Tarez Willis joins us as a 2019 intern from Haskell Indian Nations University. In partnership with Tepa, Travois offers a summer internship opportunity to Haskell students. He is majoring in business administration and will be working with the Travois Asset Management and Compliance team.
Read on to learn more about Tarez!
Q: Tell us about yourself.
A: Hello, I am Tarez Willis and I’m a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. I am originally from Edmond, OK. My family still resides there. I grew up in a three-member household (my mother, my younger brother and myself, pictured above).
We didn’t have a pet, but now that I live in Lawrence, KS, with my significant other (pictured above), we’ve recently decided to get a lab from an animal shelter. His name is Kobe (pictured below).
Q: What has college been like so far?
A: After attending the University of Central Oklahoma for a semester, I decided I wanted to leave my hometown. That is when I decided to work toward my associate degree at the College of the Muscogee Nation, and that eventually led me to Haskell Indian Nations University.
Upon attending Haskell, I have become very familiar with the environment as a whole and the many different opportunities and learning experiences that college has to offer. I have found countless situations in which my knowledge from the education system has guided me into better actions. The experience has helped me with turning situations into positive learning experiences.
Q: What does this internship mean to you?
A: This internship will provide me a real-world experience that I wouldn’t be able to find in a classroom. Since starting, I am motivated to obtain more of what I learn in school so that I can directly use it to my advantage in the work environment.
Q: What do you hope to learn in your internship? What are your future goals?
A: I hope the internship will show me many avenues in which my current knowledge can be useful. I also hope for new learning experiences as well.
Q: What have you learned from your past jobs?
A: I’ve had multiple jobs in the past, most of them have dealt with direct customer service. The jobs included personal training, food service and even furniture moving for a home renovation and improvement company. I’ve learned many things about people from my past job experiences. These experiences have helped me work with people on a daily basis, and it has also shown me many different perspectives while working in the service industry. It has helped me remain more empathetic in situations where it could be easy to cast judgment.
Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of?
A: At age 19, I was the youngest certified personal trainer at the gym I worked for.
Q: What inspires you?
A: The constant need to improve, grow and become better. So the generations after me will feel comfortable doing the same.
Fill in the blank:
1. On weekends, you’ll find me: exercising, eating and going to bed (in that order).
2. My favorite place I’ve traveled was: Cozumel.
3. A happy memory is: One morning, my mother told me she going to take me to play basketball after she picked me up from my grandmother’s house. When she finally made it back to pick me up, it was 10 p.m. and she was exhausted. I told her we didn’t have to go because she looked sleepy, (I was five at the time). Not only did she take me, but she brought a chair with her. She knew I liked to hang on the rim, so she would carry the chair, so she could lift me up while she stood on it.
4. A perfect day for me is: A day when I can relax at home and take part in the things that truly bring joy to me. Whether that be physical activity or simply watching a movie with my family.
5. My first car was a: 1992 Jaguar that would break down every day on my way home from school.
6. My best and worst habits are: My best habit? I care too much! My worst habit? I CARE TOO MUCH!
7. My claim to fame is: My ability to bring light to others when it is most needed.