Biola University

Hvac Assistant

May 2019 • Biola, CA

What I liked

Fulfilling work that provides a sense of accomplishment.

What I wish was different

Nothing that comes to mind

Advice

Bring a pair of headphones and some music or a podcast (if allowed) for the more tedious jobs to pass the time easier.

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Men of Color Affinity Group Intern

August 2023 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

The work environment is amazing here at SEID. The supervisor has definitely come alongside me in a lot of ways to help me thrive as an affinity group intern. The workload is not too overwhelming either and would make me work well when work needs to be done.

What I wish was different

I wish I worked more hours. The hours are pretty light and I feel like I need to seek out other jobs in order to make some money.

Advice

You have to have some skills in planning, hosting, and evaluating events as an affinity group intern. Make sure you grow in a creative mind. Also, it's definitely an extrovert type of job, being a people person goes a long way, and showing hospitality at events.

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Student Academic Advisor

May - August 2023 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

My favourite parts of the job were the team I got to work and the chance to work on projects over a longer period of time. My supervisors were affirming and encouraging and also gave me helpful specific training on how to complete the various tasks. As for the work itself, I liked the fact that we worked on one large project over the course of the summer. We made steady progress each week, and it was rewarding to see how we all worked together to complete this one large task.

What I wish was different

Honestly, there are very few things I wish had been different. I enjoyed working with the others in the team, and the work itself was enjoyable too.

Advice

Communicate, communicate, communicate and don't be afraid to ask for help. This will both help you learn how to do the job correctly, but it will teach you so many other things you might not learn if you don't ask. Even more importantly however, communication is essential to a good work environment and will be invaluable for team dynamics.

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cafeteria student worker

June - August 2023 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

The workers (other student workers, management, and the chefs) were all super kind! Although I only worked there in the summer, it got to feel like a family very quickly.

What I wish was different

Communication of the weekly work schedule was usually given on Sunday night, so it was difficult to plan out the coming week.

Advice

Try to keep a positive attitude. Long shifts can be exhausting but try to remain upbeat about it--or take your break to complain with your fellow workers! The overall experience was good but just know that you will be tired.

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Greek Intern

August - September 2022 • San Jose, CA

What I liked

I liked translating real Greek inscriptions. It was cool to be doing actual work that no one else has done before.

What I wish was different

I wish I had been given a little more direction at times on what I should be working on so I could use my time most effectively.

Advice

Reach out the the professor whenever you are feeling tired of the work or run out of things to work on because she’s always willing to help.

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Eagle Host

August 2019 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I was able to meet with prospective students and discuss with them the science department

What I wish was different

Advice

It is beneficial to talk with students with the knowledge that they may not come to the university so approach

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Summer Engineering Intern

May - July 2021 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I was able to learn many skills such as 3d modeling, 3d printing, Arduino, and laser cutting.

What I wish was different

Nothing.

Advice

Get out of your comfort zone and use 100% effort in everything you do

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Facilities Maintenance Worker

May 2021 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

Having a consistent job that paid well because of its consistency.

What I wish was different

A higher pay rate. The crew had to do things over the summer that were not part of the job description, such as removing moldy furniture from a couple bedrooms, and it just would have been nice if we were paid more on the hour.

Advice

Your coworkers count on you constantly. If you fall behind, it makes a strong impact on the workflow of the day.

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Nanomedicine and Genomics Summer Research Intern

June - August 2021 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

The faculty under who I worked were attentive to each student's understanding of the research content. I appreciated the slow-paced environment that allowed for careful and methodical research to be done in. The hours were very reasonable, starting most days at 9 or 10 am. All persons in the lab were very kind and excited to learn more about our field in science each day, maintaining curiosity that bred enthusiasm to work each day.

What I wish was different

Advice

Research does not move as fast as you may wish. Some experiments don't go the way you hypothesized. I encourage students applying to this internship to maintain hope even through discouraging weeks when lab work does not go as anticipated.

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Engineering Intern

May - July 2021 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

Tackling on a more challenging project than what I have been used to; I also really liked the close mentoring I received from my two mentors (who ran the internship program). Last but not least, I enjoyed working with my teammate, who really helped take the lead and guide me in helping her with the entire project.

What I wish was different

I just wish we had more hours and days to work! Other than that, I have nothing else to say - I really liked how the entire program was run.

Advice

Never give up. There will be times when you will encounter roadblocks, but those are key for one's learning and growth in developing as a professional.

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Cashier

August - September 2018 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I liked meeting the students at Biola and working with likeminded individuals.

What I wish was different

The whole entire management system.

Advice

Have a lot of patience and be flexible because the managers make it so completely difficult.

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student

August 2019 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

The easy access to job listings

What I wish was different

Perhaps a more personalized experience such as Linked in, with more options to interact with others.

Advice

Look for jobs early and really try to stand out!

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Peer Wellness Ambassador

April 2020 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

What I wish was different

Advice

Flexibility is key! Because I was part of the inaugural group of Peer Wellness Ambassadors, the work we did every week would change frequently. This is not a job that has a regular routine, but it is SO worth it! You get to engage with a wide variety of projects, which is helpful for developing both your strengths and weaknesses. The Department of Student Wellness is fairly new, so our group was able to contribute a lot of ideas to new events and social media campaigns. Be willing to learn new things, brainstorm new ideas, and just have a heart for Biola and its students.

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Academic Mentor

September 2020 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed getting to connect with students one on one, helping them understand their struggles through casual conversation, and working with them to create a personalized action plan to achieve their goals.

What I wish was different

I wish I had the opportunity to meet in person with my students rather than meet through Zoom in order to work on their schedule together in front of them. However, the whiteboard function in Zoom and the organization app, Notion, greatly helped me achieve that.

Advice

I would definitely recommend you enjoy working with people, as this is a highly personal job. Often students will have struggles that are unrelated to school but affect their academics. Being open to listen to them usually greatly affects their openness to stick to the plan you create together.

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Gate Attendant

May - December 2020 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I can study at the same time.

What I wish was different

It can be very boring at times.

Advice

It was a great way to make money during quarantine.

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Academic Advisor

May - August 2020 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I loved that I go to work with incoming students, as well as work alongside coworkers that I have worked with in the past. I also really enjoyed working for Biola since I'm very passionate about Biola's mission. It is also a job that cultivates a lot of my strengths and allows me to be stretched in my areas of weakness.

What I wish was different

I wish we could have been on campus! The job was virtual this summer, and I was really hoping that we could be in person to work. I also wish that I would have been able to work more than 25 hours a week!

Advice

Don't be afraid to try a job you wouldn't initially go for! Although I was excited and passionate about Academic Advising, I had never thought of it as a career option for myself since it had nothing to do with my major. Since I broadened my horizons though, I got to participate in an opportunity that will hopefully lead to a full time position!

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Conference Services Host

May - August 2018 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I thoroughly enjoyed the job as a whole. From washing linens, distributing guest room keys, and answering phone calls, the summer was incredible. Obviously, those tasks do not sound special or glamorous in and of themselves, but it was my coworkers that made it memorable! Each person in this amazing team brought something special: some were especially encouraging, some were especially hardworking, and some were especially willing to do whatever was needed.

What I wish was different

Since this summer was my second summer as a Conference Host, I was trusted with some more administrative work than my peers. While most of the team would go out and set up rooms with linens and do laundry, I would be in the office by myself taking care of emails and such. I wish I could have been with my coworkers more this past summer.

Advice

No matter how much you may dislike a superior, it is always best to respect him or her regardless! First of all, that person has been given that position for a reason (no matter how impossible it seems). It's important to respect that person and respect the authority he or she has been given. It's also imperative you do so in a way your peers can see. Encourage others to also respect that superior! Gossip and bitterness will only hurt the flow of the team which can lead to tasks poorly done or neglected.

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Library ILL Serials

November 2018 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

There is a system and follow the various checklists for each duty. There is independence in performing the duties

What I wish was different

Nothing. It is a great job and I have a wonderful supervisor.

Advice

It helps to be flexible with your schedule and understand there are other duties to do when the regular scheduled duties fall behind. For example, the delivery of books were sometimes early or late which could impact how fast you need to complete your morning duties and fill time when the books don't come as expected

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Custodian

May 2018 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

Great Community of people. Enjoyed every time working with the crew in the morning. Great care and support to their student workers. Started work with devotional and prayer, which I really appreciated!!

What I wish was different

Advice

This is the mission statement for Biola Facilities Management: To provide Christ-like services to the Biola community and faithful stewardship of the university facilities. It was inspiring to learn how Faith could be integrated in our work environment. Look after it :)

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Foundations Relations Office Associate

August 2019 • La Mirada, CA

What I liked

I loved the support that I received during my training in the summer, and that I am currently receiving as I grow my skills in writing and reporting. This job is perfect for people who enjoy close research, people, and collaborative work.

What I wish was different

Advice

There is a pretty steep learning curve for students entering this work without any experience with the RNXT/database, and grant language and writing. My advice for tackling the curve is to brush up on as much of the language as you can before training, putting in the time and practice to become proficient at the job, and always communicating with coworkers.

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