Beyond-the-Classroom Experiences Helped Dominique da Salva Nissim Discover Her Passion for Helping Students
Originally from Brazil, Dominique and her family moved to South Carolina shortly before she began college. In Brazil, the path to becoming a lawyer is different from the traditional American system. Rather than completing an undergraduate degree before attending law school, Dominique had planned to go directly to law school. Moving to the United States changed those plans and introduced her to a new educational system and a new set of possibilities. “Coming here, it was a big shift because it was like, oh, now I have to go to undergraduate and then go to law school,” she said.
At USC, Dominique began as a criminal justice major with the goal of eventually attending law school. For much of her college experience, she believed that was where her future was headed. However, her experiences outside of the classroom gradually began to change her perspective.
While working as a student worker in the Office of Undergraduate Studies within the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, Dominique was exposed to professionals working in higher education. Shadowing people in the field allowed her to see the many ways a career in higher education could impact students. “I was shadowing a lot of people who have backgrounds in higher education, and that really made me interested in pursuing that career,” she said.
Her involvement on campus continued to shape that realization. Dominique became an ambassador for the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences, a role that gave her the opportunity to develop leadership and communication skills while connecting with students, faculty and other members of the university community. She also became involved with the Career Center as a peer educator. Through that position, Dominique worked directly with students during one-on-one appointments and helped them prepare for their own professional journeys.
Before becoming a peer educator, Dominique did not feel particularly confident in areas such as creating resumes, writing cover letters or advising other students. Through training and professional development, she learned how to provide students with meaningful feedback and guidance. More importantly, she developed a sense of confidence and leadership that she had not recognized in herself before. “By helping other people grow, I had to grow myself,” Dominique said.
Working in the Career Center’s Pre-Professional and Graduate School Pathways office, many of the students she met were navigating demanding pre-med and pre-law pathways. Often, they already knew what steps they needed to take but were overwhelmed by the process. Dominique found that she could make a difference simply by listening, providing resources and reminding students that they were capable of achieving their goals. “They knew what they had to do, and I just had to empower them,” she said. “I just had to kind of be a support for them to let them know that they can actually do this.”
This experience ultimately changed her own goals. By her junior year, Dominique realized that she no longer wanted to pursue law school. Instead, she discovered a passion for supporting students as they navigated college and their future careers. “I thought I was gonna go to law school until I was a junior,” she said. “But through experiential learning and hands-on experience, I really found my passion in helping students.”
She recognized that higher education involves much more than academics. Students are simultaneously adjusting to college, discovering who they are, building relationships, developing skills and trying to determine what they want to do after graduation. Dominique wanted to be someone who could help students through that process. “There's so much going on,” she said. “It is not only the transition from high school to college. There's also a lot of self-discovery. You're learning who you are, you're learning what you can do, and the things that you do well.”
Her experiences at the Career Center also prepared her for her first professional role after graduation. The Career Center provided Dominique with not only professional training but also a strong support system. She attended career fairs, practiced networking and learned how to approach employers with confidence. She also completed multiple mock interviews in preparation for her current position.
Dominique credits the Career Center and her supervisors with helping her feel prepared for her first post-graduation interview. “It was nice just knowing that I prepared and that she believed that I could do it,” she said of Ashley Hubbard, her supervisor from the Office of Professional Advising. “She told me on repeat, ‘you're gonna do great, you're prepared.’”
Today, Dominique serves as the Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for the McCausland College of Arts and Sciences. Her current role has brought her journey full circle. After beginning her time at USC as a student worker in the same office, she now works professionally in the college, helping recruit and retain students and supporting the ambassador program she once participated in herself.
One of Dominique’s favorite parts of her current job is helping improve the ambassador team. Because she was once an ambassador herself, she understands the benefits the program can provide to students. “It really is such a great leadership position,” she said. “It will give you exposure on how to interact with different stakeholders and you just network and meet so many cool people. It opens so many doors for you.”
For Dominique, this work is ultimately about helping students build community and feel a sense of belonging on campus. She encourages students who want to get involved but do not know where to start to attend events, meet people and take advantage of the opportunities available at USC. “All these positions that I just mentioned really help you build community on campus and they really helped me feel like I belong here,” Dominique said. “I felt like I was making a difference. When you feel like you're making a difference, you feel invested and that really helps you feel like you belong here.”
From arriving at USC with plans to attend law school to discovering a passion for student support, Dominique's journey demonstrates how experiential learning can reshape a student's career path. Now, as a Recruitment & Retention Coordinator, she is able to use the skills and experiences she gained as a student to help create the same opportunities and sense of belonging for the next generation of Gamecocks. “I'm a Gamecock. This is my home.”