Paige Carter

Major: Political Science ; Minors: Global Studies, Professional Writing; Certificate in Public Policy 

HR Intern, Xanterra Travel 

1.) How did you learn about this internship opportunity? 

I had an appointment with Sarah at the Liberal Arts Career Center. I told her about my aspirations to work in a national park, and she helped me search on LinkedIn for companies that worked in national parks. Once we found Xanterra, she helped me look for CLA alumni that I could reach out to, which is how I was introduced to my future boss! 

2.) How has your internship helped build your skills and clarify your career goals?  How do you apply your Liberal Arts skills to your internship?  

This internship allowed me to hone in on many of the soft skills that are critical in any industry. Working with international students, employees across a variety of departments, and park guests allowed me to become a better communicator, particularly on behalf of the company. I have learned how to navigate challenging conversations in a professional and productive manner, something that is necessary when working with anyone. While I might not be seeking an HR career, I have always known that I want to work with people in some capacity, and my time working in HR has given me a wider perspective to understand how to productively do so. Additionally, working in Yellowstone and working directly with the National Park Service allowed me to gain a unique understanding of future opportunities that I could pursue to allow me to keep working in national parks. 

3.) What is a piece of advice you would give someone looking for an internship? 

USE YOUR RESOURCES!!!! It can be so hard to nail down your dream internship, but so many students bypass key methods to improve your chances of getting that offer. Make an appointment with the career center. Network with our huge CLA Alumni pool and tap into their knowledge and industry savvy. These resources are here for you to take advantage of, and they could be the difference between getting that offer or not.

4.) What specific responsibilities have you undertaken during your internship?

My work as Xanterra Travel Collection’s HR intern at Yellowstone largely revolved around helping the Employee Programs Manager facilitate the Bridge Program, a cultural exchange program run through the US State Department that brings international students to the US. Yellowstone is one of the largest employers for the Bridge Program, and this year we had about 650 international students from over 30 countries travel to Yellowstone to work for the summer. I worked to ensure that our participants had the necessary support while preparing to come to the US, navigating the onboarding process, and during their time working in Yellowstone. As you might imagine, there are a lot of logistics that go into bringing 650 international students to work in such a large national park. Most of my work dealt with managing and organizing data for new employee pick-up days, so the necessary departments knew who would be coming that week, where in the park they would be placed, and what jobs they would be working and assisting in processes like applying for a social security number to be eligible to work in the US. I also assisted in maintaining and updating databases that kept track of all of our international employees, so we had up-to-date information on which students were actively working in the park, what village each student was located in, what job they were working, and who had their visas denied and would no longer be traveling to the park. After they settled into the park and began their jobs, I also worked to fulfill the cultural exchange aspect of the Bridge Program by planning and executing cultural trips for the students to explore other areas of the park and the Greater Yellowstone area. This was an incredible opportunity to really connect with the students and learn about their countries and cultures, while also getting to experience the beauty of Yellowstone alongside them. 

5.) In what ways has the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University supported your internship journey? How has your participating in our job-ready program specifically aided your professional development? 

I can wholeheartedly say that I would not have had the opportunity to participate in this internship if I was not a CLA student and I hadn’t utilized the resources available to Liberal Arts students like the CLA Career Center. I learned about this opportunity after I had been connected to a CLA alum who worked in Yellowstone, who later became my internship manager. I also would not have known how to navigate a networking situation like that without the support of the career center staff who pushed me to go outside of my comfort zone and reach for the stars. The Job Ready Award made it possible for me to actually be able to live this dream. Moving from Indiana to Montana was no small task, and the Job Ready program gave me the financial support I needed to make this move happen. Because the Job Ready Award allowed me to live and work in Yellowstone, I have been able to learn so much about my own professional and personal passions. I have gained a deeper understanding of how I can pursue a future working in national parks, and I know more about the wide array of jobs available to me. After this summer and participating in the Job Ready Program, I have a stronger understanding of where I want to be professionally and what I need to do to get there.

6.) Could you highlight a standout aspect of your experience in this program that you find particularly noteworthy? 

While getting to live and work in America’s first national park is an extremely special opportunity in and of itself, I personally loved new employee pick-up days when we would bring new students to the park for the first time. I was always so inspired by how excited they were about Yellowstone, despite the fact that many of them had been traveling for days to get here and they were completely exhausted. Their joy was infectious, and it would reenergize me. Seeing their enthusiasm about Yellowstone was so special, and it was a constant reminder to be grateful for this opportunity even when I might be tired from long work days.