Rebekah Blackwelder: Employee Spotlight

I am very much a creature of habit; change is intimidating to me. I struggle with anxiety, and I knew that this huge jump would be something that would be quite challenging for me. I was super excited to come to college but was also incredibly nervous about the new chapter of my life. I was so used to being in my hometown; my family, friends, school, places to go, and things to do. Now, I was going to a place that I was not as accustomed to. Next level of education, classes are different, unfamiliar people, new surroundings, and in a town on the complete opposite side of the state from where my hometown is. It was all a lot to take in and comprehend. Two of my biggest worries by far were figuring out my path for education, what I wanted to do, being successful in my classes, etc., and finding my people. 

I knew the direction of my career that I aspired to be in was competitive and thus I had to make sure I made the most of my years at college. I wanted to be involved, participate in what I could, and overall make the most out of the 4 years I had in this town. 4 years seemed like a long time then but feels so incredibly short now that I am a senior and have 1 semester left. One thing that I wanted to navigate was an on-campus job. I thought it would be a great idea because I could get connected with other students who I may not have classes with due to varying majors and classes. I would also be able to have an income where I could have my own money to use for things I wanted. Especially in the dorms, I wanted to always have on hand some snacks or meals that I could heat up if I needed to. My sister was a junior at ECU at the time and I remember she had worked at the Eakin Student Recreation Center for some time and told me how much she had enjoyed it! I was interested mostly in being a lifeguard due to my experience. I had been lifeguarding every summer since I was 15 and it was a job that was very comfortable to me, especially considering the new environment I had been thrown into. I asked her how to apply, how to find job openings, and so on. She couldn’t remember the direct website to apply but had the email address for one of the previous supervisors of the Aquatics department, Justin Waters, that I could reach out to. I reached out to inquire about the position and how to apply. Justin’s response was incredibly timely, and he provided me with the link to apply and the supervisor’s email in case I had any other questions as well. To me that was very reassuring and eased my nerves a little bit, it showed me that the staff truly have the best interest of students and are always there to help.  

I was incredibly nervous to do my interview for the job and remember calling my mom almost in tears due to being so anxious. I did the interview and felt relief afterward that everything had gone well, and sure enough, I got an email that I was given the job! I was so ecstatic and felt so accomplished to have gotten my first job in this new place. The next nerve-racking aspect would be acclimating to my other coworkers who were all unknown to me. I am incredibly social, but I can be quite shy when I first meet new people. After my first few awkward shifts of being quieted by my nerves, I started to make friends and work with a lot of my coworkers. I was able to be incredibly social at work and talk about school with my coworkers. Some of them even had similar majors or courses as me and could provide advice as they were older than me or had already taken specific courses that I would eventually have to. My coworkers became people that I could trust and confide in when need be, as well as make fun of our job while doing all the things needed throughout the shift. I found a real joy in coming to work and it gave me a break from doing homework in the Joyner Library. The friends I was making were great and it gave me some security that I had made the right decision about choosing ECU as my home for the next 4 years. Especially, since social life was a big concern of mine from the start. I will never forget working one of my very first shifts as a lifeguard and one of the facility managers was doing rounds and came into the pool to check on us. The facility manager gave me so many compliments and was extraordinarily friendly to me. He made me feel super seen and appreciated. And now 3 years later, that facility manager is one of my very best friends and works in the main office with me.  

Before attending college, I went to a college preparatory charter school. The layout was incredibly structured and helped students organize priorities and manage their time. My job as a lifeguard on campus helped me build that structure in college. It did not allow me to have elongated periods of free time, which I knew could cause me to be lazy or not get my schoolwork done as efficiently. I know I thrive on a schedule and the implementation of a job would help keep me in line. My job as a lifeguard truly gave me an immense amount of confidence in my abilities and what I was capable of doing. I think it promoted me to be super ambitious and highlighted the incredible skillset I have as well as expanded upon those skills. These skills aren’t just beneficial as a student but will be extremely useful and pertinent in my future career. I have since joined multiple clubs, organizations, and honor societies that align with my career goals and interests. All of them thrive on volunteer and service work in the community, as well as provide a group of fellow students to be able to bounce off of and discuss those career goals and the path to get there. I would have never thought before college that I would be as involved in campus life as I am now. My social anxiety would have never even given me an ounce of thought to put myself out there and get involved and meet other like-minded people. Not only did this ambition drive my campus involvement, but it made me eager to broaden my skills even further. My coworkers who are now my friends, as well as my supervisors at the ESRC have been nothing but supportive and encouraging. They have pushed me to obtain positions that I never would have before. I now am a Program Assistant of Aquatics as well as a Facility Manager. I would never have even considered that I would have had the qualifications to succeed in those roles in the first place. The environment at ECU CRW has been nothing but welcoming and promotes so much growth for its students. I have made a plethora of friends who are now my very best friends. Everyone wants to see you do well. The full-time staff are always there for any type of assistance you need. Whether it’s related to work, school, and or future career goals. 

Working at ECU CRW even gave me the goal to become a tour guide for the campus, but keep in mind I hate talking in front of people much less big crowds. Again, something I would never have done before. I am now a Lead tour guide and the families that I have given campus tours always are so appreciative and have even emailed my supervisor personally to express how amazing of a tour I gave.  

I can without a doubt say that working at the ECU CRW was one of the best decisions I made and it 100% has been the most contributing factor to all of the amazing things that I have accomplished and the growth I have made for the past few years I have been here. The support system is outstanding, and the knowledge you gain, and the interpersonal skills; you just can’t beat it. The full-time staff understands that you are a student first and are super open to communication. They are someone to lean on and go to if need be. I have met so many people and made some of my very best friends from the ECU CRW, and to think of how different my life would be without working there is sad. The impact it has had on me is detrimental and I mean that in the most positive way possible. It has strengthened me and completely gotten me out of my shy, scared little shell. I was able to easily transition to college with others around me going through the same process, older coworkers who were able to give advice and tips, and the full-time staff who made it evident that they were they to help in whatever aspect they could.  

When I think about if I went to any other college, I contemplate whether or not I would be as proud as I am of myself today. But the bigger thing is, when I think about not being a part of the ECU CRW family, I know that I never could have gotten to this point without being a part of something so grand as this. ECU CRW is not just a building, recreation field, or sports complex. It is a community, a group to be a part of, and people who push you to be your best and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how big or small. It’s the people that make the place, and I can genuinely say that those same people have played a huge role in the person I have grown to be today. I am successfully balancing multiple on-campus jobs, active involvement in campus life, as well as maintaining a full coursework load. I am being the absolute best version of myself every day and it’s all because of the people I decided to surround myself with. All of my friends who end up attending ECU always ask my opinion on working at ECU CRW and if they should apply. My response without any hesitation is “Yes, you would be making a huge mistake to not consider it”. As I will soon be finishing my years here at ECU. I owe a huge thank you to everyone involved with ECU CRW. Words cannot describe how much you all have done for me or mean to me. I will be so sad to leave, but I know I will be leaving in the best state of mind knowing that I am ready to take on whatever is up to me next. I want all students to be able to feel that way when they graduate, and I think ECU CRW was the biggest factor in that. Loyal and Bold, roll Pirates!