Kayleigh Cave
General Communication and HTM
American Campus Communities
How has your internship helped build skills and clarify your career goals?
My experience with Campus Edge has helped me build invaluable communication skills. I work with a diverse group of individuals, which is an amazing experience. As a Community Assistant, I have also been able to get a better understanding of the student housing market. This is instrumental in my understanding as a Hospitality & Tourism Management scholar. I have been able to identify aspects of the field that I enjoy while also gaining insight into what I am not looking for in a position/career.
How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills in your internship?
My Liberal Arts skills are at work daily. I am talking to residents, customers, co-workers, mail people, among many more every time I am in the office. Additionally, during the summer we are tasked with marketing on-campus. This entails walking around campus and passing out free snacks, drinks, and promotional items. I get to talk to and interact with many different people from all walks of life, and my great success is in part due to the Liberal Arts skills I have acquired.
Describe your typical day as an intern.
My typical day is spent in the office answering phone calls, completing lease files, and assisting residents (sometimes all at once!). During fairweather, we market often, which takes us out of the office and allows us to interact with individuals and groups on-campus.
What was the most challenging aspect of your internship?
The most challenging aspect of my position is maintaining effective communication and proper customer service while handling complaints. Individuals can be incredibly difficult for a variety of reasons, and it is my job to assist them and reach a suitable solution, which can sometimes be very difficult.
What was the most exciting thing about your role?
The most exciting thing about my role is helping someone find a place they enjoy living in. I'm big on personal space and cultivating your own area, and helping others think about what they're looking for in a unit can be a very rewarding experience!
What surprised you most about your internship?
The thing that has surprised me most is my love for lease agreements and file management!
Describe the most meaningful experience you had as an intern.
The most meaningful experience I have had in my position was not one, single experience. In my line of work, we deal with a high-volume of residents (we have 598 bed spaces available). Sometimes residents are hesitant to interact with the Community Assistants who work in the office, and sometimes live within the building, as well. However, we do have several residents who stop by and say hello on their way in or out. These are meaningful interactions that help remind the CAs how important our role is within the office. Being able to connect with other individuals is a unique, meaningful experience I've had the pleasure of encountering with this position.