California native Ashleigh Droz said she found her calling 12 years ago when she started working at FGCU. She's risen to the rank of Interim Director of Career Development Services, helping students line up internships in the real world.
"If I can help them see how awesome they are, and the potential they have in themselves, and that they can go out and be in a job," Droz said. "It's really about those two things: potential and possibility for students."
Recently Droz was a finalist for Young Professional of the Year -- an award given by the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce. Young is defined as under the age of 40.
Droz attended the awards ceremony, and said when her name was announced as the winner, she was stunned.
"I was definitely surprised," she said. "I was definitely elated. I think I just put my head in my hands! It's just such an honor."
But it's not a huge surprise to Samanique McIntosh, a recent FGCU graduate who got lots of help and encouragement from Droz.
"She's genuinely committed about student experiences, and that they come out of their internships prepared for the work force," McIntosh said. "She's passionate about that."
McIntosh said Droz encouraged her to work as an intern at the huge Amazon warehouse on Alico Road in San Carlos Park.
"I had to work with at least three different teams — two internal, one external," McIntosh recalled. "They all have different jobs and priorities. I had to learn how to communicate to them how the project I'm working on, benefits their team. And I had to do that in a unique way, because it doesn't benefit all of them in the exact same way. And that was a big transition for me."
When she graduated last May, McIntosh was voted into the FGCU Hall of Fame — one of 10 students in the graduating class to earn that exceptional honor. She said her internships taught her so much, that she was offered a full-time job in procurement at the university. Droz, she said, pointed her to success.
"I recognize that me, four years ago as a freshman, had a lot of potential," McIntosh said. "But I did not know how to navigate that. So if it was not for people like Ashleigh and other supportive staff, I probably would not have been here. Because I needed someone to recognize that potential and you know, help me grow."
Droz spends a lot of time networking with Southwest Florida businesses. Recently she attended a round-table, where Lee Health summer interns gave presentations on what they've learned.
Droz said she's always pleased to hear how business experience is helping students.
"To watch them chase their dreams that maybe they have had in their hearts for a long time...there are just so many benefits to it," Droz said. "Like when each of us finds the thing that makes us come alive and we see the impacts on the world...then we all sort of come together to impact the world positively."
Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He also teaches Journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University. WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you. FGCU holds the broadcast license for WGCU. WGCU is a member-supported service of FGCU.
