"My Journey to HPE" by Jassmine Carolina Gonzalez

[DesireeCH]

Throughout my education and especially in my college career, I found myself without anyone to guide me through what I needed to do to be successful. As a woman of color and a first-generation college student, I’ve had to rely on myself and discern reliable resources that would be key to my success.  I was raised by a single mother who worked hard to give me all I needed and much more. My mother is my biggest supporter. She has instilled in me her strong will and determination for life. She taught me to always strive for better and to challenge myself. As a result, I became my own teacher and adopted a proactive approach in both creating and recognizing the opportunities that would best benefit me. This allowed me to play an active part in what I chose to invest in and learn from. My approach has allowed me to establish a means for financial support through scholarship applications and financial aid, build and curate my personal brand, learn the importance of networking, and enrich myself through involvement with various communities. These opportunities and experiences all subsequently enhanced my leadership experience as well as my employment readiness.

I am a rising senior studying Marketing and Management at the University of Houston and have been able to fund my education through scholarships. Throughout my time at the University of Houston, I made sure that I was involved in various organizations and programs from the start. As a result, the time I have dedicated to networking has shown significant evidence of a positive impact. I’m a member of the University of Houston Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) where I have served as the Corporate Relations officer and President-elect this upcoming fall 2020.  I am also a member of the Hispanic Business Student Association (HBSA). Being part of these communities has expanded my network and contributed to my professional experience. My work with HBSA has given me direct exposure on ways to improve career outlook and opportunities for other underrepresented groups.  Through my involvement, I was able to meet with several board members of Juntos – HPE’s Hispanic Employee Resource Group (ERG) – at their Houston campus to discuss collaboration opportunities. By maintaining contact with Eduardo Moreno Sol, the Chair of Juntos, and expressing interest in an HR intern role with HPE, I was able to connect with the recruiting team.

As a result, I am a proud team member at Hewlett Packard Enterprise securing an internship opportunity within the Human Resources organization supporting the Culture/Employee Experience team. What led me to accept this internship is the culture at HPE. Through conversations with various HPE employees prior to the start of my internship, I discovered that HPE was a place I could grow and fulfill my desire for a rich career filled with different learning opportunities. I am six weeks in, and I already feel like I am part of the company. I have met so many amazing individuals eager to help me in my career growth.

The culture at HPE is so empowering and it reinforces everything that was instilled in me. Culture is invaluable because it is the life of any organization, and it helps to attract and retain talent. As part of my internship, I am working with the Culture Catalyst Network - a diverse and passionate group of HPE team members who amplify and promote the beliefs and values which embody HPE’s culture. I look forward to using my skills and experiences to help drive the culture at HPE. I will also be partnering with several Houston ERGs (e.g., Juntos, - Young Employee Network) this summer and will work hard to help promote and model an unconditionally inclusive culture. I am proud to serve an organization that values its employees and can see myself having a successful and meaningful future here.

The 12-week internship will allow me to put into motion many of the goals I have set up for myself to potentially create a versatile and effective communicator for my future career in human resources. My first goal is to continue to build relationships with key contacts in HR, Marketing, and Communications to obtain a well-rounded understanding of the business functions and the contributions I can make to the organization. Additionally, I want to understand the impact of culture and volunteerism on employee and company success with the goal of driving co-worker engagement through my contributions.

Interns lunch virtual gathering!

I believe these experiences as well as the unconditionally inclusive culture at HPE will allow me to reach my goals as a student leader by leading with an all-encompassing perspective and giving back by finding ways to grow SHRM. Ultimately, this career path stemming from my beginnings at HPE will allow me to fulfill my desire to help individuals from underrepresented backgrounds discover opportunities available to them to reach their full potential in the world of business.

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About the Author

Jassmine Gonzalez, HR Intern at HPE | President of UH SHRM | Marketing and Management Major at Bauer College of BusinessJassmine Gonzalez is an HR Intern at HPE within the Employee Experience team. She is a rising senior at the University of Houston majoring in Marketing and Management. Jassmine continuously seeks opportunities to be a more well-rounded individual and is very active within various university programs. 

Stay connected to Jassmine via LinkedIn and if curious about HPE"s Internship and Graduates program, don't forget to visit our career page.

Desiree Chavez
Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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