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Cornell University

Student & Campus Life

Sehar Mapara

College: College of Human Ecology 

Major: Design + Environmental Analysis 

Graduation Year: 2024

Campus employment: Social Media & Digital Communications Intern

Career Readiness Competencies gained:

  • Career & Self-Development 
  • Communication
  • Professionalism 

How did you hear about your campus job?

I was managing an Instagram account for another department on campus but wanted a position that had more responsibility with digital communications. I looked on an old Cornell Student Employment website, where I found this position, and I’ve been in the role for about two years now. 

What are some of your responsibilities at your campus job?

I work with two other social media and digital communications interns to create and implement digital communication strategies and materials, primarily on social media. Some of my responsibilities include creating social media content for Cornell Career Services’ Instagram page that resonates with our audience, including posts that promote resources and Instagram reels that tell students about upcoming career fairs. My main responsibility is to be creative and think outside of the box to create engaging content. I also help with other communications and marketing-related projects or assignments, like creating quick how-to videos for new platforms.

What made you choose this opportunity on campus? What was it that set it apart from other jobs?

I liked the work I was doing in my previous department, but I wanted to explore other areas of Cornell. What set this position apart was that it aligned with my skills but had more responsibility than my previous role, which was exciting. It seemed like a really good fit because it allowed me to work on different communication and marketing initiatives and have more creative authority over my projects. 

What are your top three skills developed in this role?

1. Career & Self-Development — I’ve learned a lot about career development after working so closely with Cornell Career Services, and I’ve used that to help other students by creating social media content that promotes resources like the Career Development Toolkit, CUeLINKS, drop-in appointments with our Peer Career Coaches, and more.

Learning new social media and design techniques has also helped me expand my professional skill set. I've come to understand my strengths and weaknesses and how to navigate them in a professional setting. 

2. Communication — Communication is a big skill I’ve gained in this role. It’s important for me to clearly communicate in several areas of my work. For example, I’ve learned how to clearly communicate my ideas to my supervisor, provide feedback on projects and processes, and express what I need to do the best work possible.

Communication has also become really important as we’ve grown our social media team. When you work with multiple people in a creative space, it’s important to not only state your ideas clearly, but hear and respond to your team’s ideas too. Clearly communicating our ideas and processes helps us learn from each other and create dynamic content. 

3. Professionalism — I’ve learned a lot about professionalism while working in this role. I’m a student working in an office full of staff members, so it’s important that we work together with respect, understanding, and care to create a positive work environment. Something I’ve really worked on in my time here is how to express myself in the workplace  and create a professional presence to utilize after my time at Cornell. 

What’s your favorite thing about your campus job?

My favorite part is how open minded everyone is when it comes to creative projects. When creating social media and digital communication content, we have specific brand guidelines to follow, but that’s never hindered my ability to come up with creative social media and marketing projects. I really appreciate how I can still express my creativity while creating on-brand content.

I also appreciate the remote element of this role. Being remote has given me the flexibility to balance my school work with my job. I go into the office when needed, but my team has established great remote processes that help me produce quality work wherever I am. 

Which experiences in your campus job do you think will help you in your career after Cornell?

The process of creating effective communication and organization systems will help me in my career after Cornell. I’ve established valuable project management skills at Cornell Career Services, such as tracking tasks through Microsoft Teams and meeting with my supervisor to go over projects and goals. These skills help me establish systems to organize my tasks, effectively report to my supervisor, and receive feedback effectively, and I can use what I’ve learned here to create similar systems within my post-Cornell workplace. 

How has working on campus shaped your student experience at Cornell and helped you grow as a person?   

It’s given me a stronger understanding of career development and all the resources available to me as a student. That’s helped boost my confidence as I approach graduation and start applying for jobs; I feel like I have a good idea of what to expect, and that preparedness is invaluable. It’s also helped me be more self-reflective. I constantly think about my own experiences when I’m creating content and how I can use those experiences to help students who might be in similar situations. 

What advice do you have for other students interested in campus jobs?

I would definitely recommend working a campus job. In my experience, you learn so much about Cornell and gain a lot of important professional experience that you can reference after graduation and use as a really strong element within your resume. 

Looking for a campus job? Cornell Career Services can help! Book an appointment for your job search needs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. or drop in at 103 Barnes Hall Monday through Friday, 1 - 4 p.m.