Working as a Career Peer Educator has been one of the most meaningful parts of my time at Lawrence. This role helped me see career development from a different perspective. Before this position, I mostly thought about career preparation as something personal, like improving my own resume, preparing for interviews, or searching for opportunities. But as a CPE, I learned how important it is to support other students as they figure out their own goals.
One of my most memorable experiences this year was doing graduate school research. As I started looking into different programs, requirements, faculty, courses, and application materials, I realized how much planning goes into the graduate school process. This research helped me understand that choosing a program is not only about ranking or name recognition. It is also about fit, location, funding, faculty interests, and long-term career goals. Through this experience, I became more comfortable comparing programs and thinking critically about what kind of environment would help a student grow.
Another memorable experience was practicing interview skills during our staff meetings. These practices helped me understand how important it is to prepare clear, specific answers instead of trying to memorize perfect responses. I learned how to use examples from my own experiences, organize my thoughts, and speak with more confidence. It was also helpful to hear feedback from others because it showed me what sounded strong and what could be improved. This experience made interviewing feel less intimidating and more like a skill that can be practiced over time.
I also enjoyed contributing articles to the Career Center blog. Writing these articles helped me turn career topics into information that students could actually understand and use. Some examples of articles I wrote this year include “My Experience as an Interviewer: Nadika Sharma,” where I reflected on what I learned from reviewing recorded interviews, “Siemen’s Project Management Forage Simulation Experience,” where I wrote about practicing project management, dashboards, and communication and “Niche Job Sites and Decoding Job Descriptions,” where I explained how students can search more strategically and understand job postings better.
Professionally, I have grown in several ways through this role. First, I became more confident in communication. Whether I was speaking during meetings, practicing interviews, or helping students think through career questions, I learned how to explain ideas more clearly. I improved my research skills, especially through graduate school research. I learned how to compare programs, look carefully at requirements, and think about long term fit. I also became more comfortable with professional feedback. Staff meetings and interview practices helped me see feedback as something useful, not something to be nervous about.
Being a Career Peer Educator helped me grow as a communicator, researcher, and peer mentor. It also reminded me that career development is not always a straight path. Students are often figuring things out step by step, and sometimes the most helpful thing is to give them support, resources, and encouragement. This role helped me do that for others while also learning more about myself and my own professional goals.
