Alumna’s UCF Experiences Help Her Land Job in New York
One look at Sabrina Stein’s, ’10, resume and you would be impressed with her list of accomplishments. From juggling part-time jobs to holding many leadership positions within student organizations to multiple presentations at conferences, Stein is a great example of a how student pursuing experience in their field while in college can lead to a career after graduation, or in her case, even earlier.
“My education at UCF was essential in getting to where I am today, said Stein. “The help that I received from UCF faculty and staff allowed me to reach my goals. They forced me to think beyond my years at UCF and to have a plan.”
Stein holds multiple degrees from UCF including two bachelor’s degrees, one in political science and one in French. In Aug. 2012, She received her master’s degree in political science graduating Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA. Six months prior to graduating, she was offered a job as a program associate at the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum, a program of the Social Science Research Council in New York, a position she still holds today.
Prior to taking the position with the Social Science Research Council, most of Stein’s work experience was within UCF. She worked for almost three years as a student assistant at the UCF International Services Center, and during graduate school, she spent over a year as a teaching assistant for the UCF Political Science Department. In an effort to gain more experience, Stein also sought out opportunities to get involved as a student through various clubs and activities, which not only helped her make friends but allowed her to develop skills outside of the classroom. Stein served as a member and officer of United Nations Association at UCF, in the roles of secretary and vice president. She was also a member and officer of Pi Sigma Alpha and served president of Political Science Association (PSA) for a year before graduating.
“My experience working with UNA at UCF was amazing. It allowed me to travel around the country, meet some of my best friends, and to top it off, much of what I learned during my years at UNA about the United Nations is knowledge that I use for my job today,” said Stein.
When asked how the UCF Creed has inspired the work that she does, Stein reflects by noting that the creed has become part of her everyday life. In her current job, her work requires scholarship in that she is constantly doing research, learning about new issues and ways to tackle these in a positive way. Additionally, much of her work, which focuses on helping the United Nations, is inspired by the belief that everyone lives in a global community and that society should strive to make a difference, locally and globally. With this in mind, she also volunteers with a program that empowers girls to graduate from high school and attend college, providing them with a support system that allows them to focus on their education. Finally, integrity and excellence is what she feels society should strive for in life regardless of an individual’s role. She expresses that individuals must have integrity to earn the respect of others and to become great leaders.
Since graduating from UCF, Stein has stayed connected with the university through her previous professors. She also serves as an email mentor for the Honors College mentoring program, which she says is a great way to stay connected with current political science students and allows her to assist them with their professional future. She also attended her first alumni networking reception in New York, where she met UCF President, Dr. Hitt, and other UCF alumni.
As for Stein’s advice to current students, she shares, “You can go through four years of college and not leave a mark, or you can make it four years of development and growth that will have far-reaching repercussions in your personal and professional life. UCF offers everything that you need to be successful. However, you have to take advantage of those opportunities in order to make it count. I think this is something that translates beyond UCF. In general, life is what you make of it, and it is up to us to take advantage of the opportunities that we have.”