College of Business Administration Quarterly Newsletter
                                                                                                               November 2007- Volume 11.2

College of Business Homepage :: The Executive ::USF Student Finds Her Niche at Local Zoo
  

 

 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 
USF Student Finds Her Niche at Local Zoo

A lesson from her father in financial independence led Elizabeth Hennig to abandon her childhood dreams of becoming a professional harpist and pursue her tertiary education. She realized that a music career would not give her economic security and that developing her skill set took precedence. That’s when she enrolled in USF’s College of Business, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.


Today, Hennig is the executive assistant to the president/chief executive officer and also the HR coordinator at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. She got her start at the zoo as an intern in the finance department and had every intention to pursue a career in accounting or finance. Little did she know that greater opportunities lay ahead.
 
“USF helped me understand all of the different skills it takes to operate a business; and the zoo helped me understand that everything I was learning at USF applied to non-profits just as much as it did to large for-profit corporations,” Hennig said.

At the conclusion of her internship, she was offered a position in the accounts payable division. She accepted the job on a part-time basis, and after spending some time in the accounts payable position, she then transferred to the grants office as the grants specialist.  Just two years after earning her bachelor’s degree, President/ Chief Executive Officer Lex Salisbury, asked Hennig to be his executive assistant and the HR coordinator.

 “It is funny to think now that I almost refused the position because my mind was set to stay in finance or accounting. I had no idea that I would be using, in addition to my finance knowledge, a wide range of other  skills,” she said.

Hennig’s double role allows her to expand her horizons every day on the job. “One great thing is the ability to wear multiple hats and learn about all areas of park operation, from cooking fries on a busy day to flying to Washington, D.C. to represent the zoo in legislative offices,” she said.

As the executive assistant to the president/chief executive officer, Hennig’s responsibilities include strategic planning; department performance analysis; organizational development; budgeting; recruitment and placement of management; and governmental affairs.

Her HR role is equally challenging; Hennig ensures compliance with employment laws; provides assistance with hiring, conflict resolution, and terminations; and consults with directors and managers.

Although she was offered the position without specific certification, she decided to take up a couple HR programs. “To be sure I had the tools necessary to fulfill this role, I completed the USF Human Resource Management program and later earned my Professional in Human Resources Certification from the Human Resource Certification Institute,” Hennig said. But her education does not stop there. She is expected to graduate in May 2008 with a Masters of Business Administration in the Executive MBA Program from the College of Business.

“I knew USF has an excellent business college and I looked forward to returning there,” she said. She decided to pursue this degree to challenge herself. “I wanted to expand my business knowledge in a way that would contribute to the zoo’s continued growth."

Hennig offers some advice for future grads: “Nothing is worth doing unless you do your best at it. Having pride in all that you do will keep you motivated, excite those around you, and lead to a more fulfilling life. Potential is limited only by the boundaries you put on yourself.”