Daniel has cultivated his passion for community-building through his campus jobs at the Office of Admission and JCCP.
In what ways has your campus job contributed to your personal, academic, or professional growth and aspirations?
Each time I train a tour guide or give a tour myself, I am continuously reminded of why I came to Wesleyan and can share my passion for it. As a tour guide, I have been able to interact with thousands of guests from all over the world, learning about their interests and continuously learning more about Wesleyan to try and answer all of their questions. I’ve learned how to make myself adaptable to different types of prospective students and how to adapt to an ever-changing campus. As coordinator, I’ve learned how to incorporate feedback from other tour guides to continuously improve the program and how to propose and implement new initiatives.
Can you share any memorable experiences or achievements from your campus employment journey?
As coordinator for the Foster Connection, I have been proud of our ability to exponentially grow as an organization over my time serving. Implementing new social media campaigns in conjunction with on-campus marketing and networking allowed us to recruit record numbers of tutors and increase our impact in reaching to Connecticut foster youth. I started in my first and second year at Wes as a tutor and being able to become a leader of the organization has allowed me to increase my impact on the organization and ultimately bring it to new heights.
How do you manage to balance your campus job with academic commitments and other activities?
I enjoy that my jobs are a mixture of in-office jobs and work-from-home. I have standing meetings for The Foster Connection and Tour Guide Coordinator as well as a weekly tour slot, but outside of that, I can complete tasks on my own time when it is most convenient for me. Sometimes, I use my on-campus jobs as study breaks and can get a good multi-tasking flow going!
What advice would you give to students who are seeking or starting their campus employment journey?
Get involved in something that connects with your interests and passions! There are a plethora of on-campus jobs to choose from, so might as well do something that you would be happy doing even if you weren’t getting paid. If you plan on taking multiple jobs, it can be nice to have a mix of in-person and work-from-home positions.
How has your campus job helped you build connections or networks within the university or broader community?
I have met and learned from so many wonderful full-time staff in the admissions office, learning about their jobs and how Wesleyan admissions work. Working for the JCCP, I’ve been able to meet the incredible staff who helps to fuel campus civic engagement. I’ve also been able to connect with staff at DCF, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and visit their offices to coordinate for the Foster Connection.
- Jordan Kessel, Assistant Director of Admission Events, is someone I wish I could work with forever. She is deeply loved by the many students who work with her and inspires us to be the best tour guides we can be. As a leader, she is artful in her ability to maintain a well-running program while allowing students to be themselves and love their jobs. Her warmth and bright energy makes me eager to come into work even on a rainy day. I remember being jealous of the Tour Guide Coordinators who got to work with her before I was hired because they got to spend even more time with her! She’s why I applied and why I continue to love my job.
- Julia Fondiller, Assistant Dean of Admission, works closely with the Tour Guide program. She is full of bubbly joy and fosters meaningful connections with so many of the students she works with. Her transparency and thoughtful explanations allow tour guides to be best informed on the admissions process and the university. I am grateful for her leadership and will deeply miss seeing her in the office when I graduate.
- Briana Bellinger-Dawson, JCCP’s Coordinator of Community Participation, is a fantastic person to work with. Despite being a relatively new part of the JCCP, she quickly connected with the many student organizations that she oversees, ensuring that we have all the resources we need to thrive in our short and long-term goals. She has implemented new ways to check-in with student organizations that have created strong bonds and consistent communication. On top of all of it, she’s simply a wonderful person to be around – I feel lucky to have been able to witness her triumphant start at Wesleyan!
- Diana Martinez, JCCP’s Associate Director, is the backbone of civic engagement at Wesleyan. As an alum from Wesleyan, she profoundly understands what student groups need and how to navigate the university. It is always such a pleasure to interact with her because she cultivates a warm and open environment where no idea is a bad one. Her impact on the local community is immense, as she ensures the student organizations she works with run smoothly and have a bright, thoughtful leader to bounce ideas off of. I am grateful to have been able to work with her during my time here and look forward to seeing the impact she continues to make!
Updated May 16, 2024
