Eli Shillinger has worked at the William H. Hannon Library since his first year at Loyola Marymount University. This Spring, he will graduate as an entrepreneurship major and studio arts minor in LMU’s College of Business Administration. We recently spoke with Eli about his work at the library and his internship at VR/AR company in Culver City.
For the past two years, Eli has worked as an intern at Within, a company that creates immersive story-based virtual reality and augmented reality experiences. Like many interns, when he first started at Within, Eli supported a variety of projects as needed: social media, content launches, research projects, and even coffee runs (he jokingly tells us). He now works under the company’s Head of Experiential and Community Marketing, focusing more on marketing, strategy development, and product launches.
Simultaneously, Eli works at our Information Desk, providing front-line support for student research needs, wayfinding, and technical issues. As he notes, working at the library is a convenient job for students but also a helpful job:
“It’s a useful job. I help other people with their research, which in turn has helped my own research. I’ve done a lot of projects in my classes in the business school and knowledge of the library’s databases has really helped me, both at work and in class […] There are definitely skills I’ve developed at the library that apply to my job at Within. Part of it has to do with interacting with so many people on a day-to-day basis. It’s helped with my confidence, thinking on my feet and resolving problems quickly, and working with teams in meetings, making my voice heard.”
We asked Eli what library resources he would recommend to new students at LMU: “Use the library website! It’s one of the biggest resources we have for answering basic questions about the library. Also, check out the LibGuides. I always remind people about that. It helps you find the exact database for your topic.”
Eli enjoys art and graphic design, and he plans to continue working in an industry that allows him to combine business acumen, marketing, visual arts, and creativity. The skills he has learned on the job at the library will also go with him into his future work as well: “One of the biggest things that working at the library has taught me is how to gather information, whether that’s for academic purpose or any other research project. Having that skill is super important. I have the skills to plan ahead for things like learning about a new job or a new place to live. But also how to find the right information, not necessarily all the information.”
We wish Eli the best of luck in his future endeavors!
You must be logged in to post a comment.