On-campus student employment can offer more than a paycheck \u2013 it can also create mentorship, learning and career connections. Uday Sanem\u2019s on-campus job and mentorship from supervisor Chris Hoffmann played a key role in helping him secure a job offer ahead of his December 2025 graduation.<\/p>\n
Sanem worked with Hoffmann, a Local 601 steamfitter in University Housing, for 18 months, working with the heating and cooling systems in residence halls, which uses Metasys software, a Johnson Controls product. Every day brought new challenges and hands-on learning, providing Sanem with technical knowledge, time management skills and insight into how large organizations work.<\/p>\n
Working on campus provided Sanem, an Information Technology Management master\u2019s student, with a supportive environment in which to learn, ask questions and make mistakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re seeing the inner workings that people don\u2019t tend to see. And if it\u2019s not seen, it\u2019s out of mind,\u201d Hoffmann said.<\/p>\n
With his ambition and willingness to learn, Sanem moved to a leadership role, overseeing other student workers, and was the workplace leader when Hoffmann was out. Safety is crucial in this line of work, and Hoffmann trusted Sanem implicitly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to have someone I can trust, and I\u2019m so pleased that I have Uday,\u201d Hoffmann said.<\/p>\n
Hoffmann\u2019s management approach provided Sanem with more than he expected to gain from working on campus. Hoffmann emphasizes patience, trust, communication and encouragement in the workplace. He has also participated in Supervisor Network events and workshops, which are led by Susi Gomez Kennedy, Center for Student Experience and Talent.<\/p>\n
Both Hoffmann and Sanem benefited from the on-campus employment experience, which fosters professional relationships, strong work ethic and cultural understanding. As an international student from India, Sanem got to know American culture, while Hoffmann got to know Hindu culture.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking on-campus helps students learn the work ethics and how to manage tasks that adults do every day that we don\u2019t think about,\u201d Hoffmann said.<\/p>\n
Hoffmann was a key player in Sanem securing a job before graduation. Hoffmann connected Sanem to a friend at Johnson Controls, and Sanem took it from there. His work experience with Metasys systems on campus and Hoffmann\u2019s mentorship helped prepare Sanem for this next step in his career as an HVAC controls technician at Johnson Controls.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started my master\u2019s in (the) Information Technology Management program, I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d be doing this. But it is using IT systems in the business, and I never would have experienced this if it wasn\u2019t for working on campus,\u201d Sanem said.<\/p>\n
The mentorship turned into a friendship. \u201cHe (Chris) takes care of me. He makes sure I\u2019m eating properly, taking breaks, and outside of work we\u2019ve become close,\u201d Sanem said about his relationship with Hoffmann.<\/p>\n
For his graduation, Hoffmann and his wife took the place of Sanem\u2019s parents, who are unable to make it, and celebrated his accomplishment with him.<\/p>\n
Even though Sanem will be missed on campus, Hoffmann says, \u201cThis is the best part, watching them become professionals and see(ing) all the great work he\u2019ll do. And I know we\u2019ll stay in touch.\u201d<\/p>\n
More than a job, his work alongside Hoffmann became a foundation for professional growth, meaningful connection and a successful next step beyond graduation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mentorship and a University Housing position helped provide the tools master\u2019s grad Uday Sanem needed to secure an offer from Johnson Controls. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3151,"featured_media":152576,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174],"tags":[],"section":[139],"display_categories":[352,116],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[167,153,162],"class_list":["post-152575","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","section-science-technology","display_categories-top-story-tertiary","display_categories-top-story-section","uwmnews-feed-alumni-association","uwmnews-feed-graduate","uwmnews-feed-business"],"yoast_head":"\n