Why I Love My Summer Jobs

I would have to say that this was the best summer I've ever had. There were many reasons that made it so great and I would say one of the biggest reasons were my two summer jobs.

Luckily for me, my two jobs overlapped each other quite nicely. These jobs, along with my previous experience on campus, allowed me to move into a more semi-professional student. I know a lot about Coe and was able to serve as a connector between different areas on campus. For me, my jobs never really stopped this summer (even when I wasn't working, I was still thinking about work!), but I actually really liked that aspect.

First, being the assistant to the First-Year Experience (FYE) Director allowed me to know the ins and outs of the FYE and develop a passion for the program. I firmly believe that Coe has a great first-year program and each year, we continue to fine-tune and improve it for our students. I liked the opportunity to work with faculty I normally wouldn't work with and I throughly enjoyed the chance of taking the lead on the summer common reading, from making the reading guide to talking to both the faculty and CAP (College Adjustment Peers) about how to lead an engaging book discussion.

Second, I love being an Admission Assistant. Despite the weird Iowa weather we had this summer, I loved going out on tour. Each student is different and I enjoy finding out their passions and letting them know how they can grow their passions at Coe. And when I'm not giving tours, I am able to work with the best group of Admission staff around. From data entry to coloring territory maps to taking out recycling, the jobs I did helped the office run more smoothly and I'm all for that! In many ways, this department became another family for me on campus. On my last full, eight hour day, they bought ice-cream and surprised me with a small "going-away" celebration. It was the sweetest thing and who doesn't love ice cream in August?

Now of course, schoolwork takes over, but I was so fortunate to have two great jobs on campus this past summer. The experience I gained is invaluable and definitely helped me see what life after college will look like.