Maverick Advantage PDF

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There are multiple resources around the University of Texas at Arlington that I may not even realize or that other students may not know about. Especially coming in as a transfer student, most of us are just looking to get the rest of the classes out of the way and graduate. We don’t stop and look for tips and tools that can help us advance in school and after in the real world. A major and probably one of the most important is using Handshake. Having a work network that is only available to UT-Arlington students automatically makes it easier for the students to find jobs on campus and around the area. Another one is the Lockheed Martin Career Development Center setting up its students to already have some sort of plan ready for after graduation. The Student Success Help Desk and Student Success Advocates help ensure that every student succeeds. By providing academic and non-academic solutions to complex issues that could negatively impact achievement and persistence, the staff assists all students. With Success U, students will gain direct experience learning skills required for academic success in college from faculty and student leaders and participating in hands-on programs that will ease anxiety while they are here. There is also the Maverick Resource Hotline which helps connect students with answers to their questions using a referral-based service. If you need to know about the location, certain operating hours, or information for a clinic or lab, or if you need help understanding a campus policy, students can find the answers they need there. I think another thing that helps is as new students go through these programs, they can later turn around and help with future students. For example, the peer academic leader and residence assistant are great ways since we have seen firsthand how it works and we can gain advice from those in current positions on how to present it to the following classes to come. Recently I attended the Maverick Theatre Company’s production of “Love and Information” and their first annual

Maverick Cabaret. I normally try to make it a mission while I’m in school that if I am not in the production whether as a part of the cast or crew, that I will go see each one of them. Because the theatre and dance program is so huge and so many people have worked at other theatres across the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex area. Even though I only acted in one show so far, the amount of connections I have made is more than what I thought I was capable of. I think something that played a factor was meeting someone in another show that I did at my last school who recently graduated from here and she knew a good number of people that I have met this semester. By putting myself out there, there are many people from my peers to the staff that I’m trying to get to know better or at least keep my name in their minds. Also, I’m not sure if other colleges here do this, but we have mentors that help us with whatever we need and we talk to them about work outside of school and during the summer. Whenever I think that I may not have access to the tools I need I realize there are different parts of the program that can help me in that specific area. One class that the department requires us to take is a practicum class teaching us hands-on about working in whichever field we choose to go to. So there is lighting, sound, costume, props, and more. Recently they added a teaching practicum which will help those who possibly want to become theatre teachers about how to make a program, direct a show, work behind the scenes with tech, and other aspects that you would do as a middle or high school teacher. I think for my major and career path in the future I could benefit from global engagement, community development, and career development. Since being in the theatre community, I have realized how giant the community is and how everyone knows someone, and also how important your reputation is. I think it can be easier volunteering or helping with functions going on throughout the year because you get to know more about

the event and the people who are running it. Often times you gain information about what it’s like to be in that area. Recently I have volunteered at a UIL Conference and I met one of the guys who has been running it since the beginning but now does one of the sessions on the side. For someone like me who never got the chance to attend a UIL convention, it was nice to see a smaller side of it. Career development is important because working in theatre essentially means always looking for work and new projects to be a part of. With each new one you’re building your resume and it’s very important to keep a good image because you never expect your future director to know someone that you have previously worked with to call them and ask about you. Of course, you have to stay true to yourself, but everywhere you go you’re auditioning for the next part. Global engagement plays a big part because even though you may never go out of the country, there’s still a big network to keep up with. It’s important to have a respect and understanding when it comes to global work because it allows you to connect with people and possibly learn about other cultures outside of what you know. With everything evolving quickly I think keeping up with updates and people across the globe will better my career down the line....