Jason Wallace ’08, an Illinois State political science alumnus, spoke at Dr. LJ Zigerell’s Professional Development class on September 16, 2021.
Wallace provided students in the Professional Development class a wealth of information about working for the federal government, with a discussion that included pay scales, working conditions, and benefits such as retirement and sick leave. Moreover, Wallace discussed the process of applying to work for the federal government, and he provided students with valuable documentation and links about the application process. Wallace’s presentation also included Q&A with students.
After completing his degree at Illinois State, Wallace moved to Colorado where he secured his current occupation as a Revenue Officer (RO). He was selected due to his academic and personal achievements while in college. Within the first five years at the IRS, he has gone from a GS-7 entry-level RO to an experienced GS-12 RO and entered into the Frontline Leadership Readiness Program. He recently was promoted to a GS-14e Senior Program Analyst for Field Collection Quality.
“It became very clear that time at ISU, specifically within the Department of Politics and Government, prepared me for the continued success I have had professionally,” he said.
Wallace emphasized that “my experiences at ISU definitely prepared me for the position as I will be using SPSS, which I was first exposed to as an undergrad working with grad students and then in Empirical Research Methods.”
