Student Success Stories: Brittany Higgins
Brittany Higgins is a junior at UW Oshkosh pursuing a major in marketing with a marketing analysis and insights emphasis and plans to graduate from the College of Business in Spring 2022. Throughout her time on campus, Brittany has tutored students in math and geography and became a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, as well as the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. Brittany said that through these experiences, she has been able to greatly expand her network and build useful leadership skills. “With ZTA, I have an entire network of sisters across the nation that I can reach out to for job opportunities and career assistance, which is an opportunity like no other,” Brittany said.
Brittany said she especially benefited from Business 284, a professional skills course that introduced her to valuable resources provided by the Career & Professional Development office. Some of the Career & Professional Development resources she utilized include the Virtual Career Fair, resume help, mock interviews, and more. “These services pushed me to go out of my comfort zone and practice essential skills for the business world,” Brittany said. “I have learned a lot through the office resources that have helped me meet and connect with many professionals and has opened me up to many more job opportunities.”
By attending the Virtual Career Fair, Brittany was able to connect with a professional one-on-one to ask questions and learn more about her career path. During this meeting, the company invited Brittany to an interview and she was offered an internship all in one week! During the internship, Brittany said she worked with an amazing mentor that taught her everything about marketing, which was a topic that she had never learned about before. “I ended up performing so well that the president of the company has reached out to me three months later asking me to complete a project for her,” Brittany said. “That summer taught me that the professional world is nowhere near as scary as I thought, and you will be constantly learning and trying new things.”
Brittany said in five years she sees herself working a full-time marketing job in the Fox Valley, and she hopes to be happy and comfortable at the company she works. She is grateful for the resources provided by the professional skills course and the Career & Professional Development office. “These resources are extremely beneficial in building your resume and your professional skills,” Brittany said. “The best part about these resources is that they are included in your tuition, so why not use them to better yourself?”
The biggest piece of advice Brittany recommends is to go outside of your comfort zone. “Attending career fairs and networking is not something that comes naturally to everyone,” Brittany said. “I am generally quite a shy person, but pushing myself out of my comfort zone has given me many amazing opportunities to meet some great people who have helped me in my professional journey.”
Congratulations, Brittany on all of your accomplishments! We wish you the best of luck moving forward!