May 2018 – Page 2 – SoACE Connections

Member Spotlight: Peter Thorsett

Peter Thorsett is currently the Communications and Marketing Officer for Career Services at the University of South Florida. His team is responsible for promoting the department’s events, fairs, services, and other resources to students, employers, alumni, and other key stakeholders. He can be reached via email at pethorsett@usf.edu, found on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/pthorsett, and followed on Twitter: @pthorsett.

How did you get into the Career Services profession?

I am a little bit restless, which probably comes from moving around a bit as a kid. After growing up in places like Texas, New Jersey, and California, I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee for my undergrad at UT. I had a rough first year, let’s just say that coming out of the closet in Tennessee in the early ‘90s wasn’t my best idea, and moved back to California to get my bearings. While there, I had an opportunity to work at a biotech start-up in facilities management, and it was the perfect job to show me you don’t have to do the same thing day after day!

After that company got bought out, and I had gotten a little more comfortable in being me, I returned to Tennessee and finished my degree. I also worked in housing, which I really enjoyed because it allowed me to help my peers and tapped into a helping side I didn’t really know I possessed. As graduation approached, I hadn’t gotten accepted to grad school, and I didn’t really have a back-up plan, so I moved to Atlanta … just in time for the Centennial Olympic Games!

I worked for companies like Turner Broadcasting and Johnson Controls, where I discovered I was pretty good at using technology … and to think, this was the start of the dot com era with all of its possibilities! I went back to school at Georgia State University (GSU) to get an MBA in Electronic Commerce (which blended I.T. and marketing coursework) and as the dot com bubble started to burst, I was fortunate to land a webmaster job at the College of Law at GSU. That position led me to work on a doctorate in Instructional Technology, which encouraged me to explore the use of technology in education in ways I am still thinking about!

I also met my partner of 20 years while at GSU, and as he has moved around the country, I’ve been the “trailing spouse,” using and building my skills in housing, auxiliary services, libraries, and student affairs departments.

In each of those jobs, my work would put me into contact with the career services teams on those campuses. As I learned more and more about what they did, I found myself wanting to be a part of that work. When we moved to Florida, I was in the right place at the right time to join the Career Services team at USF as their CMO! I’ve had the opportunity to build a team of amazing people (Shout out to: Katlyn, Jake, Elizabeth, Ananya, Carson, and Cybil) and we work hard to build student awareness of all the great services and programs we offer. We also experiment with social media, video, print, in-person, and email channels to help our students get the right message at the right time. And we’ve been a part of the marketing and technology support for projects like our Career Readiness Badging and My Plan + My Pathways programs. As I look back on my first three years here (and ahead to what’s next), I am so glad to have been welcomed into this amazing profession!

Describe your SoACE experience. How did you get involved and what do you do for SoACE?

I got involved with SoACE my first year at USF. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to be a co-presenter with my colleague Jean Keelan, our Director of Career Planning, at the 2016 conference on our My Plan + My Pathways initiative. I attended as much as I could, including the KG Roundtables, where I met Sally Perez-Ramos and Gabe Jimenez who encouraged me to get involved with the Technology KG. After that, I had the opportunity to step in as Assistant Chair last year, when Gabe moved on to a new professional opportunity. I’ve continue to share my experiences through webinars, presentations, and by serving as the Chair for our KG this year.

What advice do you have for members who want to get more involved but aren’t sure where to begin?

Start with a Knowledge Group that matches up with a topic that you are interested in. It doesn’t have to be related to your current position, just something that you might like to learn more about. The KGs are a great place to meet like-minded people, to learn from others doing really cool things, and to share ideas that you can take back to your own office. Being in the Technology KG has been such a great experience because I’ve been able to connect with amazing people from around the region!

What is a unique fact about you?

I am a huge Disney geek, both about the company and Walt Disney himself, and have a large collection of Disney-related materials. And it’s not just books, pins, and merch from the parks, but things like old company handbooks and correspondence. One of my personal favorites is a letter that was signed by Walt himself!

What is your favorite quote?

One of my favorite quotes is, of course, from Walt Disney: “You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” For me, it’s a reminder to keep people – and that includes our colleagues, our students, our employers, and all of our other stakeholders – at the core of everything we do.

The On-Campus Intern: Real Work, Real Results

by Jenna Tucker, Clemson University

When I first started working with the UPIC Program at Clemson, I knew that experiential education was important; but now, I believe it should be a part of all students’ college experience in some way. Internships create career readiness, due not only to the technical expertise and area knowledge students encounter, but also because of the development of professional competencies. Though sites may range in projects and type of work, one thing remains the same: the importance of working well with others and learning how to interact professionally. These skills will be valuable to students long after the internships end, by first enabling them to feel confident while interviewing for industry jobs or graduate school, to years down the road, as they continue to develop as young professionals. UPIC provided over 900 experiences during the last school year, quite a change from our pilot semester in 2012 (in which we had roughly 20). Our rapid growth is due in part to the state of South Carolina, who generously provided us with recurring annual funding, as well as Clemson’s upper administration, who recognizes the significance of our work. The UPIC staff consists of dedicated professionals who truly believe in what we do. But the heart of the program remains the mentors and interns, who create the exceptional quality of our internships experiences. Our interns work alongside faculty and staff, applying theories learned in their classes to real-life work situations. For me, the most exciting part of working with an on-campus internship program is getting to see all of the amazing projects that they are involved in!

UPIC interns are engaged in every college (and most individual departments) across campus, participating in work that matters. They are adding to their resumes, but more importantly, developing relationships and gaining valuable skills that will enable their success, post-graduation and beyond. We have a group of interns who work with CCIT, Clemson’s in-house computing and information technology department; as well as at the Watt Family Innovation Center, a new facility on campus that hosts state-of-the-art technology in a collaborative, modern space. These opportunities enable interns to stay ahead of the curve in a world with constantly changing technology. There are interns in various research positions across campus, studying genetics, plant pathology, chemistry, etc. They participate in presentations and publications as undergrads, which often increases their chances for admission to medical or graduate school. For our interns in Cooperative Extension, work includes interacting with local farmers and land owners, collecting field data, and presenting workshops at schools and community centers. Many majors find it refreshing to have a hands-on internship experience outside of an office environment. We have student-athletes who work within various areas of Clemson’s athletic department, including recruiting, marketing and student development. They are intrigued to learn about what goes on behind the scenes and off the field. There are also interns working within Development, the Honors College, Study Abroad, Public Affairs, Human Resources, the Michelin Career Center, and Campus Life. These are just a few of the hundreds of internships sites that Clemson hosts, and each one provides interns with tools to excel. For those professionals in higher education thinking of starting a similar program, it may help to ask: Who are my existing campus partners? What are some departments that would benefit from student interns? In what ways can interns make a difference on campus? Even starting with a small number can create impact. UPIC truly prepares students to face the world of work with competence, and I feel blessed to be a part of such a meaningful program. GO TIGERS!!

__________

Jenna Tucker, M.Ed., began working in Clemson’s Center for Career and Professional Development in the fall of 2013 as a graduate assistant for the University Professional Internship and Co-op (UPIC) Program. She returned to graduate school at Clemson after working for three years at a Fortune 500 company in Greenville, SC. After completing her Master’s degree in Counselor Education in the spring of 2014, she took on a full-time role as an Internship Counselor for UPIC, before moving into the role of Assistant Director of the program in 2015. Jenna’s main area of focus is career and professional development, specifically by helping students gain valuable skills and real-world work experience through intentional and field-based internships.

Share this:

Share this: