Student Success Story - Esther Perry
Name: Esther Perry
Major: Bachelor of Science, Human Development and Family Science
Graduation: Dec. 2024
Hometown: Glendale, Arizona
SSRI Unit and Position: THINK TANK, Desk Assistant
Post-graduation plans: Internship as a Child Life Specialist at TMC Pediatrics
Coming into college in the height of the Covid-19 pandemic coincided with Esther Perry starting her journey to figure out what - and who - she wanted to be. Her experience at the U of A for the past four years was a caterpillar to butterfly transformation: a shy introvert into a confident, passionate, and career-focused graduate.
Esther graduated in December with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Science, and has started her internship at TMC Pediatrics as a Child Life Specialist, a career she sees herself doing long term.
Read about her finding her place through working within SSRI at THINK TANK, how she’s been preparing to enter the professional world, and how this path was exactly what she needed to find a career that inspires her.
Major Decisions
After several unexpected twists and turns for Esther, she realized that it was the best choice for her to change her minor of Human Development and Family Science into her major. During a conversation with an acquaintance, the topic turned to Child Life Specialists and that sparked a deep dive for Esther into pursuing it as a career. Since that life-changing talk, she has volunteered (twice as long as what was required), finished her coursework, and started the required internship prior to taking the nationally accredited exam to become one of the 6,000 certified Child Life Specialists globally.
In this career, Esther will work with children ages 2 - 18, providing education and comfort for kids who are hospitalized for surgeries, procedures or illnesses. For example, Esther explains: “A child life specialist is [there] if you're getting an IV, they would be there to show the kid what an IV is on a teddy bear and to [say] ‘this is a really pointy needle and it's going to go in your arm right here. And it might hurt just a little bit but afterwards, we're going to put a nice, pretty bandage on it.’”
Interpersonal Skills
Working at THINK TANK prepared Esther for her next chapter in the professional world through her skill-building of customer service and interpersonal relationships. Her job as a Desk Assistant for THINK TANK allowed her to interact with a diverse population of students. Esther pointed to these interactions as a big takeaway for how she will approach patients and their families: “Seeing every single student and just knowing that everyone has a story.”
Finding Her Place
Throughout Esther’s academic career, she dabbled in student organizations, such as Women in Science and Medicine, but it was through her experience at THINK TANK that she found her “club”, when she started working her first year at U of A. Esther created lifelong friendships with several of her fellow Desk Assistants, a few especially bonded over their love for Taylor Swift.
Esther saw THINK TANK as a secure home base; where she felt safe, understood, and accepted. “I know this might sound a little cheesy, but I think THINK TANK changed a big trajectory [for me] ... everything happens for a reason.”
THINK TANK is the go-to centralized academic support center on campus that offers tutoring, supplemental instruction, writing support, and academic coaching to all students. THINK TANK employs over 250 students each year that provide these peer academic support and resources. To learn more about all things THINK TANK, visit thinktank.arizona.edu