In spring 2024, the University Honors Program partnered with the Alumni Association again to offer honors students the opportunity to test drive a career and experience a day in a professional’s life. 16 students participated in this rewarding experience. 10 alumni volunteers represented diverse occupations, from speech pathology to education, human resources, and environmental health. The students overwhelmingly reported positive experiences, with 100% of participants recommending the Honors Job Shadow Program to their honors peers.
Read on to hear what student participants found to be the most rewarding part of their experiences.
Will Holloway shared, “the most rewarding part of the experience was gaining a deep understanding of the critical role that health inspectors play in safeguarding public health, particularly regarding water quality. Interacting with professionals like Janis and her team not only broadened my knowledge but also inspired me to consider pursuing an internship in water quality and safety.” Will was matched with Janis Baumann who works as an Environmental Health Specialist. Janis graduated with a degree in Biological Sciences.
Kanza Arshad said, “the most rewarding part was witnessing firsthand how human resources supports employees through challenges and life events, inspiring me to appreciate the impact of empathy and resilience in the workplace. Learning about the diverse roles within HR further motivated me to pursue a career where I can make a positive difference in people’s lives.” Kanza was matched with Kate Malloy, a Human Resources professional. Kate graduated with a Business degree.
Kaia Peterson stated, “for me, the most rewarding part of the experience was developing rapport with the children I worked with and having my career-related questions answered. Prior to my Job Shadow, I had a surface level interest in the field of special education, but I did not have any experience to know whether I would truly enjoy the work in the future. It was deeply insightful to gain such experience with Melissa Grandt. The two of us discussed her work and the career in depth, and I appreciated her honest responses to my questions. Furthermore, I did not previously have experience working with children. I was able to find that I enjoy working with students much more than I previously thought I would.” Kaia was matched with Melissa Grandt, who works as an elementary school Special Education Teacher. Melissa graduated with a Reading Specialist degree and is an Honors Program alum!
We are grateful to all the alumni who served as mentors and provided helpful insight.
