Being a Program Assistant (PA) is an amazing opportunity to broaden your experience in graduate school while economically supporting yourself. In 2021 I was happy to join the Wisconsin School of Business Multicultural Center, a one-of-a-kind organization that shows the commitment of the School of Business to support students of color more robustly and holistically. The birth of this center was mesmerizing from the beginning, as it was the request of the students to have a place of representation in the business school. In September 2022 we had the grand opening, after having had a soft opening for 9 months. At the same time, I converted to a PA from an hourly employee, and continued to grow with the Multicultural Center.
October was our first event month, in which we hosted 5 program-tied events, 3 school-wide community events, and 1 graduate event. For the program-tied events, we hosted three Major Nights for undergraduates to explore their career options. Additionally, we started year-long mentoring programs both in a peer-to-peer mode and as a traditional mentor-to-mentee structure, involving undergraduate and graduate students. Our building community events celebrated Latinx History Month, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and Diwali. Finally, our main graduate event was a fireside conversation with Cynthia Chu. It was a close conversation that shed light on our speaker’s experiences; her identity played a role in how she managed her carrier progression, and shaped her as a leader.
This month I have been part of a variety of events and interactions that keep nurturing my experience both as a student and as a professional. With 4 undergraduate interns as reports and a variety of programs and events offered, my PA position has given me the chance to connect with the next generation of the workforce, learn more from the Wisconsin School of Business, and build my skills.
Stretching for a PA position will be a challenge, but if you’re up for it, I promise the rewards will be amazing.