Dear readers,
Aside from their hometown tours and family vacations, many Panhellenic women are also filling their summer calendars with internships. One of the most valuable parts of investing in this community is the connections with other women building their careers. We wanted to highlight some of these hardworking ladies in all sorts of different fields—government, medicine, business, and communications.
Keep reading and hear their advice to nail an interview, fill out your resume, and stand out in a crowd of applicants!
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Chelsea Kaufmann - University of Pittsburgh Creative Media Intern (KD): “The official visits. I grew up being a huge Pitt fan, like my first Halloween costume, I was a Pitt cheerleader. It's been a really big part of my life and a dream to contribute to this program.”
Katherine Williamson - RGV Driscoll Children's Hospital Administrative Intern (AXO): “My favorite part of the internship has been getting to see how all the different departments within the hospital come together to work and make everything run so efficiently. It's been really meaningful to understand how that collaboration directly supports patient care and how it ensures that patients and families receive the best possible experience.”
Kate Mooney - Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Guest Experience Intern (XO): “Watching other people experience the arts. You have this older audience who has grown up coming here, but then you also have these young kids that come and experience the shows. I love the intersection of different cultures and the ability to share all those things.”
Bella Hu - Kumar Lab, Dell Medical School, Undergraduate Research Assistant (APhi): “It's honestly just so much fun. The overall environment is really amazing—I work with fellow UT students, I work with PHD students, physicians, members that are around with PHDs, and med students. It's just really rewarding, and it gives me such a unique opportunity and insight into the healthcare field and into research.”
Abbey Pope - U.S. House of Representatives Intern (Pi Phi): “My absolute favorite part of the job was we got to do tours of the Capitol for any constituents that came in, so we would learn different historical facts about the capital, and then get to lead them on an interactive tour with a couple of people.”
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Chelsea (KD): “I've gotten a lot more familiar with Adobe Creative Cloud, and I have an appreciation for the amount of work that goes into football on the administrative side, with coaching and recruiting, and how to collaborate effectively with a team.”
Katherine (AXO): “My biggest takeaways have been how much you can learn when you stay very engaged on the job and consistently apply yourself. Every staff member is always so willing to help, so asking any thoughtful questions allows me to gain a much deeper understanding of the work that goes into efficient hospital administration, and it’s showed me that curiosity and initiative are really key to getting the most out of an internship.”
Kate (XO): “The power of networking really does help you get where you need to be. I think sometimes it's intimidating to be working with a large group of people, but my two bosses were interns at the Lincoln Center before they worked full-time and it's nice just having role models who also were in your position at one point.”
Bella (APhi): “It gave me such a transformative insight into what I want to do with my life, and the importance of providing quality care as a given when you're talking about medicine.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “I would say one of the biggest things I learned is that 20 to 25-year-old people run the country, and all of the day-to-day operations of the legislature is pretty much handled by younger people. It's very different from the way that politics are shown on the media. Any specific congressman's legislative team all have their own opinions, and they all work together to create this centralized idea of what the congressman should stand for, and it's a very interesting process.”
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Chelsea (KD): “Use your network and make a good impression on everyone you meet.”
Katherine (AXO): “Take every advantage of every possible resource you have, including networking, career fairs at school, and especially online application platforms. I also think that following up, especially if you apply online, with an email or a message to the manager or the hirer after applying or interviewing, helps you stand out and really just shows genuine interest in the opportunity.”
Kate (XO): “My big is the one that connected me to my now-managers, because they were her managers, so I got my job through networking. It’s really cool that your chapter can help you create connections for your future outside of just your connections in Austin.”
Bella (APhi): “Take any opportunity you can get, and don't be scared to put yourself out there. I got this opportunity through another Panhellenic woman because I saw her participating in the pediatric research symposium, and she had her poster with her. We were lab partners in physics lab, and I asked what lab she was in and what her poster was about, and we started talking about it. I said that I’m going to be here in (Austin) to take O-Chem Lab, I’m here and I’d love the opportunity. Just simply putting yourself out there and taking literally take any chance.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “I would say apply to a lot, and don't be nervous to apply to something big, like the Capitol. Texas is a really incredible school, and people want to hire out of there.”
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Chelsea (KD): “Don't limit yourself to people you know directly, take a risk and put yourself out there. Just cold emailing has gotten me jobs in the past.”
Katherine (AXO): “I approach networking by focusing on building a genuine relationship rather than just trying to make a basic connection. I make sure to ask thoughtful questions and really listen to people's experiences. A tip I have is to stay in touch with the people you connect with, because the follow-up is just as important as making that initial connection.”
Kate (XO): “Everyone in my sorority house heard about my networking experience because I had a phone call with a new person every single day. I would mostly try to go for people who were UT alums and also in Greek life. If you're not being a sponge, you're doing it wrong because you have to soak everything up, listen to everyone's perspectives, and be open to learning new things when you're working.”
Bella (APhi): “I think the most effective way to get a lab internship is through your random connections, but also cold emailing is really important. Attending events is also really important; that's how you get to meet people. Anyone can go, anyone can attend the Zoom, and that's also just another way to connect. It's important to utilize your resources.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “One of the biggest factors in networking, working at the Capitol, was being a member of Greek Life. Almost all of the women who worked in my office were members of different sororities. We also had a reception for Pi Phi's and politics, so I got to meet a bunch of different Pi Phi's that worked on the hill and connect with different people in DC that are from different places.”
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Chelsea (KD): “Definitely managing and working my way up through UT Hockey. I went from being a general intern to now being the manager for two years. Also, my job with Texas Studios familiarized me with what it's like to work in a professional sports environment.”
Katherine (AXO): “My time as an Alpha Chi Omega has really strengthened my networking and interpersonal skills, which helped prepare me for the fast pace and interactive environment of a hospital setting. My role as an outreach committee member for the Business Healthcare Association has helped me build confidence in professional outreach and strengthen my ability to communicate in a healthcare-related environment.
Kate (XO): I was recruitment chair last year for Chi O, and I think that gave me every single skill that I have today. I feel confident, I'm a leader—t was the first time that I was put in a position where I had to delegate tasks and communicate so many things. A lot of things always came down to me and my decisions, which was super intimidating, but also super exciting that all of my peers and Chi O trusted me with that job, and I bring it up in every single interview.”
Bella (APhi): “I'm going to be president of Alpha Epsilon Delta for this upcoming year, which is a pre-health honor society here on campus, and that definitely helped me because Joining a more focused organization gave me so many opportunities for leadership and mentorship, and with that came the ability to communicate in a professional setting. Everything you do in undergrad will play into your medical application so just getting involved is great.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “I'm in Pi Phi and also in the Texas Undergraduate Law Association, and I would say they have just made me better at talking to people, so you're more ready for interviews.”
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Chelsea (KD): “I think by just making good connections with everyone on your team, excluding the people that you work with or other interns, and also going above and beyond when it comes to work. I made a website which I think adds a level of professionalism to my whole brand.”
Katherine (AXO): “I believe I stand out as an intern by being proactive and willing to take on new challenges. Throughout my time at Driscoll, I've made it a priority to ask thoughtful questions, build relationships with professionals across departments, and learn as much as possible from every experience. I think people remember interns who are genuinely engaged and excited to contribute, so I try to do the same.”
Kate (XO): “You talk to people and communicate with them to stand out and to not just speak when you're spoken to. I heard that the other day it was like really making me think a lot, because of being an intern, do you just speak when someone speaks to you, or do you like walk into a room and you're like, "Hey, how's your day,” and ask them questions. I think how you stand out is reminding people of your name. I've created a running note on my phone of people I want to continue a conversation with, and maybe set up a coffee chat to hear more about their job and create that connection for my future.”
Bella (APhi): “A great mentality to have, no matter what field you're in, is to put your everything into what you do, because there's no point in just going to your internship, sitting there, not making connections, not making meaningful stories. When someone puts their trust into you and hires you, you give them your all, and you try to stand out as best as possible.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “I think that I stand out and leave a lasting impression by always trying my best and giving my all to any circumstance. I think that I demonstrate this by showing up to the office early and always making sure that tasks are done correctly the first time and just use all of my effort on each task, even if they seem mundane.”
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Chelsea (KD): “I would say confidence, I think I’m very open and honest about giving feedback to other people in the media room, which I think helps because everyone gets better, and you can only improve.’
Katherine (AXO): “I think that scholarship, leadership, service, and philanthropy have all been reflected in my experience at Driscoll. I've learned the importance of taking initiative, continuously learning, and serving others with compassion. Being a Panhellenic woman has helped me develop strong communication, relationship-building skills that have definitely allowed me to thrive in this professional healthcare environment.”
Kate (XO): “One of the lines in the [Chi O] symphony is “Womanly always, discouraged never,” and I feel like that's always something I repeat to myself when I'm walking into something; I'm never going to be discouraged, I’m going to be womanly always. I am here to present my best self, and I'm here to work. If I've had a bad day, I'm still going to hold my head up high.”
Bella (APhi): “Alpha Phi’s [values are] character, innovation, generosity, sisterhood, and I definitely feel like some of those are directly applicable to the work I do. Innovation and character are super important in any job you're going for, like patient-care interactions. You're going to have to have a great character and be able to talk to people, and being a Panhellenic woman sets you apart from other people. I've just received so much support within the Alpha Phi community, within the whole Panhellenic community, and so many of my friends aren't even in the same chapter as I am. Without that community and support, I wouldn't be in the same place I am right now.”
Abbey (Pi Phi): “One of [Pi Phi’s] is personal and intellectual growth, and that's absolutely something that this internship has pushed forward. Having to constantly be immersed in things that you're not exactly sure about, but [you're] learning along the way. I would [also say] honor and respect. People call in, and they want to express their political beliefs, and you just have to be very respectful of everything that they have to say, and make sure that they feel heard.”
We are so incredibly proud of these girls and all the hard work they have been putting in over the summer! We hope that you found some of these tips to be helpful for planning your future career steps and taking advantage of all the other resources that UT and Panhellenic has to offer.
All my love,
Victoria Serrano :)