International excellence: Animation student’s rise to campus leadership through university housing job

Arizona State University maintains an enduring reputation as the No. 1 public university for international students. Jiya Dubey, a fourth-year student studying animation at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, is just one of many students propagating a culture of international excellence on and off campus. 

When asked what motivated her to come to ASU, Dubey cited the university’s distinction for inclusion. 

“The main reason I chose ASU was because of how diverse it was,” Dubey said. “Also, the campus is huge, and you can get involved easily. My experience has been great, and now I have friends from all over the world.”

Dubey’s decision to study animation at ASU came from her long passion for the arts. 

“I’ve always loved traditional art,” Dubey said. “But I had a passion for filmmaking too, stemming from movies like Budapest Hotel and Inception. It just felt right to combine the two and pursue animation, since it’s the best of both worlds.” 

Through her time at ASU, Dubey joined various organizations, including the animation club and astronomy club. She encouraged students looking for on-campus communities to consider clubs as a starting point. 

“There’s a website called Sun Devil Sync that you can log onto using your ASU ID,” Dubey said. “There are so many clubs registered there, as well as upcoming events. If you don’t know if you want to join a club or not, you can always attend one of their events first.” 

After coming to ASU from India, Dubey discovered a position on campus working as a front desk assistant. Eventually, that role led to Dubey becoming a community assistant, also known as a CA, at Best Hall, a defining moment in her collegiate experience thus far. 

“My first year, I didn’t get involved on campus,” Dubey said. “The experience as a community assistant helped me, as an international student, understand the culture here and find the confidence to get involved with clubs, events, and other CAs.” 

While a community director is a full-time employee in charge of student workers for University Housing, community assistants are student workers who are actively available to help students living in university dorms with any issues they might have. 

Dubey explained the work CAs do as student leaders on campus. 

“You live in the dorms with first-year students and help them navigate their first year in college,” Dubey said. “You introduce them to all the new things on campus and all the resources available to them.” 

According to Dubey, her work as a CA was highly rewarding and enriching. 

“I think the most rewarding part of being a CA is how much you can help first-year students,” Dubey said. “I had so many international students as my residents, so being able to help them navigate their life and seeing them grow was the best part for me.”

In her time as a CA, Dubey was also able to learn more about herself, growing as both a student and coworker. 

“I interacted with all the other CAs every day,” Dubey said. “It forced me to get out of my comfort zone and challenged me in a really good way. I grew a lot through that job.” 

When asked what advice she had for other students looking for on-campus jobs, Dubey encouraged students to use their ASU resources. 

“I would suggest going to the on-campus job portal first,” Dubey said. “On-campus positions really help you to get involved and socialize. There are so many opportunities available.”