Lillian Rojas’ people skills are bona fide, and come from a place in everyday America: working behind a fast food counter.
In fact, the third-year scholar at the University of Virginia used the skills she learned in high school earlier this month as she participated in a final interview for one of the most effecting positions a student can hold.
Seated at a large table in the president’s conference room in Madison Hall, Rojas fielded questions from a potentially intimidating group: the executive committee of the Board of Visitors.
She’d made it to the final round of interviews hoping to become the next student member of the University’s governing body, known around Grounds simply as the BOV.
Rojas had never met any of the board members and knew she wanted to make a good first impression. She was also determined to distinguish herself from the other finalists.
She took an interesting approach. When asked a question, she prefaced her answer with a story about herself.
“Any opportunity that I had, I really wanted to highlight … what made me unique. What made me, me,” she said in a matter-of-fact way. “I didn’t just want to give them a rundown of what I would be like if I was to be the student BOV” member.
Leaning into that approach, Rojas made a gutsy move. “At one point, I added in a little joke,” she recalled. “To not only help me lighten up the room, but also just kind of like testing to see how that would go.”
That’s when her experience of working four years at a Gainesville Burger King kicked in. As she was explaining her work experience, she gave them a tip: Always order the original chicken sandwich. It’s that good.
Board members chuckled all around. The ice was broken.
