Dordt University

Facilities Assistant

May - August 2021 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

Great environment, working crew, and supervisor.

What I wish was different

A bit more diversity in the work as it was very repetitive.

Advice

Stay positive and try to have a good day even when your not feeling the greatest.

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Farm Labor Contractor

May - August 2018 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

I got to experience the American industrialized system of agriculture compared to the African system I grew up with. It was also a good learning experience because my supervisor was very helpful and caring.

What I wish was different

I wish I was able to continue working through to harvest.

Advice

Practical experience is very important and can be very crucial to learning applicable work skills.

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Summer Facilities Assistant

May - August 2020 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

I liked the people I worked with/for, the hours, and the pay.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Registrar's Office Summer Assistant

May 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

They were super flexible with hours, and I love working with all of the employees in the office!

What I wish was different

Advice

Sometimes the tasks can be a little repetitive and mundane, but you are able to serve and help people through your work, so look at the job from a higher perspective and look at what you're doing in the great scheme of things.

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Registrar Workstudy

May 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

They were very flexible with my busy schedule and were very nice people to work with.

What I wish was different

Honestly not a lot. The work became a little repetitive after awhile, but overall, I enjoy working there.

Advice

It's a really good experience, especially for students going into business. It gives a good feel for how companies run and the communication that goes on in organizations.

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Engineering Research assistant

June - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

It was on my time and I had a lot of freedom in my work. My mentor really seemed to care and was enthusiastic about what I did.

What I wish was different

I wish they’re was a little more guidance, and that my mentor was there more often so I could ask more questions.

Advice

Endurance. Make sure you plan things out well and stay on top of the work. Enjoy what you do!

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Theatre Charge Scenic Artist

February 2017 - October 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

The people!

What I wish was different

The hours

Advice

An amazing way to be involved and learn a lot!

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Lab Coordinator Assistant

May - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

It was a familiar environment for me to work in and very low-key, as I was working one-on-one with the lab coordinator. It was a good experience to work on a variety of departments (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Agriculture), rather than just in my specific discipline.

What I wish was different

At some moments, I wished there had been more to do. Overall, I felt like I accomplished enough over the summer, but some tasks required me to simply wait for a program to run, and I wondered if there could have been smaller projects I could have done in between those. Over the course of the summer, more projects were given to me, but at the start sometimes I felt inefficient.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask for more things to do. If you feel like you're completing your tasks well and still have time to work on other things, seek out things that can be done. You might learn more this way.

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Graphic Design Intern

May - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

- I enjoyed the supervisors and other interns I worked with. The atmosphere in the office is friendly and quite easygoing; we get work done, but it never feels like a huge burden or pressure. The supervisors also do their best to make themselves available when we have any questions. - I got to directly interact with the print shop if I had any problems or questions with the materials I was sending to print. - There was a variety of projects to do, ranging from brochures, magnets, stickers, banners, photography, etc. - I got to interact and work not only with the Marketing Department, but also with other departments on campus, such as Admissions, Alumni Relations, Student Services and various academic departments. - Marketing allowed me to keep and use any pieces I created for my portfolio.

What I wish was different

- I wish there was some more creative freedom visually - I understand that Dordt has a brand and "look" to establish and upkeep, but at times I felt limited by having to make all the pieces have the same or a similar look. There were moments when I could play around within the style and come up with "sub-styles," but for the most part we had to stick to the look/style for each piece we created. - Although there is a variety of work to do, a lot of the pieces are very similar.

Advice

- Don't hesitate to reach out to your supervisor(s) if you have any questions, concerns, or even ideas; they are more than willing to listen. - Make sure your files and folders are well-organized, both for your own sake and for everyone else's sake. - Learn to prioritize which projects to work on first or the most.

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Facilities Assistant

May - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

I liked my supervisors, and I liked the variety of tasks. I also enjoyed the freedom/flexibility and having Friday afternoons off.

What I wish was different

I wish it didn't start at 6:30 in the morning. Trying to clean while patrons were using the building was also annoying, but that can't be helped.

Advice

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Grounds crew

May - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

I loved learning how to do something new every day.

What I wish was different

I wish that I had more interaction with kids during the summer.

Advice

Always be willing to learn from others!

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Research Assistant

May - July 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

Gaining familiarity in the lab and investigating the complexities of biology. Also, building relationships with others involved in the project.

What I wish was different

Unfortunately, we did not end up getting the results we were expecting, that’s science though. I wish I had a little more time to continue working on the project.

Advice

If you’re interested in the science field and are given the opportunity to do research, go for it. It’s great experience and you’ll learn a lot.

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Graphic Design Intern

May - August 2019 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

- High level of teaching from the creative director - great project organization through WorkZone - fun atmosphere with a mix of interns and staff

What I wish was different

N/A

Advice

Be willing to design anything! As Dordt is both a school and a business there are many seemingly boring pieces of paperwork that need to be designed but every project is great experience!

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Marketing Intern

May - August 2018 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

Work environment and variety was great. The resources available to us and the content we created was put into real use by the school.

What I wish was different

I would have preferred not to do as much editing as I did, but doing it was necessary and edifying.

Advice

Working on campus, especially with marketing, is a rewarding experience where your supervisors treat you with a welcoming level of respect.

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Housekeeping Cleaner

May 2018 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

Working in a team with people was fun.

What I wish was different

I wish that our salary were more than $9.25.

Advice

It is a job that demandes energy especially physical but if you have the chance to do it , do it because you will learn about more than you think. My pay for this job wasn't money but it was learning.

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Graphic Designer Intern

May 2018 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

Fun people to work with. Good work environment. Flexible project duties. Variety of projects and good amount of creative opportunities.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Marketing Intern

May - August 2018 • Sioux Center, IA

What I liked

This was a paid summer internship that exposed me to a 40 hour work week in the marketing world. My employers made a point to show me and the other interns different aspects of our office. They made sure we were busy, but not swamped with work, were flexible with schedules, and overall, had kind, professional attitudes.