THINK TANK Employee Spotlight Series: Vivianna Pederson

Vivianna Pederson had been a Desk Assistant for four years, and like many of the Desk Assistants, saw herself as the face of THINK TANK – literally and figuratively. When you visit the THINK TANK front desk and were greeted by Vivianna, you were always met with a warm, welcoming smile and the vibe that whatever you need, Vivianna could help you.

Vivianna graduated from the University of Arizona in December 2024, as she was finishing up research in neuroscience and cognitive science. She is confident that her schoolwork and research will set her up for pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience.

She shared about her experience working at the front desk through the changes due to the pandemic, how she’s able to serve diverse students and the positive impact on her personal and professional growth.

Active Listening & Help

It might not come as a surprise that students are overwhelmed while doing a balancing act during their college years. Vivianna viewed her position at the front desk as ideal to be “putting out fires for some students.”The Desk Assistants are usually the first point of contact for students coming to THINK TANK: “There are a lot of people that come in that are very stressed about classes, and it's our job to help them find solutions, and so at times I feel like it's very important to just assure them: ‘This is a good option,’ [and] that just goes along with the Think Tank mission for students.”

Vivianna went on to explain that as a majority of the population that comes into THINK TANK are first- or second-year students,her role as a Desk Assistant and four years at the university equipped her to be a resource hub for students who simply didn’t know where to start with the resources available within student success and beyond.

“I’ve just seen so many different things, and a lot of times people come to THINK TANK with questions that pertain to the university in general, and so I've gotten acquainted with the university services in general, so that I could help those people,” she said.

Juggling School Work & Research 

Speaking of balancing acts, Vivianna did just that: with her full course load, research work, and job at THINK TANK, the main thing she reminded herself was to keep her head above water. 

Being surrounded by others who are also working hard and going in a million different directions, Vivianna focused on the importance of speaking and thinking kindly to oneself. “You just have to have the courage to be compassionate towards yourself,” she explained. “Every day our energy levels are different and so just understanding what lifestyle changes you can do to accommodate yourself a little bit more is always always a good thing, and get that sleep.”

Skills Unlocked

 The biggest takeaway Vivianna had from her tenure at THINK TANK is one that will  be very beneficial in the long run for her professionally: effective communication. She reflected that a lot of her previous jobs required solo work, but here, she gained the invaluable skill “of contributing to work culture and fostering relationships with your coworkers and trying to support them.” She found it to be important to focus on  “just fostering that positive and supportive community through active listening with people.”

“Reassurance Laser Beam”  

When asked what superpower Vivianna wishes she could have to impact student’s success, she said she’d have a “reassurance laser beam – one that you could point at someone and say, ‘Everything's going to be okay.’ Positive affirmation.”

Being stationed at the front desk gives the Desk Assistants, and especially Vivianna, the opportunity to talk to students and hear them out. Although Vivianna talked about this being a superpower she wishes she could have, in reality, it is a core part of the Desk Assistants’ role to be that friendly, reassuring connection and help students find the answers to their questions and solutions to their problems.

Communication & Future Professional Plans 

THINK TANK has prepared Vivianna for her next steps in her academic and professional career. Her biggest takeaways from her job are that she has gained soft skills. Learning effective communication and developing a deep understanding of how institutions work have prepared Vivianna as she sees herself working in academia in the future. Most importantly, she explained that the communication piece has served her well because as she dives deeper into the world of neuroscience, it becomes increasingly important for her to be able to explain complex concepts in a digestible way:“Science communication is so important to me and trying to communicate science in a way that's accessible., especially in my field of neuroscience. You know, people are … interested in it nowadays. And so, being able to talk to people about it ... is important to me.”

As we head into a busy time of the semester, Vivianna brought wise words to close out her interview:  “You are doing the best that you can be doing at this moment, no matter where that is.” 

 If you are looking for resources or need help navigating your courses, THINK TANK is a great hub to connect you further. Feel free to contact the front desk as a starting point; visit https://thinktank.arizona.edu/contact-us