Interning at UAF's Fittest Winner Competition

Kayli Stanfill is graduating in May 2015 with a degree in business administration and a concentration in finance. She currently works as an accountant for S & S Accounting and Consulting, and plans on pursuing a master’s degree and eventually a doctorate.

Choosing a Business Administration degree
My mother has always been a paragon in the local community and the nonprofit world. She even ventured as far as to start her own small accounting firm, all the while working a full time job and supporting her family. This imbued in me a want to be successful and vital in my community. When I decided to attend UAF, I wanted a degree that would help me to gain profitable skills and enable me to provide service to people. That’s when I found School of Management, and applied to the Business Administration degree program. I have always been extremely artistic and creative, but I also wanted a skill set that could land me a good paying job right out of school, or grant me the ability to start my own business.

Choosing the UAF Fittest Winner Competition
When I discovered there was an internship open that could encompass the skills that I had learned in my college and professional life, I jumped at it. The Fittest Winner Competition (FWC), as it came to be known, became my full responsibility to facilitate and further develop. The internship was amazing, because I was given creative freedom to construct the ideal program for UAF faculty and staff. The program was designed to motivate individuals and teams to get fit and exercise.

I was responsible for maintaining budgets, running meetings, creating marketing materials, hosting and planning events, and giving professional presentations. It felt amazing to be a part of enriching the lives of others – while building an assortment of business know-how.

First-hand learning
The amount of professional information and skills I gained is multitudinous. I learned so much in such a small amount of time. I feel I can now apply for any number of jobs in the professional business world. I have gained a copious amount of management, communications, operations, finance, data entry, and administration skills.

Advice for students
Take advantage of opportunities! Some positions also pay well, and all positions offer an array of necessary skills to advance as an individual and businessperson.

Best thing about interning at UAF Fittest Winner Competition
Some of the best things about my internships were my co-workers, the supportive and appreciative management, the consistent helpful advice, and the feeling I got when a WFC participant would thank me for the work I had been doing because it enriched their life.

Read more about internships here.