Tell us a little bit about yourself

My name is Brielle Bird and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a UC lead building manager and reservationist in the Facilities department. I have been working in the UC for 2 years!

Tell us a little bit about your department
Both the Building Managers and Reservations Office work hand in hand with making sure the UC is effective and efficient in both hosting meetings and events while also keeping the building safe and clean! I get to not only reserve rooms for students and staff on campus but also get to physically set the rooms when the time comes! Overall, our department is crucial in making sure all students and staff can have a welcoming environment to connect and meet one another.

What does an average day look like working for the UC? What does your position entail?
An average day as a Building Manager is when I arrive at 4:30 and check in with the Reservations office for any updates on the day. I then usually open/close rooms, set rooms, and make sure the building is clean and safe. Once it gets close to closing time, I start my closing tasks such as new door cards, daily events, and turning off any lights, TVs, and fireplaces. I also make sure everyone is out of the building by closing time and then I close up the building!

An average day as a Reservationist depends on the week. Some weeks we are busy with emails, calls, and constant reservation requests both in the UC and Academic spaces. We also schedule advising meetings, create door cards, daily event sheets, and hall table sheets for the set up and building managers to put up. We also communicate with a lot of different departments here and on campus as well. Each day is very unique and there is always something to do!

What does being a UC employee mean to you?
Being a UC employee has given me the chance to create so many great connections, skills, knowledge, and responsibilities as a working student on campus. I have grown so much since joining here in January 2021 and can’t wait to see how the building and the culture progress through the rest of my time here! Becoming a UC employee has been one of my best decisions here as well. I have a great place to go not only to financially help but also relax, study, and help others which is my favorite.

What are some of the most memorable days/moments working for the UC?
I think one of my most memorable moments working here have been when UW Systems President (at the time) Tommy Thompson visited since our university reached the COVID-19 vaccination record during the Fall of 2021. I also recently had a Building Manager/Set up social where we got to play Mario Kart in Summers, I highly recommend!

Why should students visit the UC?
The UC is such a great place to socialize, study, and meet with others. It is truly the heart of campus and provides not only a safe and welcoming environment, but it brings all of us students and staff together. It has so many great resources as well for any students that may need help.

How will your position at the UC help you in your future career?

With working two jobs here at the UC, this job not only has taught me leadership and teamwork but also time management. I have really learned how to prioritize my time to make sure I stay ahead but also not too overworked. I believe it has been so important to manage time and will definitely continue my practices once I graduate and move on to a post-college career. Working both independently and with others has also helped me become capable of handling both situations and I know I can always reach out to others if needed, and same if they need to reach out to me.

How do you balance school, work, extracurricular activities, and a social life?
Like I mentioned prior, time management has been so crucial. With taking 18 credits, I make sure to get my homework done during any gaps during the week. For work, once I have a concrete schedule I can work my other activities around this as well, I make sure that the shifts I work are balanced well and also don’t affect my mental and physical health also. For extracurricular activities, I make sure to have time between other events to eat before these meetings and also plan accordingly with what each meeting entails. Lastly for social life, I usually dedicate most nights and weekends to make sure I take time for myself to be with friends, family, and even alone time to keep my time here fun! Overall, a planner has been my best friend and has helped tremendously in what I need to accomplish each week. I make sure to take it a day at a time as well to not become too overwhelmed.