What was your first professional job in Higher Education?
“My first professional job out of grad school was at Stetson University as their Assistant Director of Student Involvement. Actually in just one year, my job title has changed.”
Really, how so?
“Because of all the accomplishments I’ve made here at Stetson, my position has changed from Assistant Director to Assistant Director of Campus Vibrancy and Traditions.”
With that being said, what are some steps you took to promote yourself as a young professional? Do you have any tips on how to do so as a collegiate student?”
“Sure I think that by getting experience in really, anything, whether you think you want to do it as a career or as something that you have an interest in, my advice would be to get as much exposure to whatever opportunities exist. Shadow someone for the day! If you have someone you really connect with, use them as a mentor and find out what it took for them to get there. Use your resources. Also, being open minded to everything in your environment and knowing that everyone has SOMETHING to teach you… just be a sponge.”
Knowing that you’ve accomplished so many things already, what are some goals for the future and what are some specific goals you have already achieved?”
“Goals for the future, well this is personal but I want to have a family sooner than later. With my background in athletics and because of the experience I had with student athletes, I would love to work with that population of students on developing their identities. Firstly, by not calling them ‘just student athletes,’ but humans and young aspiring professionals. In many cases they have only been exposed to this one world of athletics and I want to transition them into who they really are other than athletics and to help them find and discover what their professional strengths are. I would love to one day work for the NCA and really change the culture of student athletes and athletic departments by helping them understand that they are people too, and the people who don’t end up going pro and having a successful life within athletics. Also, trying to help them discover what they would like to do in their professional lives because I believe through the discipline they’ve engrained so deeply in their minds, and other lessons one can only learn through athletics, they have a lot of potential in any other field.”
Knowing that you were once a student athlete, what are some professional goals you’ve achieved that really make your proud?
“Well, I finished college and was able to go to school for free from the scholarships I obtained through athletics and that really made me appreciate my education. I really had to work for it, academically and athletically to earn my money to go to school, which really made me appreciate the time I was in class. Grad school was another accomplishment, and getting another scholarship there and being able to work within a university made me realize what I’m good at and what I really enjoy. I believe in education and what school can do for a student in and out of the classroom, so my greatest goals I believe were achieved in this framework.”
Knowing that once students graduate they will probably be searching for jobs, is there any advice you would give them about what to do in an interview? What do you look for when hiring a potential candidate?
“I would say that it’s something they bring to the table that isn’t already there. With the type of work that I do, we are programming to the masses. So when I hire someone, I look for someone who is saying things honestly, so I can get a glimpse of who they really are. I like to see their personality not necessarily someone saying something because they think that they are supposed to. I look for someone who gets excited and has a passion for something, no matter what it is, a particular experience, or a class that they are taking, or an organization they believe in… anything to get a glimpse at their personality and what motivates them.”