Leadership lived: Business student learns skills for the real world

 

Paige Heiser is busy! The senior University of Illinois Springfield business administration major not only juggles class, but involvement in multiple student organizations, while holding a job on campus.

“I like to be involved on campus because you make new connections and meet new people that maybe you wouldn’t have in your own classes, so it’s kind of a way for me to network and meet other people,” she said.

Heiser is a senator on the Student Government Association representing the College of Business and Management, serves as the acoustic performance coordinator for the Student Activities Committee, and helps with the Capital Scholars Honors Program.

However, she’s been most involved with the Alternative Spring Break group during her four years on the UIS campus. Each year, students volunteer their spring break time, traveling across the country, to help others.

“I went from being a member, to the vice president, to the president, and now this year I am the event coordinator,” said Heiser.

The group is planning a trip to Washington, D.C. in March 2014 to help the homeless. They’ve previously helped restore the Everglades in Florida, cleaned up the Mississippi River in Memphis, and helped hurricane victims in New Orleans.

“I’m in charge of planning the itinerary for the entire week and helping coordinate fundraisers for us to be able to help afford the trip,” she said.

Heiser also keeps busy as a student worker in the UIS Campus Relations Office where she’s been helping to program new digital signs on campus.

“I make the content and some of the signage that goes on there,” she said.

It’s experience that she’ll be able to use in the real world.

 “It’s been beneficial to me because it’s kind of what I want to do. I want to go into the marketing field, so I’m gaining that experience,” said Heiser.

Overall, she’s learned many lessons about leadership from the right-sized supportive community at UIS.

“UIS has taught me to be a leader in the first place and to put myself out there and try and make change for what I think is right,” said Heiser.