Student Success Story: Karus Sabio

Karus Sabio ’23 is a senior majoring in Political Science on the UConn Stamford campus. Throughout her four years at UConn, she has worked at Apple Inc. and has been involved on campus in various meaningful ways.  Read on to learn more about Karus’ experiences and the advice she has for fellow students.

Lauren Rosenkranz: How did you choose your major and area of academic interest?

Karus Sabio: My advisors provided me with class recommendations that helped me discover my passion for Political Science. I also took many classes that made me realize subjects that I did not want to study which is helpful during this period of exploration.

I started at UConn as a part-time student because I was working full-time, and I originally thought it would take 5+ years to graduate. However, once I found my passion points at UConn, my work life and school life began to merge, allowing me to take more classes. I have continued to work 35+ hours at a tech company (Apple) while graduating within 4 years (May 2023). If you reach out to professors and take what you need to succeed, it is possible to supplement your academic and professional journeys without compromising self-development.

LR: How did you find out about your current position?

KS: I applied directly on the site of my employer of interest. Handshake also helped me connect with other companies and network with UConn alumni.

LR: How did you go about identifying internal promotional opportunities and preparing for your interviews?

KS: Development is self-driven, and therefore I understood how important advocacy was (and still is) in my role. Reaching out to my peers and managers regularly to seek and provide feedback led me to additional avenues that promoted growth within my company. To prepare for the interviews, I utilized the Career Center at school to conduct mock interviews, which helped me feel prepared for all my interviews. Scheduling these appointments ahead of time allowed me to digest feedback and continue to workshop my interview stories. I am very grateful to the career center for making professional development accessible!

LR: What do you feel are some skills or competencies that are essential for success in your fields?

KS: Self-advocacy has continued to be a central key to success along with effective communication, and an action-oriented attitude. It is easy to take adversity as an excuse to stop trying, however, it is harder to persevere so, this willingness to try-fail and still try again are instrumental in leveraging resilience in any pursuit, whether it is academic, personal, or professional.

LR: Particularly as a student of color, what advice would you have for other students from diverse backgrounds at UConn?

KS: I have been discouraged by the lack of representation in roles that I am seeking, or by mentors that do not always understand the discrete discrimination embedded in professional environments, however, it is important to be the leader you want to see. When you continue to act and use resources to get to where you want to go, you are empowering yourself. When you finally reach your goal, pay it forward.

LR: What advice would you give to current UConn students who are looking to follow the same career path?

KS: You will be told no more times than you will be told yes, however, resilience shapes your story and the narrative is up to you. So don’t give up or feel defeated when you are told no in an interview because it only takes one yes!

By Lauren Rosenkranz
Lauren Rosenkranz Career Consultant - Stamford Campus Pronouns: she/her/hers