What I Did

During the fall semester of 2022, I worked as an ambassador, within the office of Parent and Family Programs here at the University of Cincinnati. Over the course of my on-campus job, I collaborated with a diverse group of employees and volunteers to plan, prepare for, and run the UC Family Weekend, which was a great success. In the weeks prior to Family Weekend, I worked to plan and organize activities, by categorizing prizes and creating and distributing supplies. I also staffed the front desk of the office suite and performed other clerical tasks as needed. During the Family Weekend, I interacted with UC students and families by using my knowledge and experiences to answer questions, leading games, giving out prizes, and assisting with events across campus and the downtown Cincinnati area.

 

What I Learned

Professionally, I learned that successful programs, whether large or small, are the result of prior preparation, coordination, complex planning, and much hard work. I learned that there are many people working behind the scenes, whether staff or volunteers, although they may not always get any credit. Personally, I have a better understanding of what goes on during events, so I can now show more empathy towards the people who are working at any future occasions or programs that I attend. I learned that I can work well with people of essentially all different backgrounds because when you practice kindness and concern for others, then you can overcome any differences that may exist in order to successfully accomplish a given task. One of the overarching lessons I learned is that no matter how much time or effort is put into something, life happens and things often do not go according to plan. As a result, the ability to "go with the flow", be flexible, and adapt to the current situation is extremely beneficial. Another encompassing lesson is that in a team, as in life, you cannot be truly successful unless you can cooperate with others to accomplish a goal, because no one can do everything by themselves.

 

How It Impacted Me

While this work was not particularly related to my intended career of chemical engineering, I gained valuable lessons associated with being on a multi-faceted and diverse team that is working to accomplish a goal. In the world that we live in today, the ability to relate and communicate with others who may be different from you is very valuable. While I received a t-shirt and wages for my work, I believe the most valuable things I received from this job are the intangibles, like new relationships, and improved communication, team working, and time management skills. I can immediately apply all the real-world learning that I gained from this opportunity as I progress through my academic and professional career. I went into this job knowing that I would gain beneficial life lessons, but I was not expecting to earn as much understanding or learn as many lessons as I did. I am very glad that I decided to pursue this opportunity and look forward to my next adventures within the University of Cincinnati Honors Program