Vanessa Y
BA: Major in Psychology and Minor in Creative Writing
Where did Vanessa work?
Work Term 1 and 2 (8 months):
ISI International Awards Co-op Assistant, UBC International Student Initiative (ISI)
What did Vanessa accomplish?
Main Tasks
Vanessa had three main tasks while working for the ISI. The first was responding to inquiries. With the help of the awards unit, Vanessa answered questions about how to apply to UBC, admission requirements, award eligibility, award funding, and more. The second was processing award packages. Vanessa assisted her direct supervisor with the International Scholars portfolio. Lastly, she supported the International Scholars Program (ISP), which provides non-academic advising and student development programming for current International Scholars.
Major Accomplishment
At first, Vanessa was overwhelmed with processing the awards, as there were over 700 nomination packages to be opened, pre-read, and prepared for the selection committees. Additionally, the position required the ability to multi-task and be flexible with changing priorities. However, she found a workflow that worked well by breaking down projects into smaller steps and creating a timeline for herself. Vanessa was able to manage the awards cycle and do other tasks on the side by visually spacing out her time and goals on a calendar.
What challenges did Vanessa overcome?
Being a domestic student, Vanessa was originally not familiar with the ISI or the process for international students to be admitted to UBC. Although she found it daunting at first, through her work term, she learned a lot about different curricula, UBC’s admission requirements, and how prospective international students are deemed eligible for awards.
How did Arts Co-op Benefit Vanessa?
Link between Self-growth and Work
“I am extremely thankful that I got to work with the Awards unit within the ISI, the work culture and amount of support available is absolutely amazing,” she stated. Vanessa was able to bring her knowledge from her studies to her job, and vice versa. She attended many personal development workshops, professional networking opportunities, and was introduced to fantastic self-growth books.
Preparation for Post-Graduation
“I have grown personally and professionally from this position and am now more prepared for post-graduation,” Vanessa said. The ISI gave Vanessa the tools, resources, and role models to continue looking up to in the future. She is extremely thankful for this opportunity as it allowed her to better understand her strengths and weaknesses. “I matured a lot in my position with the ISI and it is mostly because my Co-op employer and supervisors put in so much effort to help me grow,” she revealed. As a result, Vanessa discovered that she enjoys completing administrative tasks and sees herself working in a 9-to-5 office job post-graduation.
What is Vanessa’s favorite part of Arts Co-op?
Vanessa enjoyed that the UBC Arts Co-op Program was a much-needed break from school. “I could have graduated but I was not ready for the ‘adult work-life’ prior to getting into the program,” she claimed. Her work terms gave her more time to evaluate her options and do something beneficial with her time. “Before joining the program, I was taking random classes and reluctantly attending them. Now, I know the classes I want to take and I have a better understanding of the future I would like to work towards,” Vanessa proudly stated.
Vanessa Y
BA: Major in Psychology and Minor in Creative Writing
Where did Vanessa work?
Work Term 1 and 2 (8 months):
ISI International Awards Co-op Assistant, UBC International Student Initiative (ISI)
What did Vanessa accomplish?
Main Tasks
Vanessa had three main tasks while working for the ISI. The first was responding to inquiries. With the help of the awards unit, Vanessa answered questions about how to apply to UBC, admission requirements, award eligibility, award funding, and more. The second was processing award packages. Vanessa assisted her direct supervisor with the International Scholars portfolio. Lastly, she supported the International Scholars Program (ISP), which provides non-academic advising and student development programming for current International Scholars.
Major Accomplishment
At first, Vanessa was overwhelmed with processing the awards, as there were over 700 nomination packages to be opened, pre-read, and prepared for the selection committees. Additionally, the position required the ability to multi-task and be flexible with changing priorities. However, she found a workflow that worked well by breaking down projects into smaller steps and creating a timeline for herself. Vanessa was able to manage the awards cycle and do other tasks on the side by visually spacing out her time and goals on a calendar.
What challenges did Vanessa overcome?
Being a domestic student, Vanessa was originally not familiar with the ISI or the process for international students to be admitted to UBC. Although she found it daunting at first, through her work term, she learned a lot about different curricula, UBC’s admission requirements, and how prospective international students are deemed eligible for awards.
How did Arts Co-op Benefit Vanessa?
Link between Self-growth and Work
“I am extremely thankful that I got to work with the Awards unit within the ISI, the work culture and amount of support available is absolutely amazing,” she stated. Vanessa was able to bring her knowledge from her studies to her job, and vice versa. She attended many personal development workshops, professional networking opportunities, and was introduced to fantastic self-growth books.
Preparation for Post-Graduation
“I have grown personally and professionally from this position and am now more prepared for post-graduation,” Vanessa said. The ISI gave Vanessa the tools, resources, and role models to continue looking up to in the future. She is extremely thankful for this opportunity as it allowed her to better understand her strengths and weaknesses. “I matured a lot in my position with the ISI and it is mostly because my Co-op employer and supervisors put in so much effort to help me grow,” she revealed. As a result, Vanessa discovered that she enjoys completing administrative tasks and sees herself working in a 9-to-5 office job post-graduation.
What is Vanessa’s favorite part of Arts Co-op?
Vanessa enjoyed that the UBC Arts Co-op Program was a much-needed break from school. “I could have graduated but I was not ready for the ‘adult work-life’ prior to getting into the program,” she claimed. Her work terms gave her more time to evaluate her options and do something beneficial with her time. “Before joining the program, I was taking random classes and reluctantly attending them. Now, I know the classes I want to take and I have a better understanding of the future I would like to work towards,” Vanessa proudly stated.