National Student Employment Week (NSEW)

“Shania joined our staff as a tutor and workshop mentor after being inspired by a former tutor who had a profound impact on her. She felt compelled to pay it forward and implement the strategies of his style of tutoring. Her approachability, warmth, and ability to openly share her own experiences created an environment where students felt comfortable and supported—many became regulars in her sessions.

Early on, she frequently volunteered with our lead team to improve processes and create promotional materials. By the end of her first year, it was clear she was an ideal candidate for the Undergraduate Learning Administrator position. She embraced this opportunity with enthusiasm and has since made significant contributions to our program.

Shania’s achievements this year include developing social media campaigns to promote our tutors, transitioning all our web tool forms to Microsoft Forms, and spearheading the reorganization and enhancement of our tutor training program. Her ability to tackle challenges head-on and take initiative has profoundly impacted our center.”

– Viviana Kabbabe-Thompson,, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs & Academic Support and Achievement Program (ASAP) Director

“Ms. Cordon co-leads larger group activities for 48 student mentees. She approaches this role with a strong work ethic, creativity, and, once again, great intentionality. Ms. Cordon has consistently demonstrated a willingness to go above and beyond in providing service to others. As a CREAR mentor, Shania works 15 hours a week; she uses this time to follow up with her mentees in bi-weekly check-ins and engage in thoughtful programming to create community among programming participants. Ms. Cordon’s mentees often share how impactful it has been to connect with and build a genuine rapport between them.

Recognizing Ms. Cordon’s commitment and natural leadership, she was appointed lead mentor this past year. As a lead mentor, not only did she excel in supporting her mentees, but she also guided three new mentors. Additionally, Shania partnered with staff, including myself, to improve the program collaboratively. It is necessary to note that CREAR mentorship is only in its second integration. Ms. Cordon was crucial in the pilot version of the program, where she naturally led the group and represented UIC in a national training and presentation.”

– Iliana Miranda, Associate Director, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES)

Shania Cordon

ASAP Assistant Manager, Department of Applied Health and Sciences

Peer Mentor, Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services (LARES)

“Working with Josefina, I have been able to further develop professional workplace skills, such as meeting with students and working with my supervisors in a professional manner, managing skills assigned to me at work, and being flexible if changes arise or if there are walk-in appointments. Josefina has also helped me to learn more about the field of international education which I am now considering working in after I graduate. From sharing her experiences with me, to helping guide me to plan events, to allowing me to work with her to create new training materials, I feel very fortunate to be able to work with her and learn from her knowledge and experience.”

– Claire Dombrowski, Student Employee

“Josefina’s exceptional leadership and management skills are complemented by her commitment to providing invaluable mentorship and training, ensuring that students develop professionally and personally. She has an innate ability to understand the challenges that students face, and she offers clear, supportive communication to guide her student employees in their work.”

– Raegan Duym, Student Employee

“Josefina Vega has been an incredible supervisor since I joined the Study Abroad Office in July 2024. Under her leadership, I have developed essential workplace skills, including effective communication with colleagues, workload management, recognizing when to seek guidance, and receiving feedback constructively.”

– Aubrey Hennig, Student Employee

“Throughout my time in the office, Josefina has consistently encouraged my professional growth. She provides constructive feedback, checks in with me during our weekly meetings, and ensures that I have the support I need to succeed. However, her impact extends beyond the professional level, she genuinely cares about the well-being of everyone in the office. I see her as a mentor, someone who not only guides us in our roles as Peer Advisors but also fosters a positive and understanding work environment. She recognizes the challenges students face in balancing academics, work, and personal responsibilities and has never made me feel like my personal struggles would negatively impact my performance.”

– Lilian Salgado Hurtado, Student Employee

Josefina Vega

Study Abroad Advisor, Study Abroad Office