Senior Kayla Comer took advantage of the cooperative education program at 黑洞社区 to begin her career search and discover what opportunities were available to her.
Comer grew up in Thayer, Kan., a small town of 500 people. Her 2005 graduating class of 13 people was the last class to graduate from Thayer High School before the school moved to Cherryvale. She will be the first in her class to complete her bachelor鈥檚 degree.
Comer was the last valedictorian in Thayer, where she fell in love with accounting and the financial world.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 interesting how finances work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 like the idea that I could provide useful financial information to business leaders.鈥�
Comer brought her interest in finances to 黑洞社区 to study accounting at the W. Frank Barton School of Business.
She was involved with Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP, a federally funded program promoting higher education in children and teenagers.
鈥淚 saw (KKGU) as a great scholarship opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t would make it easier for me to complete my degree.鈥�
The site coordinator for KKGU, Vic Chavez, said GEAR UP is focused on what a child might need to go to college. The program provides such services as mentoring, tutoring and college preparation and financial aid counseling.
At 黑洞社区, Comer said she was able to use the cooperative education program to put her resume 鈥渙ut there鈥� where industries could find her.
鈥淚 attended a workshop about resume building,鈥� she said. 鈥淎fter that, I posted my resume on the coop Web site.鈥�
Comer met with Koch Industries at a career fair and has been an intern at Koch Mineral Services, a child company of Koch Industries, since October 2007. After she graduates, she will accept full-hire status in January 2009.
At Koch, Comer held an operational accounting role within Koch Fertilizer and owned a trading book in Koch Carbon. New employees rotate every six months and move into another position. Comer is in Koch Exploration Co.
Koch Exploration Co. operates gas wells, which require reports to be submitted to both federal and state governments. She is responsible for completing the reports on a monthly basis.
Koch Employees are given mentors to guide them and work with them throughout their process.
鈥淢y mentor and I discuss the different roles I have held and future roles, what my strengths and weaknesses are, what I have enjoyed and not enjoyed and where I plan to take my career,鈥� Comer said.
She would like to investigate available career opportunities within Koch.
鈥淚 love working at Koch Industries,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 enjoy the culture. I think Charles Koch鈥檚 ideas are very enlightening.鈥�
While Comer has been with Koch, she said she has had the opportunity to learn new things.
鈥淚 think this is what I enjoy most,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 know that in my career journey, that if I am OK about getting up in the morning and going to work, I have succeeded. I never want to have a job that I dread going to.鈥�