Higher Education Work Experience

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Career Advisor

I am currently the PhD Career Advisor for MSU's Office of Graduate Career Development. In this role, I get to explore my passion for student support by helping graduate students on every step of their career search. I host one-on-one advising sessions with students focused on career fundamentals, job search fundamentals, resume reviews, CV reviews, Federal resume reviews, cover letter writing and editing, mock interviews, DEI statements, research statements, teaching statements, networking essentials, and more. I also organize and deliver workshops, class sessions, and training sessions focused on career essentials. I support the Director of the Office of Graduate Career Development in running various programs, including STEM- and International-Student-specific programming. I also have had the opportunity to lead numerous initiatives and participate in numerous collaborative programs between offices. 

In AY24/25, I..

• built new collaborations with offices of student service, including the Writing Center and RCPD (Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities)

• explored ways to incorporate AI into the career search and office administration

• created an office blog to capture and share qualitative data about our office's impact

• designed academic research around graduate career support

• improved my practice by attending various information session/workshops and joining professional associations such as the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC)

• obtained my Certified Curricula Vitae Writer (CV) certification through the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches

• translated our general advising content into videos for students to access to expand reach and allow for more tailored one-on-one advising sessions

• continued collaborating with the Women of Color and Allies Initiative, as a team winning an Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award (https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2025/excellence-in-diversity-equity-inclusion-awards-ceremony)     

• joined the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) as a Trainee Member and supported the Midwest Regional Director in designing and running Midwest Regional meetings

In Summer 2024, I... 

• helped design, run, document, and assess the MSU Global Talent Accelerator (GTA) program in collaboration between MSU Office of Graduate Career Development, MSU OISS, and Global Detroit. This program was a competitive 4-session initiative serving international STEM students interested in working in industry in Michigan after graduation. We hosted sessions on Networking, U.S. business etiquette, immigration, and document involving guest speakers, activities, and a field trip to LinkedIn

• supported the Women of Color and Allies monthly workshop series, introducing a recognizable face for graduate student women of color to seek graduate-specific career support and providing a graduate-specific career outlook to supplement the Career Service Network presentations. Balanced my role as a resource but also as an outsider to the identity group by uplifting the women of color as the primary speakers/sources of information for the sessions   

• supported the design and running of student-led PILOT speaker and workshop 8-session series, focused on collaborative career support with MDARD (Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). Held periodic check-ins with student intern to support pre-series conceptualization and establishment of through-lines, advised on workshop and activity preparation, and presented on the Office of Graduate Career Development resources during workshop sessions

• supported the running and assessment of BESTxMSU Technologies workshop series, a 4-session program designed to support STEM students looking to work in technology transfer or launch Startup businesses 

• aided in the design and execution of professional development sessions during the 4-day Hypertension Summer School (hosted by the American Journal of Hypertension at Loyola University Chicago). Sessions focused on supporting STEM students, post-docs, and faculty in telling their professional story 

• joined the MSU College of Education Alumni Association as a Graduate Student Representative with the goal of building my network

In AY 23/24, I... 

• spearheaded a graduate assistant task force to identify needs and design specialized programing to support international students, including hosting an Alumni speaker event

• was invited to present my workshop "Women in the Workplace" at the STEM Women's Lunch

• created and distributed a biweekly newsletter to inform MSU community about career-related events on and around campus

• pushed for the creation of an office LinkedIn profile as part of our career-support and grew follower count to 134 followers and rising. Posted career-relevant tips, highlighted student achievements, and reposted career-related LinkedIn content

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Academic and Research Specialist, Faculty Services

In this role, I got to lean into my passion for the behind-the-scenes work that goes on at the university. As part of Faculty Services, I supported a group of 7 faculty members with all academic, research, or administrative needs. This included course website updates, grade submission, copyediting and proofreading research articles and referee reports, monitoring travel budgets and approving Research Assistant spending, organizing travel, communicating with international partners, designing and updating personal websites, proctoring exams, communicating with students and teaching assistants, and much more. The relationship built with prestigious faculty members helped prepare me for many of the requirements of my PhD program. 

IES ABROAD/STUDY ABROAD FOUNDATION (SAF)

Program Specialist- International Students

In this role, which I held during the COVID-19 pandemic, I supported international students through the process of studying abroad in the United States. While many U.S. students tend to study abroad through short-term faculty-led programs or semester-long programs, international students tend to study abroad for at least a year. I advised students through the choice of programs based on best-fit, the application process, class registration, arrival onsite, and ordering transcripts once the program was completed. I also advised on visa requirements and vaccine-specific policies for each specific university. In this role, I both built relationships with our partner offices in Japan, China, and Korea, and our 22 U.S./International partner institutions. 

NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY

Study Abroad Advisor

In this role, a maternity leave coverage that grew out of my graduate assistantship, I advised 10% of the student body on study abroad, including program choice, application, deferral, and Gilman Scholarship applications. Since I was working as a graduate assistant when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I also had to research university risk management responses, present research to North Park's Travel Oversight Committee, and ultimately vote on whether students would be allowed to participate in programs. This roadbump produced the opportunity to plan and implement virtual programming to build relationships with the Swedish students who would be participating in an exchange. I also contributed to the reassessment of faculty-led study abroad options in response to the changing demographics of the university.

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND INVOLVEMENT

Graduate Intern

This was a role that I sought out to feel connected to my dad, a U Chicago alumni, after his passing. In this position, I gained valuable virtual programming experience. My main focus in this internship was designing the 6-week virtual Women's Leadership program. I researched leadership development and leadership theories. I then designed a curriculum, collected resources, created lesson plans, and modified activities for utilization online. I taught two sessions during the program.

My other projects in this role included 

• researching university policy and creating 4 policy-videos to be posted on the CLI website 

• establishing a Leadership Library of stand-alone leadership activities accessible to professors and staff 

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF RESIDENCE LIFE

Resident Assistant

In this position, my first Higher Education position, I served as a peer mentor to 26 first- and second-year honors students on the Honors Living-Learning community floor. I hosted weekly activities and required quarterly floor meetings, shared out campus information through posters and weekly newsletters, and ensured student safety with periodic nights on duty, fire alarm checks, and fire drills.  My floor was used as an experiment for future development of mixed-grade floors within the Honors Living-Learning community. Through the experiment, I identified a need for an Honors mentorship program, and together with my hall director and the Honors director I spearheaded the initiative.