One of the first students to successfully complete the Student Pathways Internship Program has accepted a full-time job with University Human Resources following her graduation in May.

Kristen Schlawin earned a bachelor's degree in HR management and marketing from the University of Iowa and will begin her new role as a benefits associate on May 19.

Schlawin, of Muscatine, began the Student Pathways Internship Program in the summer of 2024 by spending time with a variety of units within University Human Resources. In the fall, she worked with the Human Resources team in Finance and Operations, and this spring, she learned from the College of Engineering.

"One of my favorite things about the internship was the rotational aspect," says Schlawin. "I got to learn a little bit of everything and get a feel for what I like in Human Resources. Working in an academic unit and an administrative unit, I got to see the whole span of what HR looks like at Iowa."

The Student Pathways Internship Program is a pilot program that involves a one-year, paid internship for soon-to-be or recent UI graduates interested in exploring a career at Iowa.

"We're thrilled to see Kristen successfully complete the program and accept a job with University Human Resources," says Keith Becker, senior director of Talent Acquisition. "Her success is a great example of how the internship program can help set up students for their future careers."

Objectives of the pilot include:

• Promote the University of Iowa as an employer of choice among our students.
• Recruit new talent by encouraging students and recent graduates of all ages and backgrounds to participate.
• Provide participating students with a focused career development opportunity through structured, meaningful job assignments and access to a variety of training and professional development resources, including mentorships.
• Generate a strong bench of qualified talent for placement into key roles across campus.
• Develop and retain a high-quality and committed workforce familiar with Iowa and how we operate.

Schlawin has held several on-campus jobs over her four years at Iowa, but she says the HR internship stood out because of the real-world skills she learned over the yearlong program.

"I saw a direct correlation between what I was learning and how those skills would benefit me in the long term, and I got to meet people that I'm now going to work with," Schlawin says. "I see a clear translation from what I learned during the internship to what I'm going to do in my new job."

Schlawin is a lifelong Hawkeye fan who intends to stay in Iowa and is eager to return to University Human Resources, where she began her internship one year ago.

"I've really appreciated all of the people that I've worked with," Schlawin says. "Everybody has been so wiling to share information and help me learn. The fact that people took time out of their days to teach me about their work and Human Resources at Iowa has been really appreciated."