Laura Kinley, recent graduate is living life to the fullest, but she continues to hold on to the values she gained at Catholic; faith, hard work and commitment. Now working for the Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C., Laura is taking on a new experience as she is planning for her wedding this upcoming May! Congrats Laura!
HC: Thank you for getting back to me with such short notice. To begin let’s start with where are you from? What year did you graduate? What did you major in?
Laura Kinley: I am from Jefferson, Maryland originally and currently live in Silver Spring, Maryland (moving to D.C. next month after my wedding!). I graduated in 2013 from CUA and majored in Media Studies with a minor in Marketing.
HC: Can you tell me what have you been doing since graduation?
Laura: Upon graduation I was hired at The Advisory Board Company in Washington, D.C. I have worked at the company since July 2013 and have moved from our healthcare marketing department to our higher education market research team. Outside of work, I have continued running, though not as much as I would like, and, of course, my fiancee and I got engaged last March!! We are getting married in May.
HC: What organizations were you apart of at CUA?
Laura: Too many… but it was so much fun. I ran for CUA all four years- all 12 seasons of my eligibility- which was the most fun. I was also involved with Presidents Society, SAAC, CAC, RENEW, Mission Jamaica, and Campus Ministry.
HC: How do you believe that being apart of the CUA Track and Field Team has helped you personally?
Laura: CUA Track and Field helped me in so many ways, personally and professionally. I developed my time management and leadership skills. I established a strong work ethic and disciplined work/life balance. I learned so much about what it means to commit yourself to achieving both personal and teams goals. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world.
HC: What is one thing you learned while at CUA, that you continue to apply to your everyday life?
Laura: Faith and commitment will take you where you are meant to go in life.
HC: Most memorable experiences at CUA?
Laura: Hard to choose just one. I will never forget the sense of accomplishment and deep satisfaction of winning cross country championships senior year. It is the most clear example from my life of the magic that can happen with hard work, teamwork, discipline, and commitment to achieving a collective goal. It was so fantastic!!!
HC: What would you say your best piece of advice would be for the graduating class this year?
Laura: Be willing to work hard and prepare to be frustrated in whatever your first job is. From my experience, it doesn’t matter if you’re in your dream job or if you’re doing something that you are not really passionate about. There is ALWAYS something to learn in whatever position you are currently in and make the most of each moment. Doors typically open for those who are willing to work hard.