伊丽莎白Popoff
A Master of Public Administration from Seattle to Moscow to Olympia
Even if you do not become a Vandal until after you’ve completed your undergraduate degree, valuable opportunities remain at the University of Idaho as you grow your professional experience and expand your education. 伊丽莎白Popoff completed her bachelor’s degree in 2021 at the 华盛顿大学 在西雅图. She participated in a two-year program at UW after completing her Associates of 艺术 degree during high school. At U of I, she is pursuing her master’s degree in public administration.
出生于密歇根州上半岛, Popoff’s family relocated to the Pacific Northwest early on in her life, 定居在华盛顿的韦纳奇山谷. She is proud to have attended a Pacific Northwest University, 因为她是家里第一个这样做的人.
“Public administration is something I see being amazing for me,波波夫说.
根据Popoff的说法，U of I 's 公共管理硕士.P.A. )项目 was a good pair with her bachelor’s in communications. This has helped her further her knowledge and dive deeper into her interests.
The summer before beginning her program, Popoff was selected to be an M.P.A. 外展协调员 365滚球官网就业服务办公室他是第一个担任这个角色的人. Responsibilities include helping 学生 network with potential employers, 创建节目通讯, spotlighting different internship and job opportunities, and consulting with 学生 on their career goals. 不工作时直接支持M.P.A. 学生, Popoff assists with general 职业服务 events, resources, and programming.
“I want to shout out Eric Anderson, he has been my supervisor. He has been one of the most amazing mentors, pushing me to different boundaries,波波夫说.
One of Popoff’s first responsibilities while working with 职业服务 was reaching out to different organizations to explore internship opportunities for M.P.A. 学生. She communicated with an active senator for the 华盛顿州立法机构 in Olympia to explore experiences available for 学生.
Eventually, the senator’s office reached out to Popoff with an offer to work for the legislature. Although Popoff experienced some doubts about accepting the opportunity, 通过安德森的支持和鼓励, 她的父母, 和她的搭档, she relocated to Olympia to work as a session aide. 在奥林匹亚期间, Popoff managed correspondences with the public including 电子邮件s and voic电子邮件s, 与选民会面, 领导会议, 和更多的, gaining valuable experience directly related to her master’s degree. “这真是一件了不起的事情, combining my public relation skills and my communication skills,波波夫说.
She credits 职业服务 and U of I for securing the opportunity, commending how the office and university supports 学生 and their goals.
“I think that’s a huge summary of University of Idaho, 你在大学里投入的任何东西, 你的365滚球官网, 你对体育运动的支持, 你与教授的交流, 它总会回到你身边,波波夫说.
Flexible schedules allowed Popoff to pursue multiple opportunities at once at U of I. 当助理的时候, she continued her work with the 职业服务 office and completed academic assignments.
“That was a huge reason why I was able to do that, leaning on that U of I support and mutual respect they had for my ambitions, but also keeping me accountable for the things I have to do as a student, 作为一名实习生,波波夫说. “That's something that I really respect and admire from the school.”
The greatest benefit she found working in 职业服务 was constant access to a trusted mentor, 同行, 或网络. To newer 学生 who are unsure of their career path or what their future holds, Popoff reassures them that things will fall into place.
“If you don't have a path right now, 职业服务 will help you put you on that path. 当一扇门关上, a window opens and I think that is such an important thing to share, especially for undergraduates that may be graduating in the spring, 或者可能刚刚开始,波波夫说.
As for Popoff’s future, she plans to return to the 华盛顿州立法机构 in January of 2023 to assume her role of a second-year session aide, an opportunity that may develop into a full-time position. She is also considering the potential of pursuing a doctorate degree.
“现在, I’m excited to get to Olympia in January and start my position once again with my senator that I represent,波波夫说. “从那里开始，继续向上.”
截至12月5日, 伊丽莎白Popoff has accepted an offer for a full-time position with the 华盛顿州立法机构 in Olympia.
凯蒂Hockema
就业服务市场实习生
