Jessica Alexander is moving forward to a new job this quarter that will allow her to look back.
Alexander, a 2009 UCLA alumna, returned to campus to support the undergraduate student government. She said her connection to the Bruin community drew her back when she was searching for a job in higher education.
“Even though you’ve graduated and moved on with your life, you will still always have this home,” Alexander said. “You will still have that connection that when you see another Bruin, that’s family.”
Alexander’s job will consist of supporting student government and managing The Green Initiative Fund, which funds environmental sustainability projects. As the student government services manager, she teaches student groups that have been awarded funds how to access the money for their programs.
Recently, Alexander has worked on the applications for a mini-fund program, determining fund approval and ensuring that the Undergraduate Students Association Council will vote on approval.
She replaced Patty Zimmerman, who left to work at UC Irvine as an assistant director of a volunteer program at the end of 2016 after seven years at UCLA. Roy Champawat, ASUCLA Student Union director, said Zimmerman felt she had learned all she could and thought her new job provides her more opportunity for growth.
Champawat said he chose Alexander to fill the position because of her understanding of UCLA’s complexity and strong communication skills.
“This is a supportive position,” Champawat said. “So I was really looking for a person with judicious command of language,”
Champawat said Alexander will need to facilitate meetings and help USAC student officers actualize their visions. He added he thinks Alexander’s transition is going smoothly.
“In this position, it’s a lot about less words and more listening,” he said. “I have been pleased and impressed with how she is getting a handle on the pretty broad scope of her position.”
Before coming to UCLA, Alexander worked for six years at an educational nonprofit called the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching in Santa Monica. There, she worked as a senior research assistant and support services specialist who managed grants.
“I have been in K-12 education for the last six years and I’ve really enjoyed it, but I thought a lot about working at a university,” Alexander said.
Alexander said she hopes to incorporate her past experience into her new role at USAC. She added she plans to rely on her background in logistics and research to streamline processes and make things go more smoothly for council members.
“I want to provide operational support so they don’t have to stress about those types of things,” she added.
Danny Siegel, USAC President, said he thinks Zimmerman’s role was fundamental to the funding and advising of USAC council members.
“I have had a chance to talk to her a few times at council meetings and she has really embraced this role,” Siegel added. “She is taking to heart the support of the council and I am looking forward to what she is going to bring to the table.”
Debra Geller, administrative representative to USAC, said she is excited to partner with Alexander in supporting USAC, and is confident Alexander will bring creativity to her job.
“Based on the report she gave at council this week, it appears she has hit the ground running,” Geller said.
Alexander said she thinks her education at UCLA helped shape her career path.
When she was admitted to UCLA she hoped to pursue a career in science, but decided to major in sociology instead. She discovered her interest in education when she participated in UCLA’s mentorship program for students in North Hollywood. Alexander said the program taught her how she could impact the community through education.
Getting a chance to give back to the same community that helped shape her has been one of the highlights of becoming the student government services manager, she said.
“It’s kind of a full circle being able to take advantage of all the resources as a student, and now coming back as an employee and support some of the same programs,” Alexander said. “That’s why I feel it’s so rewarding.”
Alexander said attending council meetings and working with USAC has given her a different perspective of the university she attended as an undergraduate student.
“As a student, you might attend a lot of events that are put on by the council, but you won’t necessarily get the bigger picture on why and how the programming is happening,” Alexander said.