Gabriella Potocki graduated from the University of Illinois in May 2024 with a degree in learning and education studies, beginning her career just months later as an employee for Caterpillar’s learning and development team. Since then, she has developed leadership training programs for Caterpillar’s IT staff since July.
This Homecoming, Potocki said she plans on reconnecting with alumni friends and her College of Education peers to see how things have changed at the University and also strengthening the connections that have helped her on the path to her current job.
Potocki, a native of Plainfield, Illinois, said she decided to attend the University as soon as she stepped foot on campus, as the school’s friendliness and diversity helped her realize it was where she wanted to be.
“I feel like I visited so many different campuses, and I didn’t feel very welcomed, but at the U of I, I could tell right away there would be a place for me to fit in,” Potocki said. “The very first day the application opened, I applied, and I waited and waited until acceptances came out, and as soon as that came out, I accepted it and applied to live in Bromley.”
When she began her undergraduate studies in the college, Potocki said she planned on becoming a special education teacher, but around her junior year, she found herself on a different path that led her to the position she holds today.
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“I found that my teaching skills better aligned with adult learning theory, and the College of Education actually gave me those opportunities to be able to teach in the adult world,” Potocki said.
Potocki said she plans on visiting her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, this Homecoming as her involvement in Greek life shaped her college experience and provided her with important skills for her work today.
“I met a ton of people who were super influential and who were really my support system throughout college,” Potocki said. “We did a lot of fun things that gave me the skill set that I use today, like philanthropy events, planning and organizing them, gave me the fundamentals I need now to thrive in the business world.”
DJ Serrano, a friend who met Potocki through Kappa Alpha Theta during their freshman year, said she wasn’t surprised that Potocki got a job at Caterpillar so soon after graduation.
“I think that when she puts her mind to something, she can make it happen for herself, no matter what it is,” Serrano said. “She’s very convincing, and she carries herself very well … I knew she was going to get whatever job she wanted.”
The summer before her senior year, Potocki was an intern for Maui Jim in Peoria, Illinois, working in training and development, focusing on onboarding. The connections she made in Peoria helped her land an interview that started her career at Caterpillar.
Potocki said she loves the company’s culture and the opportunities for moving up.
“Just like U of I, there’s an internal networking system, so whenever there’s trouble, there’s always someone for me to reach out to, and there is that U of I alumni network, so if there is a problem, I have those Illinois alumni relations,” Potocki said.
Although Potocki found a job that closely aligns with her interests and skills soon after graduating, she advised future Illinois graduates not to panic if they don’t have something lined up right after college.
“I remember when I was graduating, everyone was like, ‘Oh, where are you working?’ and that was the biggest panic,” Potocki said. “It was like if you didn’t have to have a job right away, it seemed like the end of the world, but it truly wasn’t. You can see that, over time, everything falls into place and happens for a reason.”
