Getting to Know Me: Elise Pedote Listicle

Hello everyone! My name is Elise Pedote, and you can call me Elise. I am a recent graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I earned a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Communication, along with minors in Business and Leadership Studies. I am also from Elmhurst, IL, where I have lived my whole life, just a 30 minute drive from North Central! Currently, I work as a First-Year Admission Counselor at NCC, where I hope to build meaningful connections with students while supporting them through one of the most important crossroads of their lives. This is my first course in the Master of Business Administration: Human Resource Management program, and I am on track to graduate in the summer of 2027. I chose to create a listicle rather than a video or infographic because I have never used this format before and wanted to try it out! Outside of work and school, I enjoy being outside, cooking and trying new recipes, and attending concerts. I am very excited to meet and work with you all!

1. Passions and Strengths:

Throughout my undergraduate studies, I developed and discovered my passion for both people and business, which led me to gain experience in the HR field through internships at a futures firm and a global ingredients company in the food industry. I am passionate about identifying and leveraging arguably the most important asset of any company, the people, by utilizing a utilizing a holistic approach that aligns strategic business initiatives with employee development. Lastly, my strengths include collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, problem-solving, and identifying the most efficient ways to achieve goals.

2. Career Goals:

After graduating with my MBA in HR Management, I hope to grow into a leadership role at a Fortune 500 company, starting as an HR Business Partner and eventually advancing to Chief Human Resources Officer. I believe the strong business administration foundation I am gaining at North Central will provide me with valuable knowledge to contribute effectively and stand out in the HR field.

3. Other Ideas for Sharing:

I’ve always been more of an early riser than a night owl as mornings give me a sense of motivation that I really enjoy. Fall is by far my favorite season, and I’m especially looking forward to it this year. I use Apple products like my iPhone and Mac, but when it comes to getting things done, I rely on Microsoft 365. If I had to choose five words to describe myself, they would be loyal, positive, perseverant, energetic, and adaptive. These words reflect who I am because people often turn to me for support, I bring enthusiasm into what I do, and I’ve learned to push through challenges with resilience.

4. A Photo That Represents Organizational Behavior to Me:

When I think of an image that represents organizational behavior to me, I reflect on my recent experience volunteering at Feed My Starving Children. The image attached shows one of the teams at FMSC where group members work together to package meals for children in need around the world. This moment represents organizational behavior because it highlights collaboration and teamwork toward a shared mission, much like how a corporate team works together to meet a goal or quota.