Haley Brown
The recipe for a successful college experience calls for 3 main ingredients: Class, College involvement/extracurricular activities, and internships. First, classroom instruction provides the basic knowledge for your future career. For example, in my HR role at Carolina Dairy in Biscoe, NC, I drew upon classes that taught the FMLA, ADA and other discrimination laws. Second, college involvement provides the basic interpersonal and people skills. Whether you are involved in Student Association, Housing and Residence Life, Academic Coaching or another organization, you learn how to listen and talk to people. As a participant in disciplinary meetings, recruitment, and counseling employees, knowing what to say and when to say it is very important. Third, internships provide the practical application from class and a stepping stone for your future career. Even though I moved hundreds of miles away from my internship location, my internship supervisor used her connections and helped me get an interview with my current employer. Therefore, my internship helped me get the interview, my college involvement helped me get the job and made me more comfortable with people, and class helps me with my day to day job. My advice to a college student is to apply yourself in class, get involved in college, and network and do well in your internship(s). Success is up to you.