1. Wh
at was your major/minor when did you graduate?
I graduated in 2019 with a degree in Business Administration
2. What is your current position (title, company, location)? Describe a typical work day.
I am a Talent Acquisition Coordinator at CrossCountry Consulting which is a boutique consulting firm in Tysons Corner, VA with an incredible culture. During a typical day I help arrange various types of interviews, assist with sourcing and recruiting candidates, and I work on a variety of “special projects” in areas like recruitment marketing, data/reporting, and process improvement. No day is exactly the same and I get to spend most of my day working with others which I love!
3. How did your major prepare you for your current job?
Collaboration is an important part of my firm’s culture and spending lots of time working in groups throughout my business degree helped prepare me to effectively collaborate with my team. I spend the majority of my day communicating either via email or verbally in meetings, which my business communication class prepared me well for too.
4. How did you become interested in your field?
I took an Intro to HR class with Dr. Dunn where I learned a lot about Talent Acquisition and I loved how it combined marketing, strategic thinking, and relationship-building. I then had the opportunity to work with her on a research study that focused on perceived organizational support, something that Talent Acquisition plays a major role in and that helped reaffirm my interest.
5. What’s the best career advice you ever received?
“Say YES to more things.” (e.g. say yes to trying something that scares you, to learning a new skill, or to working on a different type of project.) Stepping out of your comfort zone will you help you learn new skills and even discover things you never knew you were interested in.
6. Was there a professor, advisor, or fellow student who made an impression on you or helped you when you were at UMW?
Our COB professors are all incredible and each made an impact on me in some way, shape, or form, but Professor Alex Dunn was (and still is!) an incredible mentor and role model for me. She helped me figure out what my interests were, how to apply those to a job, and trusted me enough to involve me in her research which helped reaffirm the career path I was choosing. I spent countless hours in her office during my final semester getting career/interview advice, workshopping my resume, and working on research.
7. What’s your fondest memory of UMW?
Holi was one of my favorite events at UMW – I have such great memories of everyone coming together on Ball Circle after class and having a great time getting completely covered in colors and then jumping into the fountain!
8. Are there any special accomplishments you’ve achieved after college that you’d like to share?
It was so exciting to be asked to return to Mary Washington and sit on a panel with some of our amazing alumni to talk to current COB students about life after UMW!
9. How would your family or friends describe you in seven words or less?
They would describe me as analytical, patient, caring, and dedicated.
10. In one sentence, what advice would you give current business students?
You’re going to spend a lot of time at work, so during your job search, look for a place that cares about your well-being and has a culture that makes you look forward to showing up every day.
