Double Major Leads UTA Libraries SEL Branch into the Future

Alexandra Landeros applied for a job at the University of Texas at Arlington hoping to make friends.

“I transferred [to UTA] in January 2019, and to be honest, I didn’t really know anybody,” she said. “I just thought that if I picked up a job where a lot of people come in then I would learn how to communicate with people and how to meet new people—and that’s exactly what ended up happening.”

In December, Landeros will receive her bachelor’s degree with a double major in marketing and management. She is one of a dozen Libraries student employees walking the stage in Fall 2021.

“Alexandra is crucial to our team in the Science and Engineering Library, and we are proud of everything she has accomplished at UTA Libraries,” said Devon Peralta, Guest Services Lead Student Specialist and Landeros’ supervisor. “We congratulate her on this incredible achievement and can’t wait to see what she does next in her career.”

Two and half years into her student employment at the Libraries and about to receive her diploma, Landeros is reflecting on how the job prepared her for her future.

“As a marketing major, we have to learn how to understand people, know what people like,” she said. “[Working in the Libraries] really helped me with that. I came to know a ton of people and learned so much about different cultures.”

Landeros also credits the Libraries for helping her develop her sense of leadership.

“At first, I was scared to show and tell people what to do because I didn’t want the team to think I was rude,” she said. “Learning how to teach people and to lead people is the biggest thing that I am taking away from this job.”

Now that she is leaving, Landeros hopes the next generation of Mavericks will take the leap and apply to work with the Libraries and fill the shoes she leaves behind.

“We have a lot of fun, and you get to learn a lot of skills that you can take away,” she said. “Also, I personally think that I've met people that I will probably hang out with and talk to for the rest of my life.”