University of Alaska fairbanks
Sydney Gandolfi
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Above is a picture of the building I work in at UAF, referred to as the MBS Complex
Summer 2024 Practicum Experience
Why Higher Education?
Two months before graduating with a bachelor's in Political Science at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), I ventured to the Career Center to inquire about possible career paths. When I informed my career advisor that I was no longer interested in pursuing anything to do with politics, she then gave me a personality quiz. The purpose of the quiz was to see what careers would be best tailored to my lifestyle. After completing the quiz, we scrolled through the results together and one of the career path suggestions was college student affairs leadership. I asked her to elaborate more and she explained the graduate program that GVSU offers.
After sleeping on it, calling my parents, and jumping in on a prospective CSAL student Zoom meeting, I decided to pursue a master's degree in College Student Affairs Leadership. I have always known I wanted to pursue something where I knew I was making a positive impact on communities. After studying political science, I did not feel confident I could make real changes with our deeply flawed political system. However, higher education seems to be a more manageable platform to make real change. It is a smaller community of people and more than likely, everyone is there for the betterment of themselves, their future, and the future of our planet.
UAF and Career Goals
As the summer guest housing intern at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), I feel this experience is contributing to my career aspirations. Though it may not be in complete alignment with what I hope to do with my degree, I am gaining valuable work experience. At UAF, I work very closely with the student staff; leading their weekly meetings, assisting in coordinating their daily tasks, and double-checking the quality of their work. This is more interaction with students than I ever had at GVSU. Though I have a personal office at UAF, I rarely use it because I am usually sitting in the student staff area. This makes me a more available and personable leader in the department.
Pictured above is a map of UAF's campus (left), and me at Denali National Park (right).
About me
My name is Sydney Gandolfi, I grew up in Houghton Lake, MI. I attended Grand Valley State University (GVSU) as an undergrad, and now I am getting a Master's degree in College Student Affairs Leadership (CSAL) at GVSU. This website is documenting my summer practice experience at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). I am passionate about sustainability and our planet's health, one day I would like to be a Director of Sustainability Practices at a university.
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