From Selfie to Sound Advice
A year after taking a monumental selfie, junior Eryn Caffrey shares how the University can change for the better.
June 1, 2017 was no ordinary day for Dr. Robert C. Robbins and University of Arizona Eller College of Management junior Eryn Caffrey. Yes, it was the day Robbins started his role as Arizona’s 22nd president, but it was also the day Caffrey took the famous first-day selfie that now serves as Robbins’ Twitter profile photo.
President Robbins recently invited Caffrey to sit down to chat, reflect on this last year and look to the days ahead. And naturally, snap another photo nearly one year after the first was taken. Caffrey says, “So many people have asked me, ‘Who is that taking the picture?’ My dad has it hanging on his fridge. Probably his proudest moment of me. I just took it because I have really long arms.”
“I’ve volunteered my whole life and a lot of nonprofits have helped me, so that’s kind of where I want to go,” says Caffrey.
Caffrey, a New Student Orientation and Welcome Leader who was on duty for Robbins’ first-day tour, also works at the C.A.T.S. tutoring center for student athletes. She says, “A lot of athletes are trying to apply to Eller or even some are criminal justice and need ECON 200. I’m an Econ. major, so that’s mostly what I teach.”
When asked about her future career plans, Caffrey confides that while many of her peers will go on to corporate and financial positions, “What I really want to do, long-term goal, is work for a nonprofit.”
Caffrey then asked Dr. Robbins about his first year and if it was what he expected? “When we met your first day,” she states, “you said one of your goals was to get the departments to work together better. Have you worked on that?”
Reflecting on his first year, Robbins explains, “I get to do the coolest things and talk to the coolest people and be part of helping solve problems. I’m having a blast.”
Robbins confirmed that this is being addressed as part of the strategic planning process. While the path has ebbed and flowed in his opinion, “We’re trying to get a strategic plan that benefits the most schools and departments without leaving anybody behind, without being afraid to pick winners.”
Eager to hear the student perspective, Robbins asks Caffrey what the University can do so that we get more students who want to come to Arizona and help those who are here? She will think about it over the summer. The two also plan to reenact the selfie soon.
Dr. Robbins aims to hear more from Eryn and bring more students together to inform the Strategic Plan.