Where Are They Now?

• Grad Program: Manufacturing Engineering Technology
• Residential Life Assistantship: Student Service Coordinator from 2023-2024.
• Why did you come to MSU? I came to MSU to pursue my Master's in Manufacturing Engineering Technology.
• Where are you currently working and in what capacity? FedEx as a Production Engineer.
• What did you enjoy about being an SSC? Working with my team was the best part of that experience—I got to connect with each member, and every person taught me something new. The Res Life community is genuinely inspiring, and it was fulfilling to collaborate with such amazing people to get things done on time.
• How have the experiences and skills you gained from being an SSC helped you in your current role? As an SSC, I managed front desk operations, coordinated occupancy, and supervised a team—all of which strengthened my communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. These experiences now support my ability to manage tasks, follow precise processes, and collaborate effectively as a Production Engineer at FedEx.
• What is your favorite experience/memory of being an SSC? My favorite memory as an SSC was during the close of the spring semester. It was a busy time with a long list of tasks, as I was also getting ready to graduate. The support and encouragement I received from my team and colleagues made that moment unforgettable—having them cheer me on to the finish line was truly special.

• Grad Program: Counseling and Student Personnel - College Student Affairs track
• Residential Life Assistantship: Student Service Coordinator from 2021-2023
• Why did you come to MSU? For my undergrad I simply came for the colors and for grad school I came back because it had become home and I was not ready to leave just yet.
• Where are you currently working and in what capacity? I am currently at the University of Kentucky as a Resident Director.
• What did you enjoy about being an SSC? I enjoyed all the interactions and relationships I formed with the residents and my desk assistants, a lot of which I still keep up with today. I also really enjoyed advocating for myself and minorities while being given the opportunity to work with many different campus partners. I really enjoyed programming, including hosting some of my own events, being included in programming and working with the Hall Directors on programming and visibility events. Lastly, I absolutely loved the relationships I formed with the custodial staff, the general repair workers and the administrative assistants in the main office. All these individuals made everyday life jovial, less stressful and overall fun. Shout out to my supervisor Emily Ender for always being willing to help and take the load off of the SSC's as well as the guidance.
• How have the experiences and skills you gained from being an SSC helped you in your current role? The administrative aspect of the job was the biggest transferable skill I gained. All the systems like StarRez, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel etc. have helped me tremendously in my current job. Even the department culture of organization and using lists has really helped me run my building and supervise my staff well. I was even able to share that particular skill and introduce it and transfer it where I am currently. All the advice I received from various mentors like Cindy Janney, the Residential Life Director and Matt Burns, Safety & Services Specialist among others, was priceless and is advice I try to apply in my day-to-day professional life. 
• What is your favorite experience/memory of being an SSC? My most impactful memories were advocating for myself and my staff and being given the space to do so. My favorite memories were all the visibility events I did with my Hall Directors. Shout out to former Hall Director Timothy Schmiesing, Assistant Director Peter Hausladen, and Hall Director Griffin Hart for being the absolute best, always having my back and being team players and inclusive.

• Grad Program: Counseling and Student Personnel - College Student Affairs track
• Residential Life Assistantship:Student Service Coordinator from 2021-2023
• Why did you come to MSU? The program was unmatched compared to others in my field!
• Where are you currently working and in what capacity? I am currently a Career Advisor for the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay (my hometown!)
• What did you enjoy about being an SSC? The personal connections I made with my Desk Assistant (DA) staff, the Community Advisor (CA) staff, my coworkers, my supervisors and others within the department (and across campus!) 
• How have the experiences and skills you gained from being an SSC helped you in your current role? Understanding how to work effectively as a team but also on my own, balancing self-care and work, how to be an effective supervisor, and learning the inner workings of a department in higher education.
• What is your favorite experience/memory of being an SSC? The annual Crawford Carnival - it was so much fun to plan and put on, seeing all of the CAs and students from all over campus come together to have some end-of-semester fun!

Grad Program: CSP – Professional School Counseling

Residential Life Assistantship: Student Service Coordinator from 2020-2022

Why did you come to MSU? I decided to attend MSU because of their wonderful school counseling graduate program and graduate assistant opportunities. I saw MSU as a place that would provide me with tremendous growth both academically and professionally, as well as a place to develop supportive relationships with peers and mentors. I also enjoyed the location of Mankato. This area offers beautiful scenery and fun outdoor activities, and it is just a short drive to the Twin Cities.

Where are you currently working and in what capacity? I am currently working as a school counselor at Byron Middle School in Bryon, MN. I work with students in grades 6-8 and support them in their personal, social, and academic growth and success. I meet with students individually to work on areas including calming anxiety, managing anger, navigating friendship concerns, and focusing in class. I also hold groups for students to work towards a shared goal, and pop into classrooms to teach lessons too. These students are very fun to get to know and work with. You never know what each day is going to bring.

What did you enjoy about being an SSC?  I look back at being an SSC and something I enjoyed most was the connections I made with my staff and the students. These connections allowed me to be a level of support for these students and create some friendships as well. This role also provided me with great experiences and new knowledge being in a supervision role, and helping students in both similar and new ways than I do as a school counselor.

How have the experiences and skills you gained from being an SSC helped you in your current role? Being an SSC allowed me to apply quite a bit of knowledge and strategies I was learning during my classes and throughout my school counseling internship. This role also brought me new challenges and experiences that allowed me to take away new skills. As an SSC, I was able to grow my skills in connecting with students and developing creative activities to support students and their concerns. Connecting with students is central to my work as a school counselor, and these relationships with my students grow their comfort levels coming to me for support. Creating activities is an additional skill I continue to use in my current role to keep students engaged in our sessions and help them work towards their personal-social goals.

What is your favorite experience/memory of being an SSC? My favorite memory of being an SSC was holding a desk event during October called "Spooky Conversations" where I provided resources to students on navigating roommate conflicts and talking about race, with some treats too. We also had the front desk decorated for fall and Halloween which seemed to bring a smile to a lot of students and my desk staff, and brought more engagement to the front desk.

Grad Program: CSP College Student Affairs

Residential Life Assistantship: Student Services Coordinator from 2019-2021

Why did you come to MSU?

I came to MSU as I was looking for a graduate school experience where I could learn and get practical experience working in my field of study.

Where are you currently working and in what capacity?

I am currently working as a Hall Director at Lakeland University.

What did you enjoy about being an SSC?

While I was SSC, I enjoyed supervising the front desk and getting the opportunity to work closely with the desk workers to provide services for the residents of the building. Sitting at the desk, chatting with residents, or tracking down a misplaced package were things that made me feel like I was making a positive impact on students. I liked that I was kind on the front line, responding to the needs of the community.

How have the experiences and skills you gained from being a SSC helped you in your current role?

The SSC position called for a lot of administrative and organizational skills to balance the expectations of the role. I really beefed up those skills while I was an SSC and now feel prepared to handle the administrative side of running a residence hall. I also identify the experience of supervising student staff as vital to my current work. Having supervised students in the past makes supervising my current staff much easier.

What is your favorite experience/memory of being a SSC?

My favorite experience of being an SSC was the connections I was able to make with the students I worked with. The connections I made with people grew beyond one-off solutions to a problem or just being a desk supervisor. THe friendships that came from my work mean the world to me.