Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education is proud of the work that our staff do on and off the ice. In order to spotlight the outstanding effort they put into the organization, we regularly interview a staff member about their time with Snider.
Featured in this staff spotlight are Marie Fayssoux and Chloe Noblit, Academics Program Assistants. Marie and Chloe are Program Assistants based in North Carolina. Despite being fully remote, they work every day to help our families and come up with new ideas to make student experience even better – despite not always getting to see the smiles they help create.
What made you want to get into your field in the first place?
Marie – With the intent of becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist, I majored in Human Development and Family Studies, a program that fell under the School of Education at my university. Though I approached my degree with an allied health lens, my school-specific classes still interested me – especially Social Justice in Education. Since graduating over four years ago, I’ve worked exclusively in education-based settings.
Chloe – It’s important to me that I can give back to the community through my work and I had been searching for positions in nonprofits and other service-based organizations when I learned about Snider. I really appreciated the organization’s approach to combining sports and academics and wanted to help support the mission.
How did you get involved with Snider?
Marie – During my move from Central New York back to my home state of North Carolina, I was struggling to find a job that interested me and allowed me enough time and flexibility to continue pursuing my Master of Public Health. I texted Coach Ronn (who had been my 8th grade social studies teacher) to ask if Snider had any fully remote positions open. I didn’t expect him to say “yes,” but I’m so glad he did!
Chloe – I was looking to make a career shift when Marie mentioned Snider was hiring. After hearing about the work Snider does and how wonderful the staff and working environment were, I knew I wanted to apply! Marie is a close friend of mine and has been a great mentor to me at Snider.
What is your favorite part about your job?
Marie – I love the opportunities it presents for creativity and problem solving – like planning summer camps and figuring out how to better reach and engage our families.
Chloe – My team! I feel very fortunate to have such a kind, collaborative team of people to work with and I’m very proud of what we’re accomplishing together.
What is a success story you’ve had while working with a student-athlete?
Marie – In my first year with Snider, I started tutoring a student who was pretty withdrawn during our sessions. Of course the academics were important but I knew that if he wasn’t engaged he wouldn’t learn much so I shifted my focus to building a relationship with him. Over time, he came to trust me and he would share details about his day/week before I even had the chance to ask! We worked together for about a year and I saw him grow in various ways.
Chloe – Most of my interaction with Snider families is via email and I love receiving updates from families on their students’ successes – whether a student received honors or has improved a grade in a difficult subject, it’s always great to receive those announcements.
What is your favorite memory with Snider?
Marie – I incorporated an appendectomy simulation I originally created for my Child Life practicum into the Health Science summer camp I planned. Before that, it was only an idea in a slideshow presentation so it was exciting for it to come to life.
Chloe – Our first Readers of the Month just received their certificates which is so cool to see. We have students who are just starting their reading journey, some who are reading thousands of minutes every month, and everything in between. I’m so proud of our readers and it’s so much fun to see their progress.
What do you feel is an important skill to have to succeed in your role?
Marie – With my role being fully remote, I think it’s especially important that I have a willingness to connect with my team and ask questions. Not working at the rinks or the office means that there are some gaps in what I know and who I’m familiar with/who’s familiar with me. There’s not as much I can learn from direct observation so I have to be proactive in my communication.
Chloe – It’s a cliche, but attention to detail is truly so important. My role involves managing a lot of information, and it’s important to make sure everything is as accurate, clear, and complete as possible for the benefit of Snider students, their families, and Snider staff.
What advice do you have for someone just starting out with their career, either in your field or not?
Marie – Look for work places where you are respected and where you respect those around you. Being part of a team of people who work well together and trust each other prevents a lot of stress and directs collective energy toward meeting goals/generating new ones. If you’re in a less-than-ideal work culture, consider what you can do (within reason) to promote a healthier one.
Chloe – If you are new to a job, you have a unique perspective as someone looking at the organization and its processes with fresh eyes. Use that perspective to identify what could be made clearer, more efficient, or otherwise improved to better serve your organization’s goals.
What accomplishment are you most proud of at Snider?
Marie – Recommending Chloe for her position! We’ve been close friends since college so when she was in the midst of a life transition and looking for a remote job, I knew she’d be a good fit. It’s been really rewarding to see how she has made the role her own and enriched our team.
Chloe – There’s been a lot of exciting initiatives and updates this year both in front of and behind the scenes. I’m very proud of the work we’ve done on reading challenges and updating our available data and information for staff so that we can be as helpful as possible to Snider students and families and help each student get involved in the programs and activities they’re interested in.
