Payton Markvicka

Payton Markvicka completed the iJay Practicum program in Spring 2021 (Cohort 15) as a member of the Events, Outreach and Recruiting team, before graduating from Creighton University later that year in 2021. Her hands-on experience in coordinating events and building connections at iJay laid the foundation for her successful career in employee relations.

Currently, Payton serves as an Employee Relations Specialist at Burns & McDonnell, where she continues to foster meaningful connections and support positive workplace culture. Her role involves managing employee engagement initiatives and building the same type of collaborative environment she helped create during her time at iJay.

"My time in the iJay Practicum gave me hands-on experience in recruiting, events, and outreach, which strengthened my communication, organization, and relationship-building skills. I had the opportunity to help plan the iJay Alumni Summit, collaborating with others to coordinate logistics and engagement efforts that brought students and alumni together. These experiences shaped my interest in fostering meaningful connections and directly tie to my current role as an Employee Relations Specialist, where I continue to support engagement and positive workplace culture."

One of Payton's standout contributions during the Practicum was helping plan the iJay Alumni Summit, where she collaborated with team members to coordinate logistics and engagement efforts that brought students and alumni together. These experiences in event planning and relationship building directly prepared her for her current role at Burns & McDonnell.