4 minute read
Staff spotlight
Writing stories
The fall Honors Staff Spotlight focuses on Elizabeth Hughes, who is teaching Honors students how to channel their experiences into career-shaping stories
By Stephanie Schupska
At the beginning of each semester, a handful of undergraduates ask for directions to Elizabeth Hughes’ office. Her workspace—in Room 001 on the ground floor level of Moore College—can be a little tricky to find on the first go, but once students figure out where her office is and the professional advice she is able to give them, they don’t typically get lost again.
Elizabeth is a student affairs professional in the Honors Program. She teaches students how to tell their stories in the most compelling way possible.
In a space bright with windows, more than 350 Honors students a year receive professional development help, which includes feedback on their resumes, tips on cover letter writing, markups on their application essays, and practice preparing for interviews, specifically for advanced degrees and certain scholarships.
“I love working with words,” Elizabeth said, “and I love the creativity, critical thinking, and challenge of this job. Every statement and resume is different, written for a different purpose and expressing a unique story.”
In Elizabeth’s one-on-one appointments with students, the writing and editing skills she gained from years as an English teacher come in handy, whether pointing out quick grammatical fixes, making formatting suggestions, or helping someone connect their ideas in a coherent and compelling way.
Her job, she said, involves listening, thoughtful reflection, honest feedback, critical reading, and openness to different perspectives.
“Writing a personal statement is hard,” Elizabeth said. “It requires a lot of introspection, and it can make one feel a bit vulnerable to put these personal and intellectual motivations down on paper for a stranger to read and evaluate. Students share these reflections in our conversations as they are hashing out how to represent themselves on paper—I am honored to be part of this process.” Elizabeth joined the Honors Program eight years ago, and her job has evolved to serve more and more students each year. She works with all Honors students, from the first-year who wants to talk about the path to medical school or create a first college resume to the fourth-year who is applying to med school, law school, graduate school, Fulbright English teaching assistantships, or graduate research fellowships.
The range also includes midyear students applying for external scholarships, summer research programs, or internships across the globe. In addition to scheduled appointments and drop-in hours in her office, Elizabeth also holds workshops several times a semester, which allow her to work with groups to polish their resumes and cover letters.
Elizabeth coordinates the campus process for the national Boren Awards and the Beinecke Scholarship and advises students for the Critical Language Scholarship and the Pickering and Rangel fellowships. And she heads the Crane Leadership Scholarship, which is awarded to rising third-year Honors students and recognizes leadership in extracurricular activities and/or involvement with civic or community organizations.
Elizabeth’s role is one of the many ways the Honors Program is working
Elizabeth Hughes Student affairs professional, UGA Honors Program
Elizabeth Hughes leads Honors students through the basics of writing a resume during one of the workshops she held this fall.
to add additional value for its students. By having someone within Honors who can work with undergraduates on their application components—and who is housed in Moore College—students have easy access to help.
On a recent afternoon, Elizabeth mentally flipped through the thank you notes and emails she has received during the years she has been with the Honors Program. What stands out to her is that students are often thanking her for helping them with the process, not the end result. “The undergraduates I have worked with have a great perspective on success,” she said. “While so many of them hear good news after they submit their applications, sometimes even highly qualified candidates don’t get selected. Yet even when that happens, students consistently tell me that the process has been important to them. They have become stronger and more confident writers through it, and they are proud of the hard work they put into their applications. And they should be.”
A few notes of thanks
Dear Elizabeth, Thank you so much for all of your help with my medical school applications! Here's an update: I had fun interviewing at many schools and ultimately have decided to go to UT Southwestern. I loved my interview day there and got along well with everyone I met. Thank you for all of your endless editing and encouragement. I could not have made it through without your help! You are so invaluable to UGA students! Best, Stacie Evans (BSA ’18) (Stacie's photo is at her white coat ceremony in November.)
Hi Elizabeth, I hope you are doing well! I wanted to thank you for how much you have helped me during my undergraduate career. I just finished up my first module at MCG! I couldn't have done it without all your support and guidance. At times, it felt like it was easy to get lost at UGA, but you truly made me feel like I was cared for. Best, Naomi Siddiquee (BS ’19, AB ’19)
