Pedro Badillo
Graduate Assistant (He/Him/His)
In my role at the Career Center, my primary work is to guide students through the Senior Year Experience course so they can be prepared for post-graduation. Through this course, students will be introduced to career readiness, transitioning, evaluating job offers, goal setting, work culture, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI), balance of life, communication skills, and financial literacy. I also go over student resumes so they can get feedback and advice so they can be confident about their resume. I want to see individuals prosper in whatever they do, and that is why I am pursuing a career as a guidance counselor.
Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut
Things I enjoy: I enjoy playing video games, listening to music (open to all types), cooking, as well as reading and watching anime (my favorite being, The Rising of the Shield Hero).
Advice to students: If you need help, and are afraid to contact anyone, know you are not alone. I encourage you to try your best because there were a lot of times where I was hesitant to speak up but once I started, it opened a whole new world of opportunities for myself.
Education
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Master of Arts in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in School Counseling, May 2025
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology Sciences, May 2023
Favorite Project: PSYC 2100WQ Research assignment. I was in a group that decided to tackle how Covid-19 affected students with their classes at UConn. Our class had to learn everything about how to find relevant articles on our topic, figure out our main question, learn a stats program, conduct research, gather data, analyze that data, create a research essay, and to end the class off, we had to present our findings to bystanders.
Previous Roles
Student Administrator Assistant- Facilities Operation Center – UConn, Storrs Mansfield, CT
Wellness Manager/ Assistant Shift Supervisor – New Britain Parks, Recreation & Community Services Department, CT
Avery Caya
Graduate Assistant, CLAS/Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (They/Them/Theirs)
In my role at the Center for Career Development I work on the planning, creation, and implementation of programs and events focused on the ways in which students’ identities impact their career development, some examples being employer and alumni panels, workshops, webinars, presentations, and networking events. In addition I also write blog posts and create social media posts highlighting various areas of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. I am also a member of the Center’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, DE&I, where I assist with the creation of career events for our Affinity Communities alongside an amazing team of people.
I am currently in the Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) masters program at UConn. I love being able to see students grow into themselves and thrive, which is what drove me to pursue student affairs as a career! As a member of the LGBTQ+ community with experience in student advocacy and community building I understand the importance of students having access to spaces where they can fully and confidently explore all aspects of themselves and how their identities intersect, and I want to be someone who creates those spaces and advocates for the safety and inclusion of all students.
Bio
Hometown: Cumberland, RI
Things I enjoy: In my downtime I enjoy playing video games and tabletop games, reading fantasy or horror novels, cooking, drawing, going for walks, and listening to music (especially goth rock, darkwave, and post-punk).
Advice to students: Seek out clubs, organizations, and centers that you feel you can be yourself fearlessly in, and you’ll always have a place where you feel welcomed and embraced. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there! As an undergrad student, joining clubs and organizations surrounding my identities and my interests made me so many friends and helped me gain a sense of belonging and community at my university. Participating in events at cultural centers also provided so many opportunities for me that wouldn’t have been there if I hadn’t put myself out there!
Education
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies
Favorite Project: Being the co-chair of the curriculum subcommittee of the university’s Trans Inclusion Committee! It was such an eye opening experience to see what goes into the creation of the curriculum for various classes and what goes into department reviews. It was also very rewarding to work towards changes to create an inclusive and welcoming campus for future generations of transgender and non-binary students!
Previous Roles
- Part-Time Coordinator of Creative Marketing – URI Gender & Sexuality Center, Kingston, RI
Katie Nguyen
Graduate Assistant, Programming (She/Her/Hers)
In my role at the Center for Career Development, I work on supporting the programming team with the implementation and development of initiatives for the Career Center. As a department, we schedule over 600+ events, presentations, and workshops where we are responsible for organizing the information and providing the proper information for the events.
I am getting my master’s in Speech Language Pathology. I love being able to interact with others and making a difference in the way they communicate! I went to UConn for my undergraduate studies as well where I was fortunate enough to work at the Information Center at the Student Union. It allowed me to gain experience in customer service and learn more about UConn which ultimately made me want to continue my education here!
Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut
Things I enjoy: I enjoy eating, cooking, traveling, hosting and planning events, and spending time with my friends and family.
Advice to students: Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way even if it may not align with your major or career path! You never know what skills and experiences you will gain that will be transferable to your career path.
Education
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Bachelor’s or Arts, Speech Language and Hearing Students & Human Development and Family Studies
Previous Roles
Information Center Attendant – UConn Student Union, Storrs, CT
Damiao Zoe Xu
Graduate Assistant, Graduate Student and Postdoc Career Programs and Services (She/Her/Hers)
In my role, I develop and facilitate career programs that aim to help graduate students (master’s and doctoral) and postdoctoral fellows with their career exploration and preparation. I enjoy seeing various career choices unfolded for graduate students and postdocs through our signature career events such as Expand Your Career Options, Employer Insights, and Navigating U.S. Job & Internship Search. I also love exploring and learning different ways that help enhance user-friendly experience in online career training and curriculum. As a doctoral student in the Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy program with a concentration in Adult Learning, I enjoy making connections and applying what I learn from my academic program to career projects.
Bio
Hometown: Guangdong, China
Things I enjoy: When I’m not working or studying, I like reading to my preschooler, making up silly songs with her, practicing ukulele, and taking a walk with my husband.
Education
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Doctor of Philosophy, Adult Learning
Favorite Project: Qualitative research paper on adult students’ challenges and support received in online courses during the pandemic
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Master of Arts, Applied English Linguistics
Favorite Project: Social linguistic project on languages and identity
Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China
Bachelor of Arts, English Literature
Favorite Experience: Being a volunteer teacher for elementary school students in a rural district in Hainan, China
Previous Roles
- Blended Learning Specialist – The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Instructor – The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Mobile Learning Content Developer – Tung Wah College, Hong Kong, China
- Language Ambassador – Baptist University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
