Work-study experience enriches student's time at King's
September 16, 2022
Elizabeth Hauspie, 4th Year Bachelor of Social Work student, recently finished her time as a work-study student with the King’s Communications and Media Relations department. She reflects that the experience improved her ability to work cooperatively with a team and taught her to be confident in her work and abilities.
“Not only was I a part of an amazing team, but I was able to grow professionally while working for King’s,” says Hauspie, who was a work study for Communications from June 2020 to August 2022.
Hauspie filmed the first video for King’s TikTok account when it was launched in August 2020 and quickly became one of the primary content creators for the account. The account has grown to over 1500 followers and has won two communication awards.
“Working on the King’s TikTok account was such a great learning experience. It was eye-opening to see all the work and dedication that goes into social media, especially the editing process,” says Hauspie.
Being a work-study student also gave her the opportunity to network with others on campus. “I met members of the King’s community, heard their stories, met student leaders, chatted with faculty, and showcased King’s campus and people on TikTok,” she says.
Hauspie’s expertise with TikTok and social media was so valued by the Communications and Media Relations department that she joined Communications Supervisor Chantal Quagliara in presenting a webinar, “How to Use TikTok for Small Businesses,” to the London Small Business Centre in August 2022.
“It was a great opportunity to meet local business owners in the London area and discuss the success of the King’s TikTok account and how we have grown it,” says Hauspie.
Hauspie also supported King’s Communications and Media Relations department by creating Instagram Stories, graphics for course promotions, GIFs for convocation, photo editing and posters for events. She gained experience working with apps like Giphy, Photoshop, and Canva to gain skills and techniques in creating and editing graphic content. She also worked with professors and students learning more about the courses that King’s offers.
She also learned the value of communication, teamwork, problem-solving and other transferable skills. “The work-study program added to my professional experience. I can take what I learned and transfer my skills into my academics and future career goals. Because of the skills King’s helped me develop in the work-study program, I feel more prepared to enter the workforce after graduation,” says Hauspie.
What Hauspie enjoyed most about being a work-study with Communications and Media Relations were the connections she created with her colleagues. She felt like “an integral part of the team and I became a student voice that was valued by the larger King’s community.”
Hauspie would encourage any student to apply to be a work study. “Not only is there flexibility while working on campus, but employers at King’s do their best to accommodate students. I could work on campus while making money and attending school without feeling overwhelmed with the number of hours I was working,” she says.