Entry-level positions for aspiring Serna Center Coordinators
For undergraduates or graduate students looking to enter higher education, Saray, a Serna Center Coordinator, strongly recommends exploring student assistant positions, as "there's nothing better than experience" to learn if the field is a good fit, and these positions can lead to further opportunities through hard work and networking with campus partners. Saray emphasizes that "applying is the first step" and encourages students to "get out of your comfort zone" to gain valuable experience.
Student Assistant Positions, Higher Education Careers, Entry-Level Opportunities, Campus Partnerships, Career Exploration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Saray Aguirre
Serna Center Coordinator
California State University, Sacramento
CSU, Sacramento
CSU, Sacramento - MA in Education (Higher Educational Leadership & Policy Studies)
Anthropology, Sociology
Education
Education
HSI Grad, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Student Assistant positions are a great way to gain experience in higher education and are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
2. Applying for positions, even if outside your comfort zone, is the first step to exploring career options.
3. Putting your all into your work and building relationships with campus partners can lead to future opportunities.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
I mentioned earlier that I began as a student assistant in many of these programs and centers. There are a lot of these positions, not only at Sacramento State but throughout the region in their respective colleges and universities.
I strongly recommend any student looking into higher education as a potential career to explore these student assistant positions. They're not only open to undergraduates; there are positions for graduate students as well.
I think one of the most important things for anyone looking for any type of position in any industry is to just take that first step and apply. Applying is the first step. Whether you get accepted or not, we can go from there, but definitely apply.
Get out of your comfort zone for a little bit if that's something you're considering. There's nothing better than experience to learn if this is something you really want to do or if it's something you don't.
In terms of how I got here, it's definitely been through student assistant positions. From there, working with campus partners and giving your all in everything you do will be noticed.
Opportunities will eventually come to you as long as you're putting your everything into what you do. Definitely take advantage of those student positions firsthand.