Margaret Bell, undergraduate student and data analyst for FSU Libraries, provided insight into her experience working in data assessment.
As a senior undergraduate student at Florida State University, I’ve become very aware of the different opportunities to be pursued on both on and off campus. This awareness, however, took me years to develop – and had I not had a job on campus, I’m sure it would have taken a lot longer. With so many people to compete with for on-campus jobs, I remember being afraid that I would graduate with zero professional experience to put on my résumé – something that seemed a little too risky especially when considering that I had no idea of what I wanted to do post graduation. Although I’m still unsure of my path at this time, I was fortunate enough to secure a position in Strozier’s assessment department by the end of my sophomore year. Members of the assessment department are responsible for collecting and analyzing data related to FSU libraries (among many other things), so as a double-major in Psychology and Editing, Writing & Media, I certainly hadn’t foreseen “Data Analyst” being my first job title.
After a period of training and adjusting to my schedule, I quickly came to see the benefits of working in Strozier. This job has been an opportunity to learn more about the resources that FSU Libraries offers students, faculty, and staff. Not just offering a physical space for learning and studying, the libraries have also compiled an invaluable online source full of useful information. Working in assessment and having to update the assessment Facts & Figures page has allowed me plenty of time to become very familiar with the Libraries’ website – something I recommend that all students do.
As this was my first time having a regular part-time job, I came in with a few worries; mostly that I would have a difficult time juggling work with classes and other extracurriculars. However, I was pleased to discover an emphasis on school coming first. This allowed me to comfortably work around my other responsibilities while also being able to supplement my FSU experience with exposure to working in a professional environment. For that reason plus the availability of many different job positions, I would absolutely advise job-seeking students to consider working for FSU Libraries.
Enrichment related to my academic and professionally-related experience aside, working in the library has added so much to my time at FSU just in terms of the wonderful people I’ve met. The assessment team – including my amazing boss Kirsten Kinsley, mentor Elizabeth Yuu (a recent graduate with a Master’s in Biostatistics who also happens to be my idol), and awesome undergraduate peers Rachael Straley and Jake Tompkins – have made the latter half of my college experience better than I ever could’ve asked for. So if there’s one thing I’d recommend to future students, it’s to not take the library for granted.
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