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Tag: alumni feature

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Meet Alumna Meghan Hanlon ’19, Audit & Assurance Senior @ Deloitte

Name: Meghan Hanlon

Class Year: 2019

Title: Audit & Assurance Senior

Organization Name: Deloitte & Touche

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

My job entails auditing public and private companies to provide reasonable assurance that their financial statements are presented fairly, in all material respects.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you? 

 During my time at Holy Cross, I was able to connect with each of the Big 4 Accounting Firms through the on-campus career fairs, the Women in Business conferences, and on-campus networking events and interviews.  Through this exposure, I learned the difference between public and private accounting and decided I was interested in pursuing a career in public accounting.  I thought it would be interesting to learn about all aspects of multiple clients.  I interned at Deloitte during the summer going into my Senior year.  I worked on three engagements during my internship in three different industries: Life Science & Health Care, Education, and Energy & Resources.  After my internship, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in Audit in the Life Science & Health Care industry. Now in my third year at Deloitte, I can confidently say I made the right choice about the firm and industry I chose.  I am constantly learning about new accounting areas and transactions through my role in Audit & Assurance.  Additionally, I have learned a tremendous amount about the development of drugs, the FDA approval process, and the impact that these companies are making on the lives of patients.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

While on campus, I was a Tour Guide and Tour Guide Coordinator, a Working for Worcester Site Manager, a Tutor at Nativity School of Worcester, and a member of Autism Awareness.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

 I was an accounting major at Holy Cross.  I knew I wanted to go into an accounting role, whether it was at a public accounting firm or at a company.  Through the various networking opportunities on Campus, I decided I wanted to work for a Big 4 Accounting Firm after graduation.  My professors were extremely helpful in the decision making process and gave insights to their experience working at Public Accounting Firms.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

While at Holy Cross I developed my writing and communication skills through the non-accounting major courses that I took. I use communication skills while talking to clients and teammates each day.  Additionally, Holy Cross taught me how to articulate my thoughts in a concise manner, which helps me to explain issues I encounter to my teammates, managers, partners and clients.  Furthermore, Holy Cross taught me how to stay organized with my class materials and study schedule.  A large part of my job is project planning and management, so organization is a valuable skill.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

Utilize the Holy Cross alumni network to learn about various industries, experiences and opportunities.  Holy Cross Alumni helped me decide what I wanted to pursue for a career, while I was still in college, and the alumni network remains relevant in my post-graduate life.  I am constantly making connections with Holy Cross alumni at Deloitte and at other companies.  The Holy Cross Alumni network is an invaluable resource that we are all lucky to have connections to and I plan to stay connected to many alumni for the rest of my life.
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Meet Alum Patrick C. Drain ’01, Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations

Name: Patrick C. Drain

Class Year: 2001

Job Title: Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations

Military Rank: Commander (O-5)

Organization Name: US Navy

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I support the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) through his Foreign Policy Advisor to by providing key information, analysis, and specific advice on a wide range of diplomatic and political-military issues that concern the U.S. Navy.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

I joined the US Navy in 2001 upon graduating from Holy Cross, and initially I served as a Surface Warfare Officer.  It was a pretty good fit, but after about a decade I realized there was a better option for me within the Navy.

 In 2011, I transferred into the Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Community in the Navy, which placed me in a cadre of Middle East (CENTCOM)-focused officers and offered one year of Arabic language training and a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies.

My focus was to do my best as a Middle East FAO, and this eventually earned me enough recognition to be asked by name to join the CNO’s personal staff.

My tip on knowing if something is a good fit: If on most days you wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work, then you’re in the right place.  If on most occasions this doesn’t happen, then you should probably look for a new job.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

 

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), all four years

Student Government Association – Class VP (freshman and sophomore years), SGA Parliamentarian (Junior Year)

Resident Assistant (Junior Year)

Students for Responsible Choices (Senior Year)

First Year Program

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

 

Political Science.  It was a reflection of my interest in international affairs, and I do not think it affected any of my career decisions.  I could have majored in anything at Holy Cross and gone down the same path.  They critical thing Holy Cross gave me is a firm foundation in thinking deeply about issues and the capability to intelligently express my ideas.

 

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

 

Writing.  The amount of writing – and the thorough analysis of our writing, at Holy Cross helped to hone a crucially important skill for many, many jobs.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

 

 Stick with what you love to do – you’ll work with more enthusiasm in these fields than you would otherwise.  Even if doing what you love means you will be starting at the bottom of what seems like an impossibly long ladder, it will be worth it in the long run.  People notice enthusiasm, and it will open doors you cannot imagine.

 

Don’t stick with jobs that are “comfortable.”  Once you get good at something and you feel like you’ve learned what you need to learn and you’ve got it down, it’s time to start thinking about where you want to go next.  Look to do things that will push your envelope and force you to learn more and be more than the comfortable job ever would.

 

Minor in a foreign language and aim for fluency.

 

Take a statistics course.
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Meet Alumna Erin Kenning ’17, Global Senior PR Manager

Name: Erin Kenning

Class Year: 2017

Title: Global Senior PR Manager

Organization Name: Galvan London

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I am responsible for achieving the overall positioning and image goals of the brand on a global level through editorial placements, celebrity dressings, influencer activations, digital PR, and branded events.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I always imagined myself working in the fashion industry since I was a young girl, but I didn’t know exactly what field I wanted to be in. When I was a freshman, I attended a Holy Cross fashion networking event at alumni Carolyn Risoli’s home in NYC. At this event, I met Erika Bearman who was the SVP of Global Communications and PR at Oscar de la Renta. After hearing Erika speak about her career at the event, I reconnected with her through email to speak more about her career path. We met at Oscar de la Renta’s HQ in New York, and soon after she offered me a summer internship in the PR department. From the moment I entered the PR closet and became immersed in the PR world of fashion, I knew then and there that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I continued to intern at Oscar de la Renta for almost two years every winter and summer break. After I graduated, a woman from the Oscar de la Renta PR team offered me a position at a new company she was moving to called Solid & Striped. It was a unique role where I would help build and establish the first in-house global communications and PR team, which jump started my career.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was involved in HC Fashion Society and volunteered at Blaire House (Alzheimer’s home) and Girls Inc. in Worcester.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an English major with a concentration in creative writing. I don’t think that my major necessarily affected my career decisions, however it certainly helped me in my career as it is very important to be able to speak and write articulately in PR.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

The key skill that I developed at Holy Cross was to be a divergent, unconventional thinker which I attribute to my liberal arts education.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Never stop learning. If you are the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong place.
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Meet Alum Christopher Gillis ’14, Associate at Ropes & Gray LLP

Name: Christopher Gillis

Class Year: 2014

Title: Associate (Attorney)

Organization Name: Ropes & Gray LLP

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Working with health care clients to help them do deals, solve problems, and expand their business in a highly-regulated industry.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

After falling in love with economics while I was writing my senior thesis, I thought I was going to pursue graduate work in economics and I found a job doing academic research (through my thesis advisor). I did that for a few years and decided I was looking for something that was still very analytical, but that offered a more inter-disciplinary/multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems, which I was very happy to find in the law. I’ve always been a planner and had very certain ideas about what I wanted for my future, so while going to law school certainly doesn’t seem like the riskiest of moves, it was a real learning experience to have to sit with the uncertainty/disappointment that comes with realizing your original plan just won’t quite work. There wasn’t a lot serendipity or many surprises that followed the decision not to get an economics PhD, I just needed to have an honest conversation with myself and the important people in my life to figure out what the right path would be.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

A lot — there wasn’t a committee or workshop I’d say no to. Being an involved student was one of the true highlights of my time at Holy Cross. I had a few different positions on SGA’s executive cabinet, ran a few of the weekend workshops, was a co-chair of the Spring Break Immersion Program, and was a Manresa leader.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions? 

This question was obviously somewhat answered above, but I was a very proud economics major. I think what I loved about economics is similar to what I love about the law. Part of the beauty of a liberal arts education is that you can deal so much in the abstract and the theoretical, but I really loved the practicality of economics, its applicability to the real world. The first class I took in the major was “Health Economics” taught by Melissa Boyle (my friend to this day). It was 2010, so right at the height of public debate over the Affordable Care Act (as if its ever really ended), and I loved how this one class had the ability to inform me and alter the way I thought about an issue that was so tangible and relevant to so many people. That same sensation has only ever really repeated itself for me in law school and, even more so, as a practicing lawyer. It’s also really not hard, as health care lawyer, to trace the through-line from Prof. Boyle’s Health Econ class on the second floor of Stein to the work I do everyday now.

 

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

I would say the biggest skill I learned is how to work. I can’t tell you how many people I want to law school with who were able to coast through four years of college at some really great schools because it just wasn’t challenging. I always felt challenged by the workload and rigor of Holy Cross and I think investing the time to do well in that environment has paid dividends to me both in law school and as a lawyer. Also, going back to being involved — I learned early on, especially in my role as Director of Academic Affairs on SGA, how to have substantive conversations with highly accomplished professional people and not feel overly intimidated. Being able to locate that poise feels like a uniquely Holy Cross skill, too. There aren’t too many places that bring students into the fold of institutional governance as fully as Holy Cross does, and that exposure was invaluable.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 

“On campus” is a funny phrase these days, isn’t it? I think I’d encourage people to treat your time at Holy Cross like a laboratory experiment. You have four years to try things out; see what works and see what doesn’t, and be honest with yourself about what does and what doesn’t. I can promise your life will be richer because of it and things will fall into place.  And when you graduate, no matter what major you’ve chosen or what future you’ve laid for yourself, you’ll be accepted into a vibrant alumni community with open arms.
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Meet Alumna Alesandra LaPointe ’09, Head of Campus and Programmatic Hiring

Name: Alesandra LaPointe

Class Year: 2009

Title: Head of Campus and Programmatic Hiring

Organization Name: Wayfair

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I oversee the campus and programmatic hiring strategy for Wayfair and the recruiting team that works to bring in top talent for engaging post-graduate opportunities.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I would point to my involvement in the Pre-Business program and Women in Business Conference as primary events that guided me in the direction of my career decision to join Nielsen. Attending the various pre-business dinners and listening to the speakers and learning about their industries greatly opened my eyes to the diverse opportunities that existed across the corporate landscape. Additionally, I had close relationships with my accounting professors and the career planning office who both played a major role in providing advice and coaching on my career decision.  I came to my decision by going in eyes wide open to vast opportunities that were available to me and valuing the input of my closest advisors.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Women in Business Conference Chair, Purple Key Society Co-Chair, Washington DC Semester Program, Luxembourg May Term Abroad Program, SPUD, Part Time role at the Career Planning Office

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Anthropology major, Accounting minor.  I had my sights set on a role in the corporate world, initially in communications.  Anthropology and accounting are virtually polar opposites, but both paths of study gave me the right mix of understanding how people operate and foundational business and financial acumen.  I obtained my first job in Nielsen’s Financial Leadership Program, which resulted in me leaning on my Accounting minor at the outset of my career.  As I have moved into progressive roles in the Human Resources space I have leaned a great deal on my Anthropology learnings.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

1) Presentation/interpersonal skills- In every class at HC there was a presentation element and the expectation of participation in front of your peers.  This helped give me much practice on engaging an audience and connecting with a group.  My advice is to raise your hand for every chance to present whether in the classroom or in extracurriculars, as it will make you that much more prepared for the workplace presentation stage!

2) Adaptability-  By participating in a distinct set of programs at HC, such as: study abroad, summer internships and other campus clubs, I was able to flex skills with different groups and put myself in different environments.  This translated well in the workplace as it has allowed me to adapt to many different working styles and successfully perform in a variety of environments.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Make connections among faculty, staff and your classmates!  This is a network that never stops giving and I still utilize today!  Working across levels is a great skill to take with you into professional life, allowing you to interact up, down, and across the organization.
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Meet Alum Patrick Drain ’01, Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations

Name: Patrick C. Drain

Class Year: 2001

Job Title: Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chief of Naval Operations

Military Rank: Commander (O-5)

Organization Name: US Navy

 

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

 

I support the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) through his Foreign Policy Advisor to by providing key information, analysis, and specific advice on a wide range of diplomatic and political-military issues that concern the U.S. Navy.

 

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?

 

I joined the US Navy in 2001 upon graduating from Holy Cross, and initially I served as a Surface Warfare Officer.  It was a pretty good fit, but after about a decade I realized there was a better option for me within the Navy.

 

In 2011, I transferred into the Foreign Area Officer (FAO) Community in the Navy, which placed me in a cadre of Middle East (CENTCOM)-focused officers and offered one year of Arabic language training and a Master’s Degree in National Security Studies. My focus was to do my best as a Middle East FAO, and this eventually earned me enough recognition to be asked by name to join the CNO’s personal staff.

 

My tip on knowing if something is a good fit: If on most days you wake up in the morning and look forward to going to work, then you’re in the right place.  If on most occasions this doesn’t happen, then you should probably look for a new job.

 

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

 

Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), all four years

Student Government Association – Class VP (freshman and sophomore years), SGA Parliamentarian (Junior Year)

Resident Assistant (Junior Year)

Students for Responsible Choices (Senior Year)

First Year Program

 

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

 

Political Science.  It was a reflection of my interest in international affairs, and I do not think it affected any of my career decisions.  I could have majored in anything at Holy Cross and gone down the same path.  They critical thing Holy Cross gave me is a firm foundation in thinking deeply about issues and the capability to intelligently express my ideas.

 

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

 

Writing.  The amount of writing – and the thorough analysis of our writing, at Holy Cross helped to hone a crucially important skill for many, many jobs.

 

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

 

Stick with what you love to do – you’ll work with more enthusiasm in these fields than you would otherwise.  Even if doing what you love means you will be starting at the bottom of what seems like an impossibly long ladder, it will be worth it in the long run.  People notice enthusiasm, and it will open doors you cannot imagine.

 

Don’t stick with jobs that are “comfortable.”  Once you get good at something and you feel like you’ve learned what you need to learn and you’ve got it down, it’s time to start thinking about where you want to go next.  Look to do things that will push your envelope and force you to learn more and be more than the comfortable job ever would.

 

Minor in a foreign language and aim for fluency!

 

Take a statistics course.
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Meet Alumna Nerelly Checo ’18, Teaching Fellow at Nativity School of Worcester

Name: Nerelly Checo

Class year: 2018

Title: Teaching Fellow

Organization Name: Nativity School of Worcester

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

My job entails teaching Spanish, Art and Science to fifth grade boys, serving as an Admissions Assistant and coaching a sport if possible, while attending graduate school.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I served as an Odyssey Mentor during my sophomore year of college and that was my first time stepping foot at the Nativity School of Worcester. I never thought about the school again until Melisa Alves told me they were hiring. Teaching was something I wanted to explore and the fellowship brochure easily caught my attention- I immediately thought it was a good fit simply because of the mission in itself. Working with marginalized populations and giving back to the community is something I have always aspired to do and learning about how much the fellows do for the boys greatly interested me.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

While I was on campus, I was a member of the e-board of LASO for three years. I served as an Odyssey Mentor for two years, studied abroad in Argentina for a semester and also was a ALANA Peer Mentor my senior year. I worked at the Office of Student Involvement for a few years. My senior year I also worked as a Hogan student manager as well as in the Center for Career Development as a Marketing Peer Career Assistant.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a Sociology and Psychology double major. Because I was constantly having conversations about societal issues, it made me realize how essential it is to go into careers where you are making a difference. I want to do work that is productive in creating impactful change for marginalized communities.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

One important skill that I developed at Holy Cross is time management. Holding multiple jobs and being a member of an e-board while balancing academics, prepared me to handle my responsibilities as well as anything I want to do outside of my job description. Although there are days where I still struggle with balancing tasks, I definitely feel that I was better prepared because of my experiences at Holy Cross.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

It is essential to take advantage of every opportunity you get. College really is a roller coaster ride and it is very difficult to see the benefits of certain tasks you need to complete when you also need to juggle so many other things. I promise you that everything you do at college leads to a skill you’ll use in your career. Something as simple as writing an email is so  significant in the workforce and it is very underestimated while in college. If you get an opportunity to manage a project or work in an office or study in another country, go for it because it is so rare to obtain those learning opportunities once you graduate.
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Meet Alum Ray Murphy ’94, Director, Enterprise Applications at Northeastern University

Name: Ray Murphy

Class Year: 1994

Position: Director, Enterprise Applications/DevOps

Organization: Northeastern University

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I manage a team of a dozen or so people that maintain and support the computer systems used by the university’s faculty, staff, students, alumni, parents, applicants, etc.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?  

As far as how I got connected, my eventual employer was run by an HC grad. I actually heard about the job when a classmate of mine got a job offer from this company but turned it down. I followed up and eventually got the same offer. (Tip: don’t forget your classmates in your networking!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was sports editor of The Crusader, and had a work/study job maintaining a couple of the computer labs in Haberlin/Swords.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was looking for a first job in computer industry after graduating as a math major (HC didn’t even have a CS major yet, just a concentration!). I fell in love with HC on my tour in high school, and enrolled despite the fact that it didn’t have the major I wanted. I muddled through a lot of math classes. The only way that affected my career is that I never really learned to code, but I’ve had no trouble carving a career path in the industry without that skill.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

More and more, I use my liberal arts skills more than the skills from my major. From my first job search to this day, I always position myself as someone who has technical aptitude, but also has the ability to communicate those technical concepts, to think critically about them and to see the big picture. That’s a story that always plays well in interview settings, etc.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?  

For sure, it’s important to put in the time and effort to find your first job and get your career off to a good start. But you’re going to have a long career, and whether it starts in June or September won’t matter at all in the long term. But especially for seniors, make sure you soak in these last couple of months at HC… you can’t get those back.
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Meet Alumna Amy Archambault Remby ’08, Designer at Georgia Zikas Design

Name: Amy Archambault Remby

Class Year: 2008

Title: Designer

Organization Name: Georgia Zikas Design

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

I am a Designer for a full-service interior design firm focusing on high-end residential projects and delivering elevated spaces, improved lifestyle and exceptional service to our clients locally and beyond.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross?How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

Upon graduating from the College in 2008, I earned my Masters of Fine Arts degree with the intention to pursue a career in Higher Education (the Arts). I was welcomed back to the College by my former faculty and mentors to serve as Studio Supervisor and Lecturer for the Studio Arts Program. This position was extremely beneficial to my creative growth, interpersonal and project management skills. A career in Higher Education was a natural fit and a most inspiring path. When relocating (out of state), I was inspired to expand my knowledge in a different creative industry, but with tremendous parallels. Both careers have been hugely impactful and rewarding.

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

During my time at the College, I was a double major in Studio Art and Psychology. I was a 4-year varsity athlete as well (Women’s Lacrosse) with a 2-year captainship within the program. I was also a member of the GESSO (Student Art Club) program. Being involved in athletics, academics and the arts provided me with a tremendous sense of community and diversity.


4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a double major in Studio Art and Psychology. Both majors provided me with the skills sets needed to pursue a career in Higher Education, then one in a creative, but more corporate-centered industry. My major in Studio Art inspired me to continue my education in earning my Masters degree — a necessary step towards educating others and pursuing my interests as a practicing artist.

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Collaborating with Others – In all of my work experiences to date, working efficiently and respectfully with others has driven me to success. Team is everything! Learning to communicate with diverse minds and embrace multiple perspectives is so important.

Creative Problem Solving – As an artist, we are constantly presenting our ideas, subjecting those ideas to self-critique and modifying / re-presenting them accordingly. Learning to problem solve and do so with a creative spirit and open mind has been so important in all industries that I have worked in.

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Take risks and try something new – Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I find (in my previous teaching experience) that students become largely focused on getting the “grade” and succeeding at being a “good student”. And I know from experience that HC students are very good at that. I encourage students today to take a step back, to reflect, to challenge and to think creatively and openly. Embrace the mistakes, the unknown and the challenges of working with other who offer different perspectives / opinions. The world is a lot bigger than College Hill. Go beyond!
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Meet Alumna Alyssa Trometter ’08, Deputy Director, External Affairs

Name: Alyssa Trometter

Class Year: 2008

Title: Deputy Director, External Affairs

Organization Name: Clinton Foundation

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

Driving forward best practices in supporting student entrepreneurs, identifying and sustaining our higher education partnerships, focusing on internal team dynamics, and people management.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?  

I came to the Clinton Foundation back in 2015 as a postdoctoral fellow through the Mellon Foundation/American Council of Learned Societies Public Fellows program. The year my Doctorate was conferred, the Clinton Foundation had been selected to host a Public Fellow, I interviewed, and they selected me.

 

I discovered this postdoc during the throes of grad school. Quite honestly, I was having a bit of an existential crisis, as I couldn’t picture myself in the often unpredictable and ungratifying slog of post- PhD job searching within academia. Alternative career paths post- Doctorate always resonated with me, part of the reason why I worked for the US State Department during my PhD, nothing against academic but I knew my skills could transfer to the outside and they sure have! My stint at State gave me a glimpse into life in public affairs and I was hooked.

 

My first employer (pre- grad school) was actually Holy Cross, can you believe it?! I was a tour guide and senior interviewer throughout undergrad at HC, so when a job opened up in Admissions it made perfect sense in my mind to apply. I had the best first job out of college, I really think that my admissions road warrior life prepared me for my current career, which is very much external facing with lots of different personalities. I also lead our enrollment processes for the Clinton Global Initiative University now, so very much wear my admissions hat still!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Besides tour guide and senior interviewer (see above), I was also a member of the women’s rowing team and a summer and fall OL.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was a History major and created my own concentration in Indigenous Studies. In every place I have worked (including academia), I have valued and (thankfully) have found strong, female leaders. Aligning myself with women, who believe in, advocate for, and fundamentally support other women, has proved paramount to my professional development. Being a History major at HC brought me my first female mentor and ultimate role model- Professor Gwenn Miller. If you haven’t taken a class with her, do yourself a favor and register straight away!

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Talking to President Clinton about the Jesuits certainly comes in handy around the office. In all seriousness though, the ability to synthesize a large amount of information and distill it down.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Choose bridges not walls.
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