Spirit Mayo - Coop Q & A

Co-op Term: Summer 2023

Where did you work?

Office of the Dean - SFU Faculty of Environment

What was your role? What were some of your responsibilities?

This is a faculty staff position where I have the opportunity of managing the Environmentors, Bridging Environments and Student Leadership volunteer programs, providing input for recruitment initiatives, and elevating the student experience. Directly supervised and mentored by the Associate Director of Recruitment and Strategic Enrollment, to develop personal and professional skills.

Faculty admins work together to manage and progress the faculty, programs and experience of students. Within the role, I am the initial point of contact along with the FENV Student recruiter to provide general forms of support to students in the faculty. While also representing the faculty on different event planning committees such as StreetFest and Welcome Day.

I have also had the opportunity to table on behalf of the faculty at Career Services and Environment-related fairs and events. In addition to presenting on Welcome Day, student panels, and high school orientation sessions.

How have the skills/knowledge developed in the classroom apply to your job? What did you learn?

This position enabled me to improve my professional soft skills, including project management, organization, and presentations. The ultimate goal of this co-op position is to foster a vibrant and connected student community within the Faculty.

Can you share a challenge you faced in your Co-op and how you overcame it?

One of the most significant challenges I faced in this position was coordinating the Environmentors program. The program involved connecting over 100 new students in the Faculty to our team of upper year mentors based on matching programs. To accomplish this, I collaborated with my supervisor, the Associate Director of Recruitment and Strategic Enrollment, and the previous Recruitment and Student Experience Assistant to plan the coordination of the program. This required updating training documents, holding multiple orientation sessions for the mentors, and managing communications. To improve the program each year, it is crucial to plan months ahead and refer to previous feedback received for events and activities, especially as the program runs into the spring term.

What have you learned through your Co-op experience?

Another perk of this position is getting the chance to work with our Faculty recruiter when attending service fairs, secondary school events, and orientation events. Our recruiter showed me how he prepares for presentations, utilizes Microsoft 365, and prioritizes his tasks. Since I had never used Excel, OneDrive, or SharePoint for anything beyond school, I had no idea how to fully make use of it’s capabilities. This allowed me to better understand the recruitment process and develop additional skills relevant to administration.

My experience as an Environment Recruitment and Student Experience Assistant has been invaluable in developing my administrative and professional skills. Through managing volunteer programs and collaborating with colleagues, I have learned how to plan and execute projects, communicate effectively, and enhance the student experience. While also having the opportunity to participate in Faculty initiatives and resources, such as providing input for our Faculty webpage and recruiting presentation material.

What advice do you have for future Co-op students?

I would recommend to any future co-op student that asking questions is key to your success. While, making the most of opportunities and taking any additional experiential opportunities that may also come to them. Further, I would implore future co-op students to make as many connections as possible within the workplace and learn about the various roles within their department to develop a holistic idea of the place they are working in.