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Name:
Wendy (Sidener) Taylor
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Residence:
Plainfield, Indiana
Graduation Year:
2003
Major:
Human Services and Social Work
Minor:
Theatre
Why did you choose SJC?
One of the most important reasons I chose Saint
Joseph's College was the number of extracurricular activities offered on
campus, as well as the number that were created by the students themselves.
I knew that if I had an interest not represented by a club in existence,
I could create one. I also liked that it was relatively close to home and
the same size of my high school. As a student, what were you involved in?
I was President of Cup O' Joe (the campus's coffeehouse)
and Gallagher Charitable Society, and I was also a Freshman Leader. Organizations
and clubs I was involved with include Alpha Lambda Delta and Delta Epsilon
Sigma honor societies, Jazz Madrigal Singers, BACCHUS (Boost Alcohol Consciousness
Concerning the Health of University Students), SAFER (Students Active For
Ending Rape), color guard, show choir, and chorus. I also completed two practicums and two internships while at SJC. My first practicum took place during the first semester of my junior year at Wabash Valley Outpatient Hospital in Rensselaer, where I observed counseling sessions and dealt with clientele, maintained files, and fielded phone calls. At the same time, I was working for my second practicum at Four County Counseling Center in Winamac, Indiana, where I was a Co-Therapist and chose topics for the substance abuse group sessions that took place there. During my senior year, I participated in my two internships: one with the Grant Writing Department at SJC, and the other with Goodwill Industries of Central Indiana, Inc. in Indianapolis, a partner with Indiana's WorkOne and a company dedicated to helping people prepare for, find, and keep jobs and maximizing their overall job search efforts. I was a Case Manager Intern for Goodwill, and my duties included critiquing clients' interview techniques, conducting mock interviews - anything and everything that would help a person in his/her employment search. Before graduation, a full-time position with the same set of duties became available, and I was offered the job.
What are you doing now?
I work for the State of Indiana in the Marion County Office of Family and Children.
How did SJC prepare you for the "real world"?
The classes I took for my Human Services and Social
Work degree gave me plenty of experience dealing with individuals and groups,
which is something I do at Goodwill. In fact, my having that experience
was one of the reasons I was hired as an intern. Also, through the Career
Development Center, I learned how to write a resume, conduct myself in a
job interview, and was given opportunities to network with potential employers.
It was because of my attendance at an SJC-sponsored job fair to College
Talent Recruitment Day in Indianapolis, Indiana, that allowed me to make
contact with Goodwill. At Saint Joseph's College, the faculty and staff
have enough faith in their students to let them take initiative in implementing
new ideas and programs on campus.
