{"id":552,"date":"2026-09-24T17:46:50","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/alejandra-beltran\/?page_id=552"},"modified":"2026-10-18T20:11:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T20:11:31","slug":"experience","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/eportfolio.siue.edu\/alejandra-beltran\/experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Alfajores Argentinos | Camargo,<\/strong> MX<\/strong><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Own Bussiness | September 2020 – December 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve always liked taking an idea and figuring out how to make it real. When I was 16, I had the idea to start a pastry business. To get my first batch going, I asked my neighbor if she needed help cleaning her backyard. She did, and I used the money that I earned to buy my first batch of ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still remember how exciting it was to make that first batch and see my idea become something real that people could actually enjoy. By the time I was 17, the business had grown into my main source of income and was helping me work toward my dream of moving to the United States. It was an early lesson in taking initiative and finding a way to get started where I was with what I had.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Panera Bread Co.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Store Associate | November 2023 – May 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During my first year in college, I worked at Panera. I enjoyed serving people and having little conversations with customers, but I also knew I wanted a job that would challenge me in new ways. I wanted to keep learning, gain hands-on experience, and find opportunities that could help me grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That time also came with a commute I still remember: riding my scooter about 30 minutes to work through the coldest winter I\u2019d ever experienced. Looking back, I never think of it as a struggle. It felt like an amazing experience because I was doing something to make the life I had dreamed about real. In those moments, what mattered most was that I was moving forward. The cold, the ride, and the distance became part of a story I\u2019m proud of and that reminds me how exciting it can be to work toward something you truly want.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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SIUE Foundation Engagement Center <\/strong>Edwardsville, IL<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student ambassador | August 2024 – May 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I started as an ambassador, where fundraising was a big part of my work. I learned how to open conversations with alumni, parents, faculty, and other members of the SIUE community, build rapport, and close with a direct ask for support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That meant listening carefully, answering questions, and helping people understand the impact of their contributions. I made hundreds of calls each day, and my work helped generate more than $10,000 in contributions. The experience taught me to feel comfortable starting a conversation with someone new and guiding it toward a clear next step.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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SIUE Foundation Engagement Center <\/strong>Edwardsville, IL<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supervisor | May 2025 – Present<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over time, I took on more responsibility as a supervisor. I have trained and coached a total of 100 student callers during my time here, helping them build confidence with campaign messaging, handle objections, and connect with the people they called. I also created nightly reports and dashboards to track call volume, pledge activity, and campaign trends. Looking at that information helped me spot where callers could use more support and where we could improve our approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I worked on refining scripts and coaching materials, created quality checks to help keep pledge details and donor records accurate, and introduced gamified incentives and other ideas that improved team productivity and fundraising results. I liked seeing how thoughtful coaching and small changes to a process could make a real difference for both the callers and the campaign. The experience helped me grow as a leader and taught me how much I enjoy helping a team feel prepared, supported, and motivated.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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SIUE Foundation Engagement Center <\/strong>Edwardsville, IL<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fulfillment Coordinator| january 2026 – Present<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the first Fulfillment Coordinator, I helped shape the role, build its workflows, and set ways to track progress. I manage pledge follow-up, review campaign results, and adjust outreach based on how people respond. I also coordinate with marketing, development, and engagement, and manage ThankView stewardship campaigns from scripting through delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This role has shown me that strong operations are ultimately about people. Thoughtful follow-up helps donors feel that their support matters, and I\u2019ve learned how much I enjoy building processes that make that experience more personal and organized.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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