What does your job at APU entail?
I’m in this position to assist APU students in the “now what” application phase of their degree programs, where we pull all of their amazing experiences, coursework, and personalities together and make them shine. Exploring career options, networking, informational interviews, cover letters, resumes, negotiating… I am genuinely eager to help students match their preparation to an employer and launch their professional careers.
What are your goals for this school year?
We have plans to bring back a job/internship fair to APU in February 2018. We’ll continue to promote UAA’s fair and others around town, while offering a fair on our own campus that involves organizations and agencies that are familiar with APU graduates. I would love to connect with alumni who can serve as mentors for our students, perhaps with the benefit of offering jobs or internships.
Where did you go to school? What did you study?
I earned a BA in English & German Education from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, where I also spent a year as an exchange student at the University of Bonn in Germany. I taught elementary German for a few years and then went on to the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont, for an MA in International Education. As part of that degree I completed a one-year internship at the Institute for German Language and Culture in Wittenberg, Germany.
What is your fondest memory from when you were in school?
Studying abroad as an undergraduate was my most transforming experience. My German language skills improved, I met incredible people who are now colleagues and professional peers, and I traveled throughout Europe with friends and independently. It opened my career path into international programs and student advising. A moment that stands out was when three friends and I were beginning our 5-week trip through eastern Europe and were on a train coming into Warsaw, Poland, our first destination. We met a Polish student who was smiling at our feeble attempts to learn the words “hello” and “thank you” in Polish, and he offered to spend the day with us, everything from helping us get a locker to store our backpacks for the day to treating us to coffee at his favorite little café. The kindness of that stranger has stayed with me for a long time.
When you were a college student, who was the most influential person in your life?
The Director of International Programs at UW-Eau Claire was quite influential, related to the previous question! Sometime during the exchange student application process it dawned on me that she was doing this study abroad advising thing as a JOB, and I asked her how she got her job. At that time, getting a master’s degree and work experience abroad like she did seemed unattainable… until eventually I did those things. I ended up going to the same graduate school and later worked for her at a private company, and feel extremely fortunate to have been able to work directly with my mentor.
What do you do in your free time? What’s the last book you read, movie you watched?
I spend my free time with my family – my husband and our two favorite little humans. Our kids like to play with Legos and are just getting into watching the Star Wars movies, so the last movie I saw was “The Empire Strikes Back” (that’s always been my favorite!). I also volunteer for Read on the Fly, a program that provides books for traveling kids through bookshelves at 6 of Alaska’s airports. We collect, tag, and stock the shelves here in Anchorage, and organize shipments to the other locations. I love being engaged in literacy programs!
What are you most excited about for this job?
I’m all about the word OPPORTUNITY! I hope to help students see that every experience can be valuable and an integral part of their professional path. The little side job you take today can develop new skills and connect you to people who can be part of your network in ways you might not expect. I had an amazing career counselor in graduate school and I’m excited to share the same kinds of knowledge, skills, and attitudes with APU students!
