This month, the Lumen staff chose to feature Samantha (Sam) Street, a senior Business Administration major, for her occupations and involvement both on and off campus. As well as being a freelance writer for the Lumen, Street has given her time and effort to Sustainability Club as Treasurer and is currently in a leadership position for the Breaking Barriers Diversity Club. She has maintained this involvement even after moving off campus and starting work at the Dunkin’ Donuts location on Losey Boulevard. She says about her job, “A lot of employees [at Dunkin’] are from UW-L, so [I get to learn] how they go about their classes and free time. It’s kind of nice to have that same connection, [as you’re all] taking classes, but you have two different experiences. I think I have learned more empathy working at Dunkin’.” 

Before and during her baker-barista career, Street has held several student-worker positions around campus for the Offices of Residence Life and Alumni Relations, as well as the Copy and Mail Center. She highlights her work with Alumni Relations, noting, “I help with media posts and work behind the scenes. I also attend events to assist Kathy Duerwachter. I put a lot of effort into communicating with alumni for different kinds of events. I love seeing and listening to their stories. Even alumni from ten years ago had such a different experience than we do now and it’s just cool to see how things change so quickly.” 

When it comes to her coursework, which includes a minor in Human Resources Management, Street says that her most impactful course has been “MGMT-322: Talent Management.” There, she appreciated the engagement and responsibility provided by projects in rotating groups. Street noted, “It’s easier to relate when a smaller group of people are doing things; it’s easy to reach out and be honest instead of just hiding. Because you actually have a part in what you’re doing, you need to know what you’re talking about.” 

As she will be graduating in May of this year, Street is looking forward to her future as well. She became engaged in December of 2021 and is currently looking forward to the possibilities inside and outside of her career path. As Florida is a favorite destination for travel and visiting family, Street says, “My dream job is to work in Human Resources at Disney World so I can have in-depth conversations with Mickey Mouse about his career.” 

Looking back on her previous three years of college work, an individual instructor stands out to her whom she would like to thank. At the beginning of college, she remembers, “Emily Dykman was the one who brought me to Viterbo and made me feel welcome. She was the ‘rock’ I needed in a professor.” She also credits her parents for motivating her to keep going when times got tough.  

After graduation, Street hopes to spend some time working in La Crosse before moving to a bigger city with more diverse job opportunities. The Lumen staff wishes her the best of luck with all her future endeavors.