Bryn
Major: Social Work
Hometown: Pekin, IL
Extracurricular activities: Resident Assistant, Women's Ensemble, Pep Band, Circle K, Fox Valley Philharmonic
When did you start working in the Financial Aid office as a Spartan Intern? Spring semester 2007, during my freshman year.
How has your role changed? When I started, my primary function was pulling files and printing labels for folders and hanging files. With time, I was gradually trained on aspects that require some actual knowledge of financial aid. Now that I have been in the office for a couple years, I have a pretty good idea of what is going on and have been given more responsibility with special projects.
What are some of your duties? The basic office work roles are definitely still a part of the job, but I also spend time making award letters, covering the front desk, balancing work study reports and managing files.
What is a Spartan Intern? A Spartan Internship is an advanced on-campus work opportunity for current Aurora University students. While there are more responsibilities, there are also more opportunities to learn both job and life skills. The tasks completed by Spartan Interns are more essential to the overall functioning of the university.
What do you like best about your job? My favorite thing about working in Financial Aid is that there are a variety of tasks I work on. This helps keep me interested and focused. There is always something going on or something else that can be done.
Can you describe a "memorable" situation at work? Recently, some of the student workers have been making phone calls to students who need to turn in paperwork. We laugh a little when they call back asking specifically for us, like we are their counselors.
Would you recommend working in the Financial Aid office? Definitely. I've learned a lot about ways to finance education. It has been my first experience working in an office setting. I more fully realize the importance of clarity, communication, efficiency, teamwork and respect.
