Students Blend Skills and Interests with Campus Job Experience

Meet Belen Pacheco-Salazar ’26 and Olivia Traxler ’24. These two Saint Mary’s students learned that campus is not as quiet as you may think during the summer. Both worked in different positions on campus during the summer months, assisting with various activities. And each has learned real-world management skills that will help shape them in their future careers.

Summer student workers are essential in assisting the College with activities from May to August. Despite what you might think, campus bustles with a multitude of events after students move out for the summer. Summer campers fill dorm rooms, keynote speakers lecture during conference sessions in classrooms, young dancers take a bow in O’Laughlin Auditorium, and wedding parties process down the aisle at Holy Spirit Chapel. In the midst of all the action, students stand ready to assist with tasks, large and small.

Pacheco-Salazar assumed two different roles as pre-college program coordinator and camp counselor. Both roles kept her busy all summer long. As a camp counselor, she was assigned a group of overnight campers to guide and mentor. She accompanied them to their meals, joined them during their free time and group activities, and made sure to be there when they felt homesick or needed encouragement. As a pre-college program coordinator, she coordinated the logistics of 15 camps in total, including Fine Arts Camp, Forensic Science Camp, and the inaugural Healthcare Institute. Beyond these responsibilities, Pacheco-Salazar said she “assisted the Spanish-speaking community, helping translate documents and communicating offerings to make sure those students were given the opportunity to experience camp at Saint Mary's College.” 

Traxler’s role as a summer event manager in the Campus Experience and Events Office offered her the opportunity to contribute her skills to an array of events from weddings to conferences. Traxler’s interest in photography proved especially useful: she served as the official photographer for a host of campus events. Traxler captured sweet moments between bride and groom in Holy Spirit Chapel and of campers making friends in their dorm rooms. Traxler’s favorite part was joining campers on field trips outside of campus, including the South Bend Crime Lab, Prairie Winds Nature Preserve, and the Round Barn Theatre in Nappanee.

Both Pacheco-Salazar and Traxler applied personal skills and interests to their roles. By the end of the summer, Pacheco-Salazar felt more open to stepping out of her comfort zone. “My job has allowed me to be confident in my own decisions when I encounter issues. Overall, I definitely gained problem-solving, analytical/critical thinking, and team-building skills.” 

These student workers not only gained experience, but blended their interests with their professional endeavors at Saint Mary's. 

July 21, 2023