Beavers Beyond OSU is an opportunity for students and alumni to share a successful internship, career related 
experience, project or study abroad opportunity. Perhaps you’ve discovered a new passion or created a start-up. Or you’ve had a life transforming experience that can inspire and educate others on ways to find intentional careers. If you have a story to share, we’d love to hear from you.
To share your story, please submit your interest below.
Name: Jillian Grant
Major: Human Development and Family Sciences, Child Development Option
Year: Senior/4th year
Where did you study abroad? Paderborn and Gutersloh, Germany
What were your titles? Day Camp Counselor and Day Camp Director the next year with Camp Adventure Youth Services.
What did you do? The first year I was a camp counselor in a day camp for children of the British Army. It was my responsibility to create a program of songs, games, and other activities for a 5-week summer camp on a British military base in Germany. As a day camp director, I was responsible for overseeing a staff of five counselors. I assisted them in developing and running a program for another five-week camp for children of the British military staff
What population did you primarily serve? Military families.
How did you hear about your study abroad experience/internship? I heard about the internship from an education related listserv. Camp Adventure posted on the listserv about the program and I emailed the person in charge of recruitment.
What did you gain personally and professionally from this experience? Personally, I learned a lot about myself because I was in another country, away from all of my friends and family and was surrounded by other cultures. I became much more adaptive than I was previously, and learned to be more culturally sensitive. I feel that I matured professionally and was able to take on a supervisor role, as well as becoming a liaison between Camp Adventure and the British Army.
What did you learn about yourself? I learned that I am much more flexible and adaptive than I thought. There were days where I didn’t know what base I would be working on or who I would be working with until I was in the car with my supervisor on the way there in the morning. I also learned that I could get along with and work with anyone, regardless of their backgrounds. Being in Germany, on a British military base, I was immersed to three different cultures (British, German, Military) and I had to be culturally sensitive and respectful.
What skills did you develop or learn? I gained a lot of communication skills because I was responsible for communicating with parents and military staff on a daily basis to make sure the programs we were running were going well. I also developed leadership skills because I was in charge of a staff of five counselors. I became more adaptive and flexible because it was necessary to be successful throughout the summer.
How did your education/experiences help to prepare you for this type of job? My degree has an emphasis in child development, so I had a lot of knowledge of children and their needs. I also had experience working with children as a volleyball coach, through volunteering at an elementary school, and as a nanny, so I knew how to work with children.
What information can you share with your peers or others interested in this field? Camp Adventure is an amazing opportunity to develop your skills working with children. Take advantage of a study abroad experience. You can earn college credit through this opportunity. The most important thing to do is to be adaptive to any situation in order to be the most successful.
Marian Moore, Career Development Coordinator/Career Counselor in Career Services at OSU is passionate about empowering others holistically to find meaningful and sustainable careers that promote lifestyle optimization. Interests: Career Coaching, Talent and Human Capital Management, Curriculum Design and Development, International Education, Personal Branding, Organizational Development, Entrepreneurship, Global Economic Development, Human Rights and Immigrant and Refugee advocacy.
