Monica Laddaran

About Monica Laddaran

Hi there, I’m Monica Laddaran! I\'m a Chicagoland native & Dominican University alumna with a B.S. in Informatics/IT. I concentrated in User Experience (UX) and minored in graphic design. I\'m currently an MBA student at Saint Xavier University. I’m a multifaceted professional passionate about higher education. My day-to-day consist of providing holistic support to college students by sharing impactful and life changing resources and opportunities so they are set up for success during their college journey and beyond. I am passionate about creating & improving experiences that are meaningful, user-friendly, & refreshing. I’ve worked primarily in the non-profit industry and now the higher education industry. I’m always open to learning new tools, techniques, and such to create amazing experiences to make life better for others and for the greater good. As a first-gen grad & advocate, my main goal is to provide a safe, accessible, & inclusive space for first-generation & underserved students to ask questions, get answers, and build confidence in knowing & approaching the resources and opportunities that can have a positive impact in order to succeed in their college journey & beyond. I have a track record of supporting 450+ first-gen, low-income, and underserved students to navigate the complexity of higher education through holistic support and helping students maximize the resources and opportunities while in college and even beyond.CliftonStrengths: Futuristic | Significance | Maximizer | Focus | Strategic FUN FACTS: I am a Yelp Elite & Level 7 Google Local Guide (9.2M views) as exploring new places, capturing my experiences, & sharing my experiences with the world is what I love to do during my free time I collect Funko pops and have over 200+ in my collection I have a Bullypit named Ozzie who enjoys eating as much as I do My favorite karaoke song to sing is \"I Will Survive,\" originally sung by Gloria GaynorFind me online: Yelp Profile: GOOGLE MAPS LOCAL GUIDE: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7mJd5ywQbu6YHmP78?g_st=ig PORTFOLIO: https://creationsbymonii.wixsite.com/moni Step Up TV Segment on NBC 5 Chicago: You are more than welcome to reach out to me! I look forward to connecting with you!

Experience

1. Social Media Ambassador

   Step Up

   Aug 2022 — Present

   Featured in a TV segment on NBC 5 Chicago in celebration of National Mentoring Month Recognized as the 2023 Young Adult Honoree at Step Up\'s Inspiration Awards Gala• Recruit 20+ young women between the ages of 18-29 who identify with womanhood to join Step Up for access to free mentorship programs and events focused on career readiness• Compose social media content and circulate Step Up\'s virtual & in-person networking, professional skill-building, and self-discovery programs utilizing social media platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook)• Contribute to additional Step Up public speaking opportunities as they arise (Capstone Celebration at Walter Payton, So You Wanna Change the World Chicago 2022)

Education

• COOP Careers Fellowship

  Digital Marketing

• Dominican University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Informatics

• Steinmetz College Preparatory High School

  High School Diploma

• Saint Xavier University

  Master of Business Administration - MBA, Business Administration and Management, General