From Corvettes to country music to making campuses safer, Eric Irish continues to impress.  I’d like to think I taught him everything he knows, but….well…. that would be delusional.  So, let’s meet this accomplished former student….

Eric Irish

What do you do for work?

I run a business called CampusSafe (campussafeapp.com).  We produce a mobile security app that we brand for colleges, universities and grade schools. My title is CEO & Founder, but it’s pretty superfluous at this point. I work from home, so right now my day-to-day consists of a range of tasks. I’ll select a city, research all of the colleges in the area, create a custom mockup of what CampusSafe would look like at their college, and email it out to basically everyone I can find.  Since the sales cycle in academia is quite slow, I’ll spend a lot of time emailing or calling contacts to follow up and keep the stone rolling.  Some days I’ll spend the whole day coding – tweaking our website, or working on a new feature app-side.  It’s nice to break up all of the calling and emailing with some focused coding work, but it has its headaches and challenges as well.

Working from home is also something I haven’t quite mastered. It’s great to be able to feed my chickens, cook a nice breakfast, and work comfortably.  But maintaining focus is sometimes hard when there’s a constant reminder of all the tasks that need doing elsewhere.  And since I live in the country, I sometimes yearn for a coffee shop and some company (no commute is hard to beat though)!

 

What do you do for play or enrichment?

Now that things are warming up, I’m getting outdoors a lot more, hunting, cycling, and spending time down at the lake. I have an old Corvette that needs a lot of work that I’m glad to do. When it’s in running condition, it makes for a great afternoon cruiser. I’m also big into Country music, and I’m hoping to turn my one-man-band into a little more sometime in the future.

 

How did you prepare for your career/life so far?

I went to college at RIT as an undergrad in Information Sciences & Technology, and continued on as a graduate student in Business Administration. That being said, I’m a firm believer that anyone with a good work ethic and a heaping helping of curiosity can succeed in this country. While I can be lazy, growing up on a farm taught me how to put in a hard day’s work, and that the tractor with a broken axle needed fixing one way or another: no rest for the weary. My current career happens to be a crossroads of the two degrees I received in college, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find myself doing something far from both in the future.  It’s your ability to learn that defines your career, not the knowledge you’ve acquired. I’ve always been a confident person (as you may have guessed), and I’ve been called arrogant and big-headed. There’s definitely truth in that, but when it comes to confidence, I’d rather have too much than too little.

 

What are you proud of?

Having recently graduated college, I’m proud of my accomplishments and the people there who I can call friends and colleagues. Compared to high school, college is the first time most young people will be carving their own way: no parents or old town friends to get them out of a bind or into a position.  It may feel like you’re being put at the bottom of the totem pole again, but you climb, and this one goes higher than the one you may have conquered in high school.

I’m proud that I was able to develop an idea, start a business, and sell it to major universities. Last year when we exhibited CampusSafe at a university festival I had an incredible feeling of pride to see one of my business partners interact with festival-goers with the same passion that I held about my idea.  That was a big treat.

 

What advice do you have for young(er) people as they prepare to launch themselves into the adult world?

Like I said before, a good work ethic and some curiosity will be your tool and guide as you move to better society. Don’t feel that you have to stick with the proclamation you made as a 3rd grader that you would grow up and design a better spoon, feel free to do anything you want inside your major or out.

Get involved in a bunch of groups at your college: I was in an a cappella group, I was an RA for three years, I did some photography work, and I was a fellow at my university’s innovation center. You’ll find many different social spheres exist inside the university as a whole, and being able to jump around in them will give you the benefits of the diversity that exists in them.

 

This week’s entry offers a big salute!

Craig Porter

On 28 June 2007, less than a week after graduating high school, I stood in a field with over a thousand of my closest friends and mumbled through my first oath of office. The oath includes the phrase ‘I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation ….’ Without any mental reservation, right. Leaving everything I had ever known at the age of 17 to go halfway across the country to a place where I knew I would be mentally, physically, and emotionally drained on a daily basis was either the stupidest or smartest decision I ever made. Seven years later, I tend to think it was the latter.

I did not have a typical college experience. My decision to attend the United States Air Force Academy pretty much removed that option. My freshman year involved walking only on the right side of the hallway, greeting by name rank and job title everyone in my squadron, standing in the hallway 30 minutes before the mandatory 0720 breakfast, reciting the meals of the day and other fun tidbits, and endless PT while being shouted at by the upper classman. My sophomore year saw an increase in academic course load while giving me the responsibility of guiding a freshman. Next year, more classes, more responsibility. I now had four sophomores and four freshmen. Senior year, I worked in admin for 1100 cadets and then was squadron leadership for the 110 cadets in my squadron.

While at the Academy, I didn’t have the usual electives or summer classes. I went through, and then taught, combat survival training. Other experiences included spending a month in Japan at Yokota AFB, standing at the end of the ramp at the back of a C-130 over Tokyo, glider flying, parachute jumping, and going supersonic in a T-38 to name a few.

I went to the Academy for several reasons. I wanted to serve, I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, and I wanted to be a fighter pilot. Sophomore year, I found out I was not medically qualified to be a pilot. Instead of giving up, I doubled down. I found myself a new goal, flight test engineer, and I started working towards it, getting better grades so I could get a grad school slot as a first assignment.

Well, it worked. I got sent to the Air Force Institute of Technology to get a master’s in Aeronautical Engineering. After that I was sent to the flight test hub, Edwards AFB where I have been working as a discipline engineer testing a new version of the F-15. The best way I know how to explain my job to people is to ask if they have ever seen a NASA launch either in the movies or on TV. All those guys who sit at the computers poring over data? Yeah, that’s me. It’s a highly technical job, and I love it. It is also not a boring job. I typically have no idea what challenges I will have to face the next day when I go home at night. In my spare time I play soccer, I’m finishing up a private pilot’s license, I go to high performance driving schools, and I’m working on a MBA part time.

So, what tips would I pass on to soon-to-be college students? Well, when you get on the job, the most important criteria to your success will be your job performance. However, the path to doing well at your job starts in college. Will every class have material super relevant to your career? No, but even those ‘irrelevant’ classes will hone your skills to help your through the challenges you’ll face on the job. Don’t pass up an opportunity to do more. Do what you love, but don’t shy away from a challenge. It’s good that it’s hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s never too early to start preparing to take over your boss’s job. Nobody will ever care more about your career than you, so don’t be a passenger.

 

I wish this former student were out of work.  What I mean is, I wish she didn’t have this work to do…that her work was done….. for good…. forever.  Oh…. Meet Ali, and you’ll see what I mean….

Ali Gibbs

What do you do for work?

I am a part time Case Manager for Steele County Transitional Housing.  I was hired specifically to work on a grant funded by the Office on Violence Against Women where we house victims/survivors of domestic violence who are homeless because they are fleeing.  For up to two years, we subsidize a portion of their rent while providing case management to help them with things like budgeting, paying off debts and building savings, job search/skills, furthering their education, healthy relationships and parenting strategies, community involvement, and building their personal support system.

What does that look like day to day? I work (as in go to work) one day a week and I am available by phone/email and work from home sporadically the rest of the week. On average, I meet with the people (not always women) in our program every other week for about an hour which is what takes up most of my one work day.  My work from home includes phone calls and emails from people in our program, my coworkers and colleagues.  I prepare for my meetings by finding useful information for them about all the topics I listed above as well as free/inexpensive events in the area.  I really love seeing a program that works for people.  I see them at the beginning when they are fleeing and in need of safe housing.  I see them working to get a job (or a second job, or a better job), to pursue further education, to find good child care.  Then the best part is when I see them self sufficient and graduate from our program.

Even a job I love as much as this one has mundane tasks.  I have to case note my meetings with people (type, print, put in their file).  The initial intake process involves a lot of paperwork which all needs to get put into a file.  People are busy and those in our program are no different, so trying to track down people and schedule appointments with everyone in one day is not always easy.  Then, real life happens and kids get sick or something for work comes up and they have to cancel last minute.  I get a lot of emails about training for myself, opportunities for our participants (job fairs, stuff for kids, church events, etc.) that I have to sort through.  The working sporadically from home is great, but it can be difficult to find time to sit down and take care of all these things.  I have a 1 year old and we’re pretty active (and 1 year olds are also notoriously messy which requires lots of cleaning).  Some people have trouble taking off their “work hat” and leaving work at work; however, I sometimes have the opposite problem putting my “work hat” on since I am very part time.  At the end of the day, it really is the perfect set up for me and our family.

 

What do you do for play or enrichment?

Like anyone, my hobbies and interests have evolved over the years.  The early months of becoming a mom required 100% of my time and attention, so it wasn’t until recently I’ve been able to truly do things for myself again.  My number one “hobby” has always been spending time with friends.  I’m a very social person; I could do anything or nothing as long as I’m in good company.  I love water play-swimming and water parks, bicycling, roller blading, and going for walks with our yellow lab, Rowdy.  Luckily, I can still do all of those things with a toddler.  I like going to new places, near and far, and learning new things.  Even as an adult, I am involved in some extra-curriculars.  I am still a volunteer at my last place of employment (the Crisis Resource Center of Steele County), on the Advisory Council for our local ECFE program (Early Childhood and Family Education), I am a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I am a VBE (Volunteer Babywearing Education) for a chapter of Babywearing International (babywearing has allowed me to continue being a do-er with a kid in tow). My husband is a First Sergeant in the Minnesota Army National Guard and, until his most recent transfer, I was a leader of his unit’s Family Readiness Group.  During his most recent deployment, I started a blog (betterjuntos.blogspot.com) and enjoy writing there.  One thing that has never changed is my love for live music.  I find a way to get to at least a couple concerts/music festivals a year.

How did you prepare for your career/life so far (through college or otherwise)?

Real life has been the biggest preparation for my career and later life.  Seeing how common domestic and sexual violence is, and seeing it affect people I care about, is what made me choose my career path.  I wanted to help people I knew in any way I could, but when I realized I could help people for a living, I was sold.  I majored in Sociology (with an emphasis on family dynamics and gender/family violence) with a minor in Spanish.  While in college, I volunteered and interned at a local Center for victims/survivors of sexual violence.

What are you proud of?

Honestly, I’m proud of a lot.  The first thing that always comes to mind is that I graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree at age 19.  Other than our mortgage, we are completely debt free thanks to diligent savings and smart spending.  I am very independent and have gotten through my husband being away for two 12+ month deployments overseas, and I have done it well.  I’m proud of the work I do now and the work I have done as a domestic violence/sexual assault victim advocate, both are jobs that don’t pay much but are very rewarding.  I’m proud of my dedication as a wife and mother and the beautiful family we have.  My daughter has a GI disorder/severe food allergies that make some things very challenging, but I have advocated for her, handled it very well and she is doing great.  I have traveled the world and seen a lot, which has ultimately shown me how little I have actually seen.  I am definitely a good, loyal friend.

 What advice do you have for young(er) people as they prepare to launch themselves into the adult world?

Go to school, some type of school.  There no single degree or major that is right for everyone, but post-secondary education is about so much more than that.  Beyond education, college introduced me to some of the best friends I could have imagined.  I was exposed to ideas, cultures, and diversity I’m not sure I would have seen otherwise.  It made me think.  It’s where I met my husband.  And when you get to school, choose a field of study that interests you, one in which you will enjoy the courses.  For most jobs, you just need a degree, it doesn’t have to be a specific degree.  You’ll do much better in your classes and take more away from them if you enjoy your time in the classroom and studying.  If you can swing it, take classes that will really impact your life no matter what your job is.  I took classes like “Courtship, Marriage, and Family” and “Parent-Child Interaction” knowing they would be beneficial no matter what I did 9-5, Monday through Friday.  Also, trust yourself.  We rarely seem to give ourselves enough credit.  If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t.  If you have a goal, make it happen.

 

 

Working for a think tank sounds pretty cool, especially the Brookings Institution. So let’s meet Stephanie, who not only helps them think in the tank, but helps them write in the tank, too.  No.. not that kind of tank…..  No, not that kind, either….  Just read on…..

Stephanie Dahle

What do you do for work? 

I’m an editor for a think tank, which means that I get to work with scholars to form topics and provide feedback as they write long-form papers focused on the Middle East. Technically, my title is “publication manager,” so in addition to working on these long-term projects, I also work on our center’s outreach– things like e-newsletters, marketing, helping with our website. 

It takes a bit of neurosis to argue over comma placement (I’m a fan of the Oxford comma), and to make sure footnotes are absolutely right, but I enjoy polishing work into an amazing publication. I also get to be a fly on the wall to discussions about current events and foreign policy. That’s a priceless benefit.

 

 

What do you do for play or enrichment?

I continue to take Arabic classes (a never-ending process), and I write (currently I’m working on a lifestyle blog exploring ideas through the lens of modern feminism.). I also like to travel– and I’m lucky that I get five weeks of vacation every year–  so I am constantly planning trips I’d like to take (currently on the docket for 2014 is Qatar, Oman, Mexico, and the UK).

I also try to be involved in whatever community I’m currently living in. I was just appointed to serve as a commissioner for my Advisory Neighborhood Commission, a unique branch of Washington, D.C.’s government. I am also on the board of our local dog park. I’ve met a ton of new people through the process, and– wherever I’m living– I love being a part of a neighborhood.

 

 

 

How did you prepare for your career/life so far?

I worked. Hard.

At NYU, I double majored (in Journalism, and History) and minored (in Middle East Studies). I worked the entire time, as a tutor, as a Resident Assistant, and had paid internships with a business author and at ABC News. After college, I worked as a journalist at Forbes, which was a dream job and excellent experience. I knew that I wanted to shift my focus more towards my interest in the Middle East, so I took Arabic classes at night and applied for a Fulbright grant, which I received in 2010. I spent a year in the region: living in Egypt, and the Sultanate of Oman before, during, and after the Arab Spring. I did a research project and studied Arabic. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that has paid dividends in my life professionally– and personally (I met my husband in Oman).

You’ve got to want to have these experiences, and work relentlessly to make them a reality. Now, I keep a list of short, medium, and long-term goals on my refrigerator. It’s great to be reminded daily of what I am striving towards.

What are you proud of? 

I’m crossing dreams off my “to do” list, and having a lot of fun in the process. Living in places like New York City, Cairo, and Muscat were incredible experiences and I’m no longer fazed by the idea of starting over in a new place by myself.

I’m also really proud of the fact I was finally able to adopt a dog. It was a process– we had to find a pet-friendly apartment and I had a “future puppy” fund in our savings account for a long time– but I’m so glad we brought him home. He has brought so much laughter and joy!

 

What advice do you have for young(er) people as they prepare to launch themselves into the adult world?

Four pieces of advice I always give my interns:

–Simply put, you’ve got to learn how to get stuff done. No matter how intimated you are, or how overqualified you think you are. No one cares about excuses. You’ve got to learn to roll with the punches and move on. You may not ever be the smartest/wealthiest/prettiest person in a room, but you can always be the hardest worker. Never say something “isn’t my job”– because doing those menial tasks can be used as leverage into other opportunities.

–Set up a budget. Now. Don’t live your life in debt, or you’ll miss out on a lot of opportunities. Being frugal can be fun in your 20s, especially if you’re laying the foundation for a secure future. Once you set up an emergency fund, start an “opportunity fund” as well. That way, if you get a last-minute travel deal, or stumble upon a class you’d like to take, you can do it without any sort of guilt (or debt!).

–This may sound a bit New Age, but find out what nourishes your soul, respect that it changes as you go through life’s transitions. It can be scenic drives (a favorite of mine when I lived in Oman) or it can be long walks (something I loved to do in New York) or yoga sessions (my current favorite). Recognize the things you do that leave you feeling rested, and make sure to do them. In Ghana, someone told me that they have a phrase that roughly translates as “Americans have their watches, but we have the time.” Give yourself time to relax. My British husband is always reminding me that Americans aren’t taught or encouraged to relax like they are– and to stop constantly working.

–Finally, give yourself grace to make mistakes. Learn from them, and move on.

 

 

Another on-time posting.  This madness has to end….  I provided questions, and Zach provided answers.  Enjoy!

Zach Martin

What do you do for work?

I’m a lawyer with the Montrose regional trial office of the Colorado Public Defender (“PD”), check out the website: http://pdweb.coloradodefenders.us/

In Colorado, the PD is an independent government agency that represents poor people accused of crimes all across the state. Our regional trial office represents people in a rural six-county area in all phases of their cases. In the lead-up to trial, we often argue that certain evidence should not come in at trial if the police or prosecutors did not play by the constitutional rules (e.g. evidence found during an illegal search of someone’s home or statements obtained from them through a coerced confession.)

My job is never boring. I get to deal with all kinds of people, each with their own stories, hopes, and challenges. It can be stressful at times because the consequences of a conviction can be life-changing, and the stakes only get higher the longer you work. About a year in, younger PD attorneys typically transition from misdemeanor to felony cases.

Effective advocacy for the poor involves a set of skills, including the ability to think on your feet, to see similar patterns in facts and legal decisions, a desire to stand up for the underdog, and a healthy dose of anger for the police.

What do you do for play or enrichment?

I love the outdoors. Western Colorado has a lot of great opportunities for that. My fiancé has been getting me more into skiing this winter. I also snowshoe and cross-country ski. My favorite is long distance running, and I’m hoping to run my first 100 mile race this August. I also enjoy listening to music, reading when I get the chance, keeping in touch with family, and hanging out with my fiancé, my friends, and my coworkers.

How did you prepare for your career/life so far (through college or otherwise)?

To be a lawyer, you first have to go to college. People of all academic backgrounds go to law school. A reading and writing-intensive undergraduate major certainly helps. My English major at Goucher College near Baltimore gave me a good foundation for law school.

Sometime before law school, you have to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). The LSAT works much the same as the ACT or SAT for college. It’s one factor that schools use in determining who to admit. Law school is three years. At most law schools, the first year is traditional and structured, the second and third years are more academically flexible and part-time and summer work experiences are strongly encouraged.

After graduation, you have to take the bar exam, which is an exam on many areas of law. It’s nerve-racking, but most people do fine on it. Luckily, my first try was enough.

I chose to be a Public Defender because I wanted a job where I could use my brain to help people. Public Defenders help protect both the individual clients they serve, and society as a whole, from government overreach. After trying out a few different types of legal jobs, I realized that there was nothing I’d rather do with my law degree.

What are you proud of?

I’m proud that I get to wake up every day to fight on behalf of people who have been kicked around. My clients often come to me with other problems that I can’t help with. My role is limited to protecting their freedom, a job I take seriously and engage in passionately.

I’m proud to be part of an organization of attorneys, investigators, and other staff who work as a shield against the power of the state, and to guard both the individuals we serve and the big picture concerns of individual liberty and constitutional integrity. Because of this work less people are wrongfully convicted, and everyone’s rights are protected.

What advice do you have for young(er) people as they prepare to launch themselves into the adult world?

Don’t be too quick to jump into anything. Life is very long, and you have many lives to live. Also, never be afraid to ask around when you’re unsure of something. When you’re facing a dilemma, it may seem like only you have dealt with it, but it’s often the case that someone has been there before, and you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

Enjoy the process of learning. College is a wonderful time, a time when inquiring about the world is your overriding goal, whatever path that takes, and whatever it ends up leading you, enjoy.

My arm’s a little sore from patting myself on the back.  Yes, yes, this IS the first time my Friday feature is actually going to be posted on a Friday!  Thank you very much….  And just in time for the Easter season (you’ll see what I mean, and maybe you’ll even support Elise’s artistic endeavors).

Elise Anzini

I never expected my life to take the turns it did, but I had decided early in life to take the “go-with-the-flow” approach. Who needs the added stress of trying to plan every day of your unknown future anyway? These days I work in the marketing department of a local wholesale bakery near Philadelphia, PA. The road I took to get there was full of a variety of different experiences, but I couldn’t predict the outcome would be here.

It’s a great job that sort of keeps me on my toes, as it’s never the same each day. I was hired to help upkeep the website and to bring the company into the social media scene. While it proves challenging at times, I get to flex my creative muscle at this job by creating and maintaining a monthly newsletter and designing various business cards, signs, or flyers. Usually I’m called on for odd jobs such as painting walls, handling key inventories, filing production sheets, inspections, and tons of other little things that don’t quite fit in a category. It might not sound glamorous or fun, but the people I work with really make it worthwhile. Working with great people makes any 40 minute rush hour commute worth it in my opinion. While employed here, I’ve gained a lot more knowledge in the food industry. I should say that I went to school for art, and while knowledge in the food industry might seem useless in that regard, I find it really useful and interesting. On one hand, it’s not one of my broad goals to work in the food industry forever. On the other hand, it could provide another outlet for creativity – illustrating cookbooks, designing food guides, menus, logos, the possibilities are numerous if you stop to think about it! I will admit, oftentimes the job does drag. 8 hours at a desk 5 days a week can really get to a person. I’m a bit isolated in my corner – sometimes forgotten! About one week a month I have hardly anything to do but beg coworkers for information to fill up the newsletter, and usually it’s an unsuccessful effort. That aside – I work in a bakery! I get tons of delicious bread and pastry all the time and who could be unhappy with that! (Apologies to the gluten-intolerant)

To unwind after work I do a number of things. My go-to is usually to draw, paint, or play some video games. At least three days a week I hit up the gym to keep all that bread I’m eating from wreaking too much havoc. On Saturdays I volunteer at my alma mater, Moore College of Art & Design. I help teach an anime/manga class full of 10-12 year olds. Since anime was a big part of my life at that age, I feel as though I can connect with them much easier than some of the professors. Volunteering is a great opportunity to make an impact on other people’s lives, and I love working with these students. They want to be there, they want to improve, and they’re passionate about it. I also scraped together my lunch money and joined the Philadelphia Sketch Club! It’s a great opportunity to meet professional artists and get inspired. My artwork has also been accepted for two shows and has hung in the gallery! It’s hard to be bored around Philadelphia, since there’s always something going on. However, I live in the burbs, and train tickets and gas can get expensive. To make up for it, I sell Ukrainian Eggs. This is a slavic tradition (typically Ukrainian, hence the name) that has been passed down through my family. While Ukrainian eggs (or pysanky) are made during Lent, or just on Easter day, I’ve come to enjoy making them during other times of the year. I began making them as young as 4 years old. Back then my designs were just scribbles, but hey, everyone starts somewhere! I like to think my designs these days are a little more sophisticated. I find as I grow and my style evolves, it has become more graphic. It gives my pysanky a noticeable difference from others being sold on etsy – and that’s really helpful! My mother and I both maintain and sell from Etsy, which is a really great site to use if you’re into crafting and home-made items. They don’t take too much from every sale, and listing an item on the site is only a few cents every month. Completely worthwhile if you sell at the right price. Pysanky are also very cheap to make and look beautiful when they’re completed. If you’re curious as to how they’re made, check out this blog post I made

http://eliseanzini.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-make-ukrainian-eggs-pysanky.html

Can’t get any easier! Below is a link to the etsy page, where you can see some of the designs. They really are a unique, fun craft. While anything and everything can be drawn on them, we tend to lean toward traditional geometric designs. That doesn’t mean I don’t try and have a little fun with them sometimes!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/eliseanneggdesigns

As I’ve said, I never imagined I’d end up where I did. That’s in part to the fact that I attended an art college and got my BFA in Illustration. I would never change that for the world. College was the best 4 years of my life, and I learned so much. My artistic skill really improved, I made tons of new friends and connections, and I fell in love with Philly. I made the fatal mistake of not searching for a job during my senior year, and instead put all of my energies into making a ton of art for my Senior Show.While I believe it was successful, I still had to go back home and figure out my life from there. I took a month vacation – something I would have never dreamed of doing otherwise – then put my nose to the grindstone. Taking the time off helped with the stress I accumulated from Senior year. I put too much pressure on myself and burned out by graduation. Thus, the thought of a job really wasn’t palatable. However, I was lucky. I walked into the mall with a resume and found a job at Lenscrafters. Not a glorious job, not great pay, and only part time. It was something. Over the course of the next few months I managed to get work at my church as an administrative assistant, and as a receptionist at the eye doctor adjacent to Lenscrafters. I took a chance with the job at the church. I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it and that it would be too straight-laced and boring. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I’m SO glad I took the chance. I learned tons of great skills for the workplace and everyone I worked with became my second family, I even had the opportunity to go with the youth to Virginia on their annual mission trip! It was an amazing experience. Projects ranged from running a ‘kid’s club’ for local impoverished children, working with habitat for humanity, and various labor for community members. I feel like I got just as much out of it as the kids did, and it felt great knowing I was helping a community that appreciated it.

By the end of my first year home everything was becoming monotonous. Working three jobs was getting to me. I was working too many hours for too little. While I had learned a lot, and even became more confident in my customer service and social skills, I couldn’t take it anymore. I tripled my efforts to move out of my parent’s basement (oh, the shame) and get into a place of my own. My ultimate goal was to get out of New York State. I was tired of it. The problem was that most jobs I applied to out of state didn’t want to bother with someone who wasn’t local. I found my salvation in a chiropractor looking for an office manager. I was hired, and with only three weeks to spare, left my jobs, found an apartment, a roommate, and moved. I’ll admit I wasn’t sure I was making the right choice. I was getting bad vibes about the job. Everyone I knew was having the same bad feelings. In the end, I quit after two weeks. The doctor and I didn’t work well together, for whatever reason. I’d never felt happier leaving a job. It left me with a big problem – I was in this brand new place two and a half hours from my old home and I had no job. I did something crazy – I kicked back and relaxed for the first time in over a year.

That’s not to say I didn’t apply to jobs – I did! Craigslist may seem shady (and it is) but it provided me with a ton of local job opportunities, including my current one! After a week had passed I was called in for an interview, and I’ve been with the bakery ever since. If I hadn’t taken my original risk, I never would have had this great job! Sure, it looked bleak for a short while, but it all worked out in the end, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I still pass by that chiropractor on my way back to New York and I stick my tongue out every time, but it was a learning experience. I learned a lot about chiropractic and insurance within two weeks, and also that some people will find faults with you no matter how much you try and correct them. It’s up to you to decide if those faults are actual faults and if they’re worth correcting for those people.

If I could go back and do things differently, this is what I would do.

>If you’re planning on heading into college, apply for any scholarship you can find. I was so lazy about it, and I absolutely regret it. I could have had much less debt if I’d been more proactive.

>Go to any and every special presentation your college offers. If they have guest speakers relating to your field or closely related – go! Don’t go out to dinner with your friends, don’t blow it off to finish homework early, don’t play video games, just go!!

>Ask more questions in class. If you need help, ask! My experiences are mainly art-related, but I think it can go for anyone. I was labelled a self-starter by my professors, hence they didn’t offer much advice and let me work through my own problems. While I enjoy doing that, and I did eventually find solutions, I would have appreciated some help rather than spend an hour struggling through a problem. I was too shy to ask, and if I’d just gone for it, I could have seen improvement faster. I’m not saying “go out and act needy,” but once in a while, you deserve just as much attention as the annoying person in class who doesn’t understand how to use an HB pencil.

>If you have a blog – maintain it! I have a blog, and I can’t even manage a post a month anymore. It can be a really great tool for connecting and putting your name out there! It just needs to be utilized. Remember, it doesn’t have to be all professional, either. Just realize it’s a little more public than Facebook and to keep the red solo cup pictures off of it.

>Join Linkedin and keep an updated profile. It’s an important tool that if used correctly, can help you find great jobs.

>Take a chance when job hunting. As a student I only applied to jobs in my field – concept art, freelance (be wary, freelancers, be very wary), book illustration, storyboarding…While I loved all of these things, I never got responses. I always ignored the “Must have X years experience in related field” and that was a mistake! I never stopped to think outside the box. I found that many jobs could use a creative twist, and my degree could be applied in other ways. In the meantime, I’m taking freelance and part time jobs to build up my “X-years experience.” Every little bit adds up.

>If you like to craft or knit or build things, sell your extras on Etsy! You’ll have a little extra cash in your pocket, and you may even get recurring customers if you make a solid product. That’s gold!

>Take a break every once in a while. It might sound obvious, but I was so bent on getting money that sometimes I worked for weeks straight with no days off. I had no time to myself. I couldn’t do any of the activities that I enjoyed, and it caused a lot of strain. When I did manage time off, I could hardly enjoy it because I was so exhausted. Taking a break is okay! Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

Sorry this feature is late once again….  This time I was delayed because I spent several days doctoring the first couple of paragraphs to make ’em sound like they came from Kate!

 

Kate Richardson

Hello all! I first want to give a shout out to Mr. Metzler- what a truly amazing man! I had Metz as my 11^th grade Theory of Knowledge teacher at Victor High School, and had the wonderful privilege of babysitting his two beautiful children on a few occasions. If you’re reading this I’m sure you’ve been touched in a similar way. And I must say upfront, I absolutely love this idea. I would have loved to read these stories as a high school student dreaming about the future. So thanks for all that you’ve done to encourage the young malleable minds of your past and future students, Mike!

A little bit about me – I took Theory of Knowledge as a requirement for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program at Victor. My dad was the International Baccalaureate Coordinator at a nearby school, so I was somewhat cajoled into signing up to begin with. But it was through the IB program and having teachers like Metz that I fell in LOVE with learning and began to realize the power of knowledge. It was through this program and during my last two years of high school that I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life making sure others had the same opportunities I had.

My senior year of high school my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and it changed all of my plans. My junior year was spent beefing up my resume and planning my great escape- I spent countless hours researching schools that were as far away as possible and as different from Victor as I could find. The sky was the limit. All of that changed with my mom’s diagnosis. After that, being close to my mom was my priority. I ultimately decided on the University of Buffalo (UB), which was close enough that I could get home for the weekend, and big enough that it felt nothing like Victor.

Unfortunately, UB was not all that I had imagined it to be. I spent my first two years of college changing majors and trying to figure out what I wanted to “do” with my life. In Buffalo my life felt all over the place, and I knew it wasn’t right. I was lost in the 200 plus person lecture halls.  It didn’t take long for me to realize that Victor wasn’t so bad, and I really flourished in a small class setting. I transferred to Geneseo University, which was similar in many ways to Victor, and through some serious soul searching, found myself in the social studies teaching program. Teachers like Mr. Metzler had such a profound impact on my life- I wanted to have that same impact on students in the future.

At Geneseo, I majored in political science, and received my Adolescent Social Studies certification. While I was working on my degree, I was also a special education tutor at a nearby high school, and coached lacrosse as a way to spend more time with kids. It took me five years in total to receive my undergraduate degree because I transferred schools and decided to get my teaching certification in addition to my political science major.

The fall semester of my senior year was spent student teaching. I spent eight weeks at a rural high school and eight weeks at a suburban middle school. The first eight weeks at the high school went really well. The teacher I was placed with set the tone of the classroom at the beginning of the school year, and I transitioned in and mirrored his pedagogy. I tried to add my own flavor, but really just followed his lead. I was teaching some really cool classes, AP Global History and Italian History & Culture, and I was loving it! My second placement I taught 8^th grade US history and 12^th grade IB World History. The IB World History was a dream come true; I LOVED the IB program and was so thrilled to be surrounded by students who loved to learn as much as I did. But the 8^th grade class was a challenge. My classroom management was lacking to say the least. My first placement I felt so strong, but I left my second placement feeling like maybe I wasn’t ready to be in the classroom. I felt like there were others out there who were better suited to be a classroom teacher, and there was something else out there for me.

I spent my final semester of college feeling defeated and not sure what to do. I had an International Economics professor at Geneseo whom I admired and respected, and I went to him with these concerns. He suggested the AmeriCorps program – I think his exact words were, “You better sign up for that AmeriCorps program before those Republicans in Congress cut it”. Oh the freedom college professors have with language! But I valued his opinion and did some research about AmeriCorps when I went home that night. I had heard of the PeaceCorps, but not AmeriCorps, and needed to learn more before I really considered it as an option. Through some serious web searching, I decided it might be a really cool way to spend the next year of my life. I learned I was able to keep 10 applications open at a time, and the VISTA branch of AmeriCorps was specifically meant for individuals with a college degree like me. I applied to programs all around the country. That feeling I mentioned earlier that I had in high school…“the world is my oyster; let’s see how far away I can go” came back. I had my heart set on a position in California. It was a grant writing position, and I would be tasked with securing funding for mammograms for low income women. My mother beat cancer because of early detection- it was perfect for me! And in California!!

Unfortunately, I did not get that position- they wanted someone with a more personal connection (what?!?!?). But alas, I had 9 other applications open and was hopeful that I would get one of the other ones. I had one open in Maine, and after a short phone interview the AmeriCorps program offered me a position somewhere in the state if I committed to Maine. I decided “what the heck” and jumped on it. They explained this was only the first round of interviews- that I would have to interview with organizations and schools across the state who were involved in AmeriCorps for the next few months before I knew my exact placement, but I would have a spot in Maine if I wanted one. So I went through a few different interviews and ultimately ended up placed at the Mount Desert Island Regional School System as the Service Learning Coordinator. I knew nothing about service learning, had never been to Maine, and didn’t know a soul there- but I was ready to go! My bags were packed, and I was on my way in August.

I had a wonderful support system on the island I lived on – I had two amazing supervisors, one was the School Health Coordinator, and the other was the Assistant Superintendent. I lived with an amazing family with two young children and the most wonderful dog named Copper. These families were so kind and opened their homes to me, I’m not sure what I would have done without them! In terms of my job, I spent a year there working with teachers to improve the quality of their service learning projects. One component of service learning is to connect classrooms with community organizations. We had 80 organizations that had agreed to work with the schools- so I worked to link projects with organizations who had similar missions. Maine is a state full of wonderful, community oriented people, so this was a wonderful job. Because I had a background in education, I also worked with teachers on curriculum integration- making sure they were integrating the Common Core State Standards into their service learning projects. I helped ensure kids were learning what they were supposed to be learning in school, while doing a service activity. It was really fantastic, fulfilling work.

While I was living in Maine I was also studying for the GRE. To be a teacher in New York State you have to have a masters’ degree. I still wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to do, but I was sure I would need some more schooling. So I reached out to a different professor at Geneseo and talked to him about my options. He recommended a Masters of Public Policy – it had a business component that would make me marketable in settings outside of Washington, DC, but was still based in political theory, which I loved. It seemed like the perfect fit.

I took the GRE in November, and applied to a few different schools that winter. Some in New York near home, one in Maine, and a few in Washington, DC (the hub of politics!) American University was my top choice, but I wanted to keep a few other options open to be safe. I remember the moment I found out I got into AU…I was sitting in a curriculum development meeting and I had to leave the room. My acceptance letter came to my email inbox. I was so excited I thought I might start screaming. I instantly knew I was going to leave Maine and head to DC that summer. It was really at that moment I began to make the most of my time in Maine, because I knew it was going to soon come to an end. I took sailing lessons, fell in love with running and hiking, and made some friends that will last me a life time.

While I was still in Maine my dad had a long conversation with me about financing my next few years of school. I believe the conversation went a little something like this, “Although I fully support you, you’re going to be 25 and you need to think long and hard about the debt that comes with a masters’ program. Being out of the work force for two more years while you’re working on your degree is a really serious decision, Kate.” He was always the rational one that brought me down from dream land. He suggested getting a full time job and going to school at night. I was a little apprehensive about that- I didn’t know what the demand of school would be like, and I didn’t want to make that commitment just yet.

I ended up applying to a few paid internships and landed one with the Girl Scouts of the USA in their public policy & advocacy office. The Girl Scouts lobby on Capitol Hill on issues impacting girls – financial literacy, STEM education (Science, Engineering, Technology & Math), bullying and relational aggression, and they were also working on Girl Scouts in military families while I was there. I absolutely LOVED the work. I couldn’t have asked for a better fit. I was doing research and writing on critical issues affecting girls, while going to school at night. For the first time I really felt like I was where I was supposed to be. I will say that a public policy degree certainly focuses on political theory, but it is much more economics and statistics based than I anticipated. Economics is not my strong suit, but I believe the degree will be extremely valuable, especially for jobs in DC. But back to Girl Scouts-  I interned with them from August- December, and was offered an eight week position when the internship was over to plan an event on Capitol Hill January – March. The event was a leadership breakfast focused on connecting girls around the country with business and political leaders in DC, and more importantly, it was a celebration of women!  It was one of the most fabulous projects I have ever been involved in and was such a great honor to be a part of it.

The Girl Scouts position was only temporary, and when it finished I was unemployed for two months during my first year spring semester.  While I was unemployed I decided I could handle a full time job while going to grad school part time, and come out of school with a little bit less debt. So I began applying feverishly to any and all jobs that sounded remotely interesting in DC. I had heard the horror stories of the job market and was convinced I would never find anything that I was interested in.

I did find a job- and now work for the National Center for Learning Disabilities. I have been there for almost a year now, and I split my time between the school transformation team and the public policy & advocacy team. The school transformation team runs a website called RTI Action Network, and contracts with school districts and state departments across the country to improve outcomes for all students. The policy team works on the federal level advocating for policies that ensure all students have the same opportunities, regardless of their learning differences. This position really could not be a more perfect blend of my background and where I hope to go in the future.

Through all of that- I suppose my advice to those reading this blog is never settle. I’m 26 years old and have been bouncing around schools and positions since I was 18. From Buffalo to Geneseo to Maine to DC! But I wouldn’t change a single moment of it. It is has made me who I am. I might not end up ever using my teaching degree in a classroom, but what I learned at Geneseo informs the policy work I do for kids every day. I may never live in Maine again, but my experience at the school has provided me a foundational knowledge of curriculum that I apply to the work we do with states across the country. Additionally, the network of people that I’ve built through all of my experiences is so very important.  Don’t ever lose touch with the people that you meet along the way. You never know when they’ll need you- and you never know when you’ll need them. And finally, enjoy every minute of your journey! I tend to get caught up with wanting to be perfect and wanting everything to go exactly as planned- but some of the greatest opportunities have resulted from my life not going according to plan. So live it up! I intend to!  I graduate in July- who knows where the path will lead next?!

Okay…. So it’s another late ‘Friday’ Feature of a former student, but what teacher ever cares about deadlines anyway?!

We move from Dan, whose journey didn’t include college, to Yasmeen, who’s just left campus to dip her toes in some interesting waters…..

Yasmeen Smalley

Hi Metz,

First of all, I love this idea!! It’s great to give current college students inspiration from us graduates “in the real world.” I know I was freaking out my senior year!

I actually graduated this past December after spending my last semester as an undergraduate studying abroad in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The program was for marine science and conservation, and the whole program was a great experience! I was in the water constantly, whether snorkeling, scuba diving or doing some underwater photography. I think that every student should try studying abroad.

So now that I’m “in the real world” I’ve relocated to the greater Boston area, where I’m currently interning at the New England Aquarium in the Conservation department. As with most aquarium internships, it is unpaid, so I’m working part-time as a barista to pay for the commute into Beantown. Life as a college grad can be rough financially, especially in the artistic or nonprofit fields, but in a way it makes it even more rewarding.

On a personal note, I just got engaged to another one of your students, Mike Norman! I’m sure he’ll be emailing you with his own adventures 🙂

 

One thing that I’ve done and that I do constantly is always try to educate myself and gain experience. This is crucial for the field that I’ve chosen (underwater photography) as it is so competitive. I’ve done this by interning at both the Georgia Aquarium and now the New England Aquarium, by volunteering for local marine nonprofits, and by networking and staying connected to contacts in the industry. You can’t take a break from this either;  it has to be a constant process of learning and improving your skills.

However, there’s always time to relax and take a break.  Some things I enjoy doing to keep myself sane include cooking/baking for fun, hot yoga and embracing my nerdy side by playing videogames.

I would advise undergraduates not only to take advantage of every resource available on campus, but also to learn as much as possible, even if you don’t think you will need the knowledge. As a graduate I wish I had taken more science courses, even as a photography student.

Another thing I would advise is to believe in yourself, have confidence in your skills and brace yourself for rejection, especially in a creative field. Since graduating I’ve learned that rejection is not something you face only once or twice- at times it can feel constant. But by believing in yourself and your abilities (much harder said than done!) you can persevere and find success.

If you read the feature on Dan, you see he’s a talented artist.  He was my student during my early years of teaching, and he was in my very first classroom.  The room had no windows and its cinder block walls were covered in egg-shell paint.  It was one big ol’ box o’ boring!

So, I asked Dan to paint three large ‘frames’ on the wall, and I enlisted him and two other student artists to fill the frames with artwork inspired by a quote of their choosing from a long list of quotations I provided.

My pics of the project are buried in a box, but Dan’s dad was able to dig this out and scan it for us.  I recall that Dan was tinkering around with an airbrush at the time, which he’d never used before, and that he’d never done a mural before.  As he ventured into my room each day after school, I was most impressed with his perseverance, patience and care.  And it was a blast for me to watch a young artist and his work take shape.  The kid had talent!

(And, lest you’re concerned, the other two works were not as ‘grim’….)

 

An excerpt from Carpe College!

“Passions are the gales of life.”

– Alexander Pope

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Talk about pressure!  You young people have been harangued and harassed without end about solidifying your future, locking something in, having a plan.  Yet, ironically, you have grown up in a time when options are more vast and unpredictable than ever before, and you are (arguably) less prepared to make such choices than ever before.

The Terrain.  Think on this….   When you were born, just under two decades ago, there was no Facebook or Google or YouTube or Twitter or iPhone or drone aircraft or flat TVs or hybrid cars.  There were CDs, but how quickly they came and went!  That’s the point – quickly.  With technological advances, particularly in the way information is shared and the pace at which it is shared, new ideas and developments are emerging exponentially.  And, on the heels of that, new career paths follow.  You’ve been told that your generation will probably switch jobs (and careers) far more frequently than previous generations, and your choices are more varied than ever.  On the other hand, you’ve had cursory career exploration assessments (of the standard, #2 pencil variety) since middle school, and you’ve had helicopter parents as recently as… well…maybe this morning. (Or my new favorite, “Curling Parents,” who go on ahead of the child and sweep away any of the bad stuff to allow for a smooth ride.)  Most of your ‘exploration’ has consisted of organized, orchestrated, and adult-officiated activities, leaving scant opportunity for you to truly explore whether you like the science lab more than the music studio or the soccer field.

So, this is the zeitgeist (look it up).  This is the landscape.  Parents (and others) telling you to make up your mind, buckle down, and lock into a major that will garner you the most practical path to a career, but not enough experience to make a truly informed choice.  You’re not alone.  Previous generations had similar decisions at your age.  However, they’ve never had the variety of choices to complicate those decisions.  Moreover, most honest educators will share our dirty little secret:  We have very little idea about what careers will look like in the next couple of decades.  Sure, we’ll need doctors.  Sure, computers will be involved.   Sure, we’ll always need accountants.  (Prostitution?  Sadly, there’s one that seems to have some staying power.)  But with the likes of Facebook and YouTube listed above, we’ve seen a landscape that can be altered significantly in a very short period.  Consider how quickly ‘mobile apps’ emerged and how young people are building entire professional lives creating and marketing them.  Consider the push for sustainability and LEED certification of new buildings and the career paths that has spawned.  On the other hand, when was the last time you met a tobacco farmer or a travel agent or newspaper person or music label who hasn’t had the rug pulled out from under them because… well…times change?

Stealing a Strategy from Scouting.  This ‘rug pulling’ will probably continue at a quicker and more expanded clip in generations to come simply because changing technologies change what we need our humans to do and how they do it.  Just think about what wonderful opportunities emerged from the invention of the printing press.  How about the automobile?  So, now we have the Internet.  And, in your lifetime, we’ll probably have something akin to vacations in space.  Talk about cracking open the opportunities!

So, what does that mean for a young person embarking on a college career and a professional life?  It means it’s time to steal from the Boy Scouts again:  Be Prepared!

I encourage students to take a look at a landscape where change – often, rapid change – can upend careers, and to follow this advice:  Take a deep ‘BREADTH’.  Yes, it’s a clever play on words to suggest that the more curiosity, interest and ability you have spread across differing domains, the better able you will be to land upright if you get bounced around.  The more breadth of interest and experience you have, the less bouncy a career adjustment will feel.  If you’ve prepared for a career, but technological advances make that career irrelevant, you will need to be able to find something new.  So, be prepared by keeping all your passions and hobbies bubbling forth.  That is, even though you may have chosen environmental engineering as your career path, it’s okay and wise to stay involved with your theater group.  Even though you want to be a math teacher, it’s okay and wise to keep writing songs and playing guitar.  Even though you want to be a financial analyst, it’s okay and wise to keep making short films on the weekends.  Don’t get so locked into your major that you leave behind other aspects of your life.

You just never know when a rug might get pulled or a path might get altered and, five or ten or twenty years down the road, those passions might meld into your next career.  Maybe you’ll leave engineering to write plays about the environment.  Maybe you’ll be a great math teacher singing engaging songs you wrote to teach your students math.  Maybe you’ll make financial advice videos, get discovered, and become the next big online expert.  Maybe you’ll be like Steve Jobs, who took an entirely impractical calligraphy course in college only to have it pay off immensely ten years later as he developed the first Macintosh computer.

Harvard’s guru on happiness, Daniel Gilbert, suggests that we humans have a terrible track record for predicting what might make us happy.   Much of finding our bliss will be done through trial and error.  That means we need to keep trying lots of different stuff:  majors, and careers, and hobbies and interests.  Since no one knows what the future holds, doesn’t it make sense, now more than ever, to have many irons in the fire, many lines in the water, many passions bubbling forth?

Better safe than sorry.  Plan ahead.  Be prepared.

 

NOTE:  This would also be the best place to advise against following the political pendulum swings or pressures to chase money by choosing a ‘practical’ major over the liberal arts.  The pressures to go to college to ‘be employable’ are greater now than ever before.  However, the reasoning behind this tactic is quite murky, and I encourage you to research the wonderful online discussions and debates that are emerging on this topic (and the long-term value of a liberal arts degree).  You might also be interested in checking out what the Fortune 500 CEOs think about what matters for their incoming employees.  Or, you might want to check out what majors those highly successful CEOs chose.  Then talk to your folks and discuss amongst yourselves.  I have a personal bias towards the liberal arts for fostering critical thought, reasoned arguments, cogent communications (especially writing), and the ability to synthesize myriad perspectives into a broader, more connected whole.  So, why not go for that liberal arts major, and minor in something ‘practical’.  Or, do a double major, for goodness sake!  Carpe College!

 

EXTRA EXERCISE:  Why not check in on some adults close to you?  Pick any 10 adult family members or acquaintances, ask them these questions, and prepare to be enlightened.

1). What was your college major?

2). Why did you choose it?

3). Do you use it in your current profession, and to what extent?

4). What do you think would be a great double-major? Why?

5). If you could do college all over again, what if anything would you do differently?

6). Are you happy with your college experience and professional life overall?