Her Story
About Mykayla
Mykayla Millar serves as a Community Outreach Intern for the Health and Human Services Cabinet in Philadelphia. In this role, she engages in community building by attending events, learning residents' stories, and working to connect government services with the people they support. Prior to her internship, which began in summer 2024, Millar accumulated five to six years of experience as a customer service manager and two years in student government. She currently attends York College of Pennsylvania, where she studies Business Administration with a minor in Marketing, serves as a student senator and member of the Student Services Committee, and works as a residence assistant. Millar plans to pursue an MBA at Eastern University. She attributes her professional approach to values instilled by her mother, including empathy, positivity, and the importance of human connection, and she encourages others to say yes to opportunities and take up space in their fields.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Mykayla
01What do you attribute your success to?
I owe it all to my mom. A lot of the values and work that I do today is from the way she raised me as a single mother, watching her go through things has placed a lot of empathy in my heart. She taught me that it doesn't matter if I feel like I don't deserve a seat at the table, I'm in the room.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice is to only say yes to opportunities. There's been a lot of opportunities my way that at first I was like oh I could do that, and then I did it anyway and found that I loved it. I've always just kind of been granted an opportunity and I've never fully been confident in it but I've always said yes and it's always treated me well in the end. Don't be afraid to say yes.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to take up space. Oftentimes I feel like it's so easy for us as women to feel like we're taking up too much space especially in a male-dominant field but sometimes taking up a little bit of space goes a long way. Not being afraid to take up the space, you can do more. Have confidence in yourself and remember that you do have a seat at the table. Sometimes look in the mirror and be like I am enough.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is having a positive attitude during times of crisis. I work in public service so when there are issues how to stay positive during that and how to better support people without being all stressful and being professional. Staying professional under pressure is a very hard thing to do especially with what's going on in the world right now. Maintaining that peace is a struggle.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Human connection is huge - I love to get to know who people are and what they've been through. Being empathetic because everyone comes from a different place. Being positive - you never know what someone else is going through so when you step into work and you already have a positive attitude that goes a long way. Having non-transactional interactions with people is so important.
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