Student Worker Profile: Arianna Gomez
Arianna Gomez is a senior from Laurel, MD, who will graduate in May 2021. She is majoring in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) in the Fulton School of Liberal Arts. Arianna likes this program because “it allows me to help people find their voice in a different language. I love learning about various cultures and helping people find the right words for what they would like to express, and majoring in ESOL encompasses both things.” In fact, the ESOL major was a determining factor in Arianna’s decision to transfer to SU after attending Prince George’s Community College. After graduation, Arianna hopes to work as an English as a Second Language (ESL) high school teacher and eventually open her own teaching service for adult ESL. We are happy to report she is also considering working in a public library!
Arianna began working in the SU Libraries in August 2019 at the Circulation Desk, and she quickly became a valued and respected member of the library team. Amy Jones, head of circulation, said, “Arianna has the perfect combination of initiative, creativity, integrity and positivity, and she has contributed many helpful ideas for library services, staffing, and programming.”
Since January 2020, Arianna also has been working in the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) office, helping process requested items and working on special projects. Natasha Finnegan, assistant head of circulation, added, “Arianna has helped us greatly in adapting to changing conditions in the COVID environment, offering sound ideas to improve complicated workflows and quarantining procedures.”
Arianna enjoys working in the library because “all of my coworkers offer great knowledge and advice about different topics, and everyone is very open about respectfully listening to your ideas or opinions and genuinely supporting you in your endeavors. I also love the access I have to books, movies and reading recommendations from my coworkers when they find something I may like!”
Arianna also serves as a student member of the SU Libraries Diversity and Inclusion Committee. According to the committee’s chair, Angeline Prichard: “She is a valuable member of our committee, offering a critically important perspective as a student at SU. She has never been afraid to contribute, despite being the only student amongst staff and faculty, and often takes the initiative. Her Club Picks proposal on behalf of OLAS (Organization of Latin American Students) helped create the process for all future proposals and increased Spanish-language and Hispanic titles in the collection.”
Arianna is an exceptional student and employee, and we are so thankful to have her on our staff!