Need some advice? Our 2014 celebrities have some for you!
On the post-college job search:
“Get yourself out there. Volunteer as much as you can. You have the most energy now than you ever will. So get out there, whether it’s a one-day volunteer stint for the marathon or a full-time gig helping out with an event for the Heart Association, just find volunteer opportunities and do them. You never know when you’re going to meet the right person. Also, again, champion yourself. Pittsburgh’s a tough city to build a network in because so many of us are from here. We don’t leave here, and our networks are tight, so take a chance.” – Cori Begg, Director of Alumni Relations and Communications
On studying abroad:
“Go somewhere with a good currency exchange. [laughs] [One Moroccan dirham is equal to 0.12 of the US Dollar.] It’s a really good exchange rate.” – Sarah Jugovic, Executive President of Chatham Student Government (CSG)
“Travel abroad. Take advantage of that and study abroad if you have that opportunity. That’s the one regret that I have from undergrad. I took a 10-day trip to London and Ireland in undergrad, but had always kind of toyed around with the thought of studying abroad for a semester, and I never did it. And when I hear people’s stories about when they went and studied abroad for a semester, it’s just amazing. It’s one of those times when you’re not going to have that opportunity again to go for six months and live in another country and still continue to learn and have all that. So definitely take advantage. And Chatham has such a strong international program, and with Maymester – really take advantage of that. That’s an amazing program, and you’ll learn so much and you’ll grow so much from it.” – Angie Jasper, Director of Cultural and Community Events
On submitting writing for publication:
“My advice is to submit. Even if you don’t have people in your life telling you how good your writing is (which you probably do, you just might not be able to hear or believe them), that nagging self-doubt is part of every good writer’s waking nightmare. It’s part of what makes all of us better when we go in and revise, rewrite, or even give up and write a new piece. But sometimes, we let it get bigger than it should be, either by listening to the inaccurate opinions of others or just by spending too much time in our own heads comparing our writing to someone else’s.” – Kaitlyn Lacey, Editor of Minor Bird
On your first year at Chatham:
“I would advise first years to take a deep breath and relax a little. College really isn’t as scary as people in high school will tell you. Your professors and the PACE Center are there to help you, so take advantage of those resources. College is more about independent work, so you do have to put more effort in to studying outside of class, but don’t drive yourself crazy. You will be fine, you will make it through, and you will not fail as long as you take advantage of the available resources and do your work.” – Maggie McGovney, President of This is Me! Queer-Straight Alliance
On filmmaking:
“Take a class with Kristen Shaeffer. She’s brilliant and knows everything. And, even if you don’t have the space in your schedule, I’m sure you can ask her about filmmaking and she’ll answer whatever question you may have. She’ll guide to the nearest helpful resource that you may need for a project you’re thinking of. Also, you can shoot on whatever camera you have. You don’t need to go and buy a DSLR to shoot. Yes, those are great for shooting but if you don’t have one, you don’t need one. I’m sure you can still shoot on any other camera you may have. Your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy 50,000 can actually shoot HD footage that could rival the best DSLR on the market. My best friend is a photographer and she told me this: “Its not what you have but what you how to do with what you have.” Ain’t that the truth?!” – Sara Hussain, Filmmaker
On drafting a bill:
“The advice I have for students who want to draft a bill is to do extensive research on the issues, get opinions of others who are effected by the policy, get many different interest groups on your side, look at other state laws, make an info sheet which is visually appealing, strategically pick a sponsor, and be really passionate about the issue. Draft any kind of policy using the relevant format. So for school policies, you would look at your school’s format, and for PA policy you would use the PA legislative format or another proposal format which the LRB could easily put into line and number format. I am planning on hosting advocacy and bill-writing workshops in the future, so stay tuned.” – Sarah Pesi, a Chatham student whose anti-stalking bill was signed into law
On living your dreams:
“If you don’t spend time NOW creating a vision for your future and gaining more clarity around the person you are, the person you want to be, and what your intentions are for yourself and the world, you’re going to wake up one day and have a life you don’t want. I really believe in living fully and with intention. Each decision you make should be aligned with your values, and if you haven’t thought about what those actually are, it’s time!” – Emily Cassel, Life Coach