Kira Hoffman

Growing up the eldest in a low-income Ghanaian-American family, I’ve witnessed many struggle to access educational, financial, and professional opportunities necessary for generational success. This ignited my goal to mitigate struggle and easily enable opportunity within Diversity EQUITY and INCLUSION efforts.

As a burgeoning leader with expanding resources, I now share opportunities with and empower the black, Latinx, and indigenous people of America within student organizations daily.

My commitment to African American advancement solidified in high school where I became a member, and eventually Vice President, of the Black Student Alliance. It was there that I was able to lead discussions focused on student empowerment, assist others with forming and meeting their educational goals, and act as support for fellow students struggling with identity in a white-catered society. The impact BSA had on me made it clear I would be doing similar work in college, where it is integral to positively influence people of color who are aiming to flourish in higher education.

I’ve started to achieve many goals of mine on campus, namely in pursuing my goal of mitigating struggle and easily enable opportunity for students of color within Diversity EQUITY and INCLUSION efforts.

At the U of I, I’m strongly engaged with minority-led and focused organizations. As a member of the Black Business Network, I orchestrate student-led events, influence others with my strong personal ideals and goals, and lead group discussions to provide guidance on overcoming obstacles black students face. I encourage the growth of my peers in all forms - personal, social, and emotional - and am a passionate advocate for progression. My involvement in the Association of Latino Professionals for America stems from my goal to ally with and demonstrate support for all underrepresented groups, contributing to discussions and attending meetings to better inform myself on ways to serve the Hispanic community. I've assisted in set-up, volunteering, and fundraising for various events as fundraising and merchandise committee members. In both organizations, I’ve utilized powerful communication strategies and developed the business acumen necessary to flourish by learning from valuable relationships.

I have greatly strengthened my professional skills and identity while becoming part of cohesive efforts promoting professional advancement for black and brown youth, and I hope to accomplish more within my time in college. 

Marketing and Accounts Intern | State Farm Insurance                                                   Jun. 2023 – Aug. 2023

• Enhanced brand visibility and sales by strategically implementing digital marketing campaigns and telemarketing strategies through Customer Relationship Management platforms, causing a 20% surge in lead conversion rates and 85% increase in client engagement
• Leveraged data and information processing in Salesforce to assess client inquiries, ensuring a seamless, customer-centric experience
• Processed client payments, applying strong interpersonal and technical abilities to enable efficient and accurate transactions

Catering Coordinator | Illinois Conference Center                                                                                Sep. 2023 – Apr. 2023

• Promoted out of 100+ caterers for demonstrating exceptional mentoring and team-leading abilities throughout the Fall semester
• Ensured that correct catering policies, dietary restriction measures, and meal-handling steps were upheld while multitasking and effectively coordinating team member roles throughout the duration of a venue event                                                                                                                                        

Enrichment Volunteer | Senior Star Memory Care                                                           Aug. 2018 – Apr. 2020

• Assisted over 40 residents with craft and board game activities whilst establishing meaningful relationships with residents, contributing to their well-being through regular interactions and engagement

Finance and Information Systems student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign