Jordan Arcilla, '18, M.A.S. '19, Volunteers to Prepare Students for Professional Careers
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Jordan Arcilla, '18, M.A.S. '19, volunteers with NIUAA.
(Photos: Jordan Arcilla)
Jordan Arcilla, ’18, M.A.S. ’19, began volunteering virtually for Northern Illinois University during the pandemic, offering students valuable resume feedback and performing mock interviews.
“The NIU Alumni Association did a good job organizing the virtual environment, so I was motivated to return and stay involved,” Arcilla said.
Although virtual volunteer opportunities remain to this day, Arcilla volunteered to hold in-person mock interviews with NIU students this past fall. Working with three students in the UNIV 301/Braven course, a cohort designed to navigate the transition from college to the workforce or further education, Arcilla helped students practice their interviewing skills in a real-world setting. After the interviews, Arcilla provided feedback on what the students could do to improve, such as giving clear examples to showcase their impact.
“As a student, I utilized many resources in my internship and job search to find opportunities to jumpstart my career,” Arcilla said. “As I reflect, the long hours I spent researching, practicing and obtaining feedback have paid off, and I want to help Huskies achieve similar benefits.”
As a student, Arcilla served on the executive boards of NIU Housing, through the Residence Hall Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary, the Student Accountancy Society, and the Internal Audit Student Association. He worked as an honors fellow in the University Honors Program and was a peer mentor of the Asian American Center's OHANA Program and University Honors Program.
Arcilla credits NIU and its student organizations for providing a supportive network—which includes alumni volunteers—that helped him on his journey to get where he is today.
“I recall working with many volunteers and guest speakers as an involved student,” Arcilla said. “I enjoyed learning about their backgrounds and hearing their stories.”
(Photo: Jordan Arcilla)
Today, Arcilla is proud to do the same for NIU students and says his career path plays a role in his decision to volunteer. Noting that after graduation, he chose a career path in risk management, going against the path many accountancy students take working in external audit or tax.
“Sharing my career journey with students allows them to see alternative, unique opportunities they may not have considered otherwise,” he said.
Arcilla began his career at PwC as a risk assurance associate before taking on the cyber, risk and regulatory advisory associate role. After over three years at PwC, he joined The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). He has worked as a senior associate for over two years, first in internal audit and then in business operations - enterprise risk management.
As an active alumnus and self-proclaimed “die-hard sports fan,” Arcilla attended the historical Huskies 16-14 victory over the fifth-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana.
“It was a dream come true watching NIU win against a team with a strong program tradition, like Notre Dame,” he said. “I continue to be inspired by NIU, our students and student-athletes. They are why I remain involved with the campus. Go Huskies!”
NIU alumni volunteer their time in meaningful ways. Want to brainstorm ways you can get involved? Contact Eric Glasby, '15, M.S.Ed. '18, at eglasby1@niu.edu or 815-753-1718.