Being a Student Director was one of the greatest experiences! I loved being able to work in a team with five other students and collaborate on different projects throughout summer leading up to Camp Carey. Whether going to orientations to recruit freshmen to register, interviewing current students to be Facilitators, or creating and presenting training for staff and faculty, there were always SO many tasks. We had to be sure everything was as close to perfect as possible before each camp session. The coolest thing was probably coming back to campus and seeing so many freshmen and Facilitators who had attended camp. They would all recognize me, and it was so cool to see what an impact I'd had as a student leader.
What I wish was different
Advice
I had not had a job in a team setting before, and while I'd done many group projects, this was completely different. It was cool to see everyone's strengths and to see how we all came together in the end. My piece of advice is actually one I was given by another Director. As someone who is used to being in charge of everything, in this role you really have to put trust in each other because it is impossible for one person to do it all. That being said, in this experience, I would suggest having confidence in your group and trusting each other.
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One person found this helpful
Lead Camp Carey Student Director
March - August 2018 • Tempe, AZ
What I liked
Everything! As a director, you end up working on a little bit of everything and therefore are never bored. During the preparatory phase for Camp you can be going to Freshman Orientation to speak with students, planning activities, counting inventory, and answering emails all in one day. You do have the opportunity to take ownership of different projects, but it is a highly collaborative atmosphere between all the directors and the Student Engagement Coordinator that works with Camp Carey. I was able to gain a lot of valuable experience in public speaking experience, problem solving, working with large amounts of data, interviewing and training student facilitators, and overall skills development. My communication, leadership, crisis management/problem solving, organization, attention to details, and confidence grew leaps and bounds thanks to this experience.
What I wish was different
Advice
Be flexible! You might need to jump in and help work on something more pressing or change the way you are doing something. Things can get stressful but you will have a great support network with your fellow directors and the whole Student Engagement Team.
