My name is Fiona and I am excited to be joining the Knowlton Center’s Peer Coaching team! I am a senior from Minneapolis, Minnesota who fell in love with Denison the first time I visited as a high schooler. I am majoring in History and double minoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies. This year I will be writing a senior thesis on American intervention in Guatemala during the Cold War. Aside from academics and on-campus employment, I am also involved in running Denison’s chapter of HerCampus, promoting civic engagement with DUVotes, serving as a History Fellow in the department, and taking long walks in the Bio Reserve.
I am also a Peer Fellow for the Nonprofit, Education, and Government Career Community, which strives to help students interested in these professional fields by providing relevant career resources, job postings, and advice. I feel privileged to be a part of this network and want to especially help students whose academic skills/interests are rooted in the humanities and social sciences. Because that is the academic background I come from, I feel especially well-equipped to share the wisdom I have gained from my internship searches and experiences.
I have worked at the Knowlton Center since I was a first year so I am very familiar with the mission and values of Knowlton. I have been looking forward to working as a Peer Coach since I learned what the position was. Peer Coaches are senior Denisonians who hold drop-in office hours to help students with cover letters, resumes, and general career-related questions. You can also make appointments with us on Handshake. As someone well-acquainted with the ways and workings of Denison’s career center, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the amazing work that Peer Coaches do.
The Knowlton team has helped me so much with my pre-professional career and I am excited to give back to the community by sharing with other students the knowledge I have gained. Thanks to Knowlton, I have been able to secure an internship for the past two summers. These experiences have helped me to understand what type of job I would like in the future, as well as the kind I would not. The internship search was daunting, especially as a student with a background in social science/the humanities. I hope to help Denisonians on a similar path understand that it does not have to be a scary process but rather an invigorating one.
The main piece of advice I would give to first years or any student unfamiliar with the Knowlton Center is that it is never too early to begin your career exploration. Surely this piece of advice sounds cliché but it is nevertheless true. The relationship-building aspect of the Knowlton Center should not be undermined. Familiarizing yourself with a Career Coach and taking the time to engage in a conversation about your future can go a long way, even as a first year who has no idea what their future will look like.
I am really looking forward to meeting other students and helping them kickstart their career exploration! You can find me on the third floor of Burton Morgan on Mondays/Tuesdays Wednesdays from 9 to 11:30 and Fridays from 9 to 10:30. Feel free to make an appointment on Handshake with any of the Peer Coaches, we’re here to help!
