Guest Series by: Dante Mugnaini, Summer Intern, University of South Florida
The Florida Consortium recently caught up with Alexis Szelwach, a recent graduate from the University of Central Florida for the last blog post in the Ready, Set, Work: Student Perspectives series. It took Alexis a couple years to discover her ideal career, however, once she realized her strongest skills were managing and leading people, she pivoted.
Q: What have you been up to since graduating from UCF?
A: I am in my second year of graduate school at the University Of Georgia. I’m pursuing a Master degree in Higher Education Administration. I also work as a graduate resident. I just got back from working at the DePaul University Housing Operation in Chicago, which was amazing
Q: While you were still enrolled at UCF, how did your classes and advisors help you decide what you wanted to do after graduation?
A: My advisors set me up with internships that combined both the hospitality industry and higher education so that when I started applying to graduate school my experiences would be transferable, get me accepted, and hired.
Q: While at UCF you served as a resident assistant for housing and residence life, tell us about that experience:
A: Being a RA merged my love for hospitality management with the field of higher education, so it was the perfect combination and job. I learned to not only be okay asking for help but that I did not always have to know the answers.
Q: You also participated in the Student Government Association, what got you involved in SGA and what were your responsibilities?
A: I loved SGA! That was one of my fondest memories during my time at UCF. I served on the street team for marketing at first and then I became a senator. I campaigned for my seat and served on the senate meetings every week. I was responsible for allocating funds to student organizations, and advocating for the student organizations at Rosen College. I was promoted to the external legislative assistant where I worked for the speaker of the senate serving as the communication liaison for all three branches of student government, the senate, and university administration.
Q: You graduated with a bachelor of science in hospitality management and a certificate in leadership studies, what drove you to that particular field of study?
A: I originally wanted to do corporate law for hotel chains, and large resorts, because of the interaction between people and my love for law. I decided to add leadership studies because I was very passionate about personal and student leadership and felt it would give me additional skills in whatever job I chose.
Q: Now that you’ve graduated and made the transition, looking back, is there anything that would have made life after graduation easier?
A: I wish that our college would have provided more opportunities for research and to become published because it would have been a great experience not only professionally but for graduate school as well. Ultimately, I sought research opportunities because it was a personal goal for myself and because of the field I would be entering.
Q: Lastly, could you share some of your goals for the next five years?
A: My goal for the next five years would be to complete my Master’s Degree by 2019, and preferably stay in the south to work in the student affairs field either in housing, inclusive education, programming, student government, or leadership. After working for a year to two years, I plan on starting my Ph.D. in Student Affairs Administration focusing with a dissertation on policy funding and governmental affairs of programs for students with intellectual and physical disabilities. I would like to have that completed in 3 years because almost all of my coursework at UGA has been at the doctoral level.
Alexis Szelwach is goal oriented, optimistic and has a bright future ahead. We wish her continued success.
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