是在寻找一个更熟悉的地方继续你的学业, 或者你想找一所悠闲的学校在一个充满活力的生活后, larger community, U of I has room for everyone.

Trystan Potter, 她是伊利诺伊大学组织科学和传播学专业的校友, 在伊利诺伊大学度过了一段高度投入的时间后，于2022年春天毕业.

From being committed to U of I’s Greek Life community, 在就业服务办公室促进她的专业发展, 波特努力为毕业后的成功做准备. Originally from Newport, WA, 波特决定进入伊利诺伊大学，打破了她所在小镇的现状，在那里，大多数即将入学的大学生都决定上州内大学, 如果他们选择在高中毕业后继续本科教育.

After touring several Washington universities, Potter realized they were not the right fit for her goals. However, she found what she was looking for at U of I.
“Safe to say, I fell in love with it and came back for UIdaho Bound, "Potter said.
Upon starting her time at U of I, Potter immediately became involved with Greek life, 向Alpha Phi宣誓并成为姐妹会执行委员会的一员. 她最终升为行政管理员, as well as the informal recruitment chair, 最终确定为和上的, or recruitment counselor, 帮助即将入学的学生在希腊的招聘和竞标过程中导航.

“你要接受很多训练，比如如何在困难的情况下帮助他们，”波特说. “招聘刚从高中毕业的学生非常伤脑筋……这就是我们在那里的目的。, 作为他们的帮手或顾问，或任何他们真正需要的东西, 即使是告诉他们方向，帮助他们参观校园.”

Besides her dedication to Greek Life, 波特还在校园就业服务办公室担任过重要职务, 作为前台客户支持实习生，最终转型为顾问, 继续她帮助在校学生适应和熟悉伊利诺伊大学的趋势.

“咨询师的职位空缺了，我很兴奋，因为这是文学院的工作, Arts and Social Sciences, and when I got that role, 我意识到就业服务中心的每个人都很亲力亲为, so that was really awesome,” Potter said. “For me, personally, usually internships don’t get to be that hands-on, 所以能够接受旁听，或者只是帮忙, giving presentations to classes, 或者我的教授发现我是就业服务中心的一员，并询问是否有什么进展……这是一段非常有趣的时光, just being able to have that experience, connections and working in the office.”

从帮助组织实习生创建的免费专业照片活动，到协助 First Destination Survey, 帮助举办虚拟班级交流之夜和备受期待的招聘会, 波特当然有很多机会充分发挥她的角色.

“On a major scale, 我喜欢就业服务，因为我可以帮助学生和其他人弄清楚他们将要做什么,” Potter said.

She has applied these skills in her post-undergrad career, 过渡到Meridian的人力资源相关职位, ID as an account manager for Paylocity. In the future, 波特有兴趣在大学招聘会期间站在“桌子的另一边”，继续参与学生和员工招聘.
As for her major and educational journey, Potter’s professors, organizational studies courses, 传播学课程使她的专业技能和兴趣得到了极大的锻炼, 加上她在姐妹会和办公室的工作经验.

“就业服务中心通过建立关系帮助我实现了我的目标, 只要我有任何与工作有关的问题，你就会在我身边, whether it be the smallest thing,” Potter said. “Definitely, going over benefits packages, 或者和你一起评估一份工作，如果你真的需要的话，他们会坐下来帮你解决这些问题.”

As for advice for future U of I students, 波特鼓励孩子们享受经历，努力成长.

“试着在这几年里给自己找一份很棒的实习工作，这样你就能看到自己的成长——一些真正能帮助你实现大学毕业后的目标的工作. It goes by very quickly,” Potter said. “Just stick with it, it goes by extremely fast and the next thing you know, you’re going to be graduating, so definitely try to put yourself out there.”

Katarina Hockema
Career Services Marketing Intern