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Cornell University

Student & Campus Life

Nairoby Pena

College: College of Engineering 

Major: Biomedical Engineering 

Graduation Year: 2025

Campus employment: Tatkon Peer Leader, the Tatkon Center for New Students

Career Readiness Competencies gained:

  • Communication
  • Career & Self-Development
  • Teamwork 

How did you hear about your campus job?

I saw a post about the position on Tatkon’s Instagram page at the end of my freshman year, and I thought it sounded really interesting. It was a way to give back to incoming students, so I was really excited to apply. I got the interview and really loved getting to know Tatkon’s leadership; they were so optimistic about the work we’d be doing. 

What are some of your responsibilities at your campus job?

We [Tatkon Peer Leaders, also known as TPLs] are really there as a support system for first-year and transfer students. We manage the front desk in The Hub, check people in, make conversation and help connect students with the resources Cornell offers. For instance, if a student is struggling with their mental health, we would point them to resources like Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). We’re there to guide first-year students who may be confused about, or not know, what’s available for them. 

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

I loved the fact that I would get to interact with students each day. I would get to see the immediate impact I was having on Cornell’s first-year community through my day-to-day tasks.  

What are your top three skills developed in this role?

1. Communication — Through my role, I’ve developed an enhanced understanding of how to communicate with students when they’re going through something big or small. 

For instance, last semester, a fellow engineering student came into the Tatkon Center looking for support and someone to talk to. I sat with them and used the methods I learned the day before from an active listening presentation with the Skorton Center. I gave advice on how to find research positions by reaching out to professors. For most of our time together, I allowed the student to voice their frustration and ask questions, then helped them draft an email to a professor.

2. Career & Self-Development — I’ve definitely learned how to speak about my strengths. TPLs do a strength assessment when starting our roles. We work with Heather Fortenberry from Cornell Career Services and she gives us some great tips on how to talk about our strengths and use them to work as a team. 

I learned that my strengths are directly related to my personality traits. For example, one of my top five strengths was harmony, which relates to my ability to avoid or resolve conflicts between people. I've used my strengths to speak with students, assess their needs and refer them to appropriate resources on campus. 

3. Teamwork — I’ve learned how to work with my fellow TPLs and how to use our differences to our advantage. We’re different people with different skills, and as a TPL, you learn how to use those differences to make your team better. 

What’s your favorite thing about your campus job?

My favorite thing is definitely how many people you meet from different backgrounds and how collaborative everyone is. I get to know other TPLs even when I don't have shifts with them because we have weekly staff meetings and team bonding experiences. I really love that I actually get to know my coworkers. 

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

I think the Cornell Outdoor Education team bonding experience we had at the start of the academic year will help. I’m an engineering major and teamwork is an integral part of that industry. Learning to work with different people and understanding how we think differently is something I’ll carry outside of Cornell. 

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

It's shaped my student experience by giving me skills I didn't think I would be able to fully flesh out during my time in college, like time management. Time management is something that I'm not always consistent with. When you have a campus job, though, you have to plan around it. For instance, when will you do your homework if you can't do it during your shift? It’s helped me think about those moving parts and manage my time. 

As for growing as a person, it's made me more open-minded when it comes to learning and trying new things, even if I wasn't necessarily comfortable with them at first. 

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

Just go for it. Sometimes, people get caught up in the qualifications and deal with impostor syndrome, wondering if they’re good enough for these positions. But at the end of the day, it's a campus job made for Cornell students. If you think you're going to be great, you should apply. You never know what you can get out of the experience. 

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