OTeam Alumni find that the benefits of being a member of the OTeam are greater than just the paycheck. Working in a fast-paced and challenging environment like NSO offers the opportunity to develop new skills, hone existing strengths, and improve recognized areas of growth. Here’s what some of our OTeam Alumni are up to now:
Name: Chris Eggermann
Graduation Year: 2017
Position & Year on OTeam: Student Program Specialist, 2015
What are you doing now?: “Technology Associate, Liberty Mutual Insurance. My program of hire, TechStart, is a 12 month technology development program broken into hackathons, team assignments, and individual assignments. Throughout the twelve months, TechStarters intermittently participate in classroom-like trainings for both soft and hard skills, and have ample opportunity to learn from veteran employees of the company while developing team-working skills with fellow TechStarters.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “Working with the OTeam was essential to my hiring at Liberty Mutual Insurance. My company practices a development methodology called agile, where our highest priority is to satisfy the customer. We aren’t afraid to think retrospectively about our work, and our flexibility to change helps us deliver fantastic end results. Working with the OTeam prepared me for the most important skills I needed for working with Liberty Mutual Insurance.”
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Name: Emma Eckert
Graduation Year: 2017
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2015
What are you doing now?: “I’m currently in my first year of law school at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. and hope to further cater my studies to sports law, eventually drafting contracts for NFL teams and athletes.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “Being a law student involves a lot of communication and discipline, two things I definitely excel more in because of my time on the OTeam. My experience with the OTeam allowed me to become more comfortable approaching others and helped me learn how to balance my school work with being involved in the community.”
Name: Megan Foster
Graduation Year: 2013
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2013
What are you doing now?: “I am now an academic adviser for Penn State within the College of Education.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “My experience with New Student Orientation definitely helped me to discover my passion for working within a college/university. I loved helping new students adjust to this new lifestyle and get excited for becoming a Penn Stater. So when I was looking for jobs after graduation, I knew I had to stay at Penn State to continuing doing that. In all my jobs within PSU, including Admissions and Career Counseling, I’ve managed to use my NSO knowledge to continue helping students have the best time at Penn State. Plus, now I get to help the current NSO team welcome New Students every summer, so I’ve never truly left the OTeam!”
Name: Orly Olbum
Graduation Year: 2017
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2013; Check-In Crew, 2016
What are you doing now?: “I am an associate at Technomics Inc., which does cost estimations for defense contracts.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “Almost the entire interview process for my current job was talking about how I grew as a person because of NSO. It was easy for me to describe how my leadership skills have developed during my time as an Orientation Leader and how I am able to work as a team player.”
Name: Jordan Todd
Graduation Year: 2016
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2014; Student Staff Coordinator, 2016
What are you doing now?: “I’m a second-year grad student at James Madison University studying College Student Personnel Administration.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “My time on the OTeam opened my eyes to a career opportunity that I didn’t know existed when I first applied to be on the OTeam in fall 2013. It instilled a passion to pursue higher education as a career, helping students at every step of their college journey.”
Name: Thomas Koller
Graduation Year: 2017
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2015
What are you doing now?: “I am continuing my studies at Virginia Commonwealth University at the Center for Sport Leadership earning my Masters in Sport Leadership. In class, I am learning about the dynamic professional and collegiate sport industry. We focus on our professional and leadership development in athletic administration of all levels. I also am a Graduate Assistant of Aquatics with VCU Recreational Sports. At our recreation facility, we create programs for our students and members that support them in committing to a lifetime of health and well-being. I specifically coordinate a team of 35 lifeguards and assist in all aquatic programming. I will continue to devote my life to people, in some capacity, but do see myself embarking on paths to bigger event management in athletics or entertainment.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “The OTeam has prepared me for almost every part of graduate school and my assistantship. Not only has OTeam provided me with an unforgettable summer and new friends, OTeam equipped me with skills that nobody can learn in a classroom. I became comfortable with public speaking, customer service, critical thinking and student supervision. There is nothing that can compare to managing a group of new college students for an entire day. The values of leadership and student transition I learned during OTeam have helped my transition into graduate school and my professional in collegiate recreation and athletics. More importantly, I have made connections that I truly value everyday of my life.”
Name: Colin Hayes
Graduation Year: 2017
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2016
What are you doing now?: “I am a first-year medical student at the Penn State College of Medicine.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “Many of the skills I learned about and implemented during my time on the orientation team have translated to my training as a future physician, but the most significant skill that directly translates to my career is the ability to listen well. During my time as an orientation leader, I put concerted effort into trying to become a better listener, as I attempted to address student concerns, questions, and comments. I will need to continue to develop this skill as many physicians have already asserted that the most important diagnostic tool is not a scan or lab values, but rather a history taken from the patient, which requires the application of active listening.”
Name: Emily Behn
Graduation Year: 2014
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2013
What are you doing now?: “As the Assistant Director of Employer Relations at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), I work with employers to ensure successful recruitment programming for all students. This includes coordinating 2 career fairs, on-campus interviews, company information sessions, networking events, etc. I also serve as a career advisor, meeting individually with students regarding their career development concerns – from resumes & cover letters, to the internship & job search, to interviewing tips, and more.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “My experience with NSO helped me discover a passion for working with college students and ultimately pursue a career in Student Affairs. I loved helping students transition into college, and now I enjoy helping them transition out and into their adult life.”
Name: Christopher Brown
Graduation Year: 2016
Position & Year on OTeam: Orientation Leader, 2016
What are you doing now?: “Currently my day job is working for PNC Financial Service Group in their compensation space analyzing pay data to help ensure strategic goals are met. Outside of work I am a part of multiple organizations with the common goal of bringing a more diverse talent pool to the Pittsburgh region.”
How has your time on the OTeam helped you in your current role?: “My time as an Orientation Leader did not only prepare me for my current roles, but life in general. Many of the concepts I learned on OL duty revolved around good professional habits. Public speaking, leadership, communication, preparation, and relationship building were just a few skills I was able to hone while under the leadership of PSU Orientation & Transition Team. I take the pink shirt mentality everywhere I go. #KhakiUp”
If you’d like to be featured on our OTeam Alumni page, please contact Brandon Stagner (bcs254@psu.edu) for more information.