When I think of perseverance, I think of Hannah Swoffer. Not only is she one of my best friends, but she is also one of the hardest workers I know. She has used the “Contact Me” form on websites to contact potential employers, and her favorite form of social media is LinkedIn.
Swoffer is a sophomore here at UW, with the intention of studying either informatics or mathematics. She truly has been everywhere – experiencing rejection, trial-and-error, and feelings of inferiority which has allowed for her to step into her full potential and discover her genuine passions. Here, I interview Swoffer, understanding how she came to find her identity through academic interests and professional experiences.
1. Tell me about your intended career path over the years, and how learning more about yourself has impacted this?
My career plans have changed a lot in the past three years. I was set on becoming a dentist in high school, wanted to be a lawyer during my freshman year of college, and now want to be a software developer. Whenever I went to the dentist as a kid, I romanticized the idea of owning my own practice. The day I got my first dental assisting job was a core memory for me since it felt like my dream was starting to come true. I checked in patients, polished and flossed teeth, and took X-Rays. I also worked at a second dental office over the summer where I set up and assisted filling and extraction appointments. When people asked about my jobs, I went on about how much I enjoyed the work. This was very true, but what I left out was how taxing it was sometimes. I came home often with stress headaches and frequently doubted my abilities. After a lot of thinking, I let the dream go and realized that dentistry was not the path for me. After this, I thought about becoming a lawyer. I worked at a law firm last summer and had a similar realization: the job itself was different from the fantasy I made up. Through this, I have learned how important trial and error are. I am now more willing to choose the path(s) that make me happy at the moment. I trust that I will accomplish something fulfilling one day, even if I do not know what that is at this moment.
2. Have you experienced difficulties as a woman in STEM with feeling inferior?
I feel inferior more than I would like to admit as a woman in STEM. The fear of failure is always lurking in the back of my mind. Certain circumstances in classes and past math-related failures have made me doubt my intelligence, even though I put so much time and effort into this field. Recently however, my perspective about math has shifted – I now see this rejection as a challenge that I am in the midst of overcoming. I am living the obstacle that I will discuss in future interviews when I am asked, “What was a challenge you had to overcome and how did you do it?” I am more motivated than ever to succeed and have developed a thicker skin.
3. How do you foresee your future professional life?
After deciding against the law and dental plans, I now hope to be a software developer or engineer. Something feels different with this path compared to my previous two. After previous rejections, my eyes have been opened to new possibilities, and I am excited to continue adapting to what life throws at me.
4. If you could change anything about this journey discovering your passions, what would it be?
I wish I realized that I did not want to be a dentist before I chose my freshman year courses for fall quarter. I took CHEM 142 and MATH 124 together and put all of my energy into chemistry since it was my “dentist preparation class.” One bad math grade destroyed my confidence for the entire year and made me assume that I would perform poorly throughout the rest of college, which I was wrong to think.
5. Finding internships and other opportunities is hard. What advice do you have for others in similar positions? How do you deal with rejection?
My advice for finding internships is to target smaller companies in your area that meet your interests and skill set. Then, you can email them explaining your situation and politely ask if they would be willing to discuss a job opportunity. That is how I got one of my dental internships and my law internship. A small company is nice because you can typically carve your own path, decide your hours, and get to know everyone at the company. If you are more interested in a large company with established positions, I recommend turning to LinkedIn. I have found many software internships and get updates whenever new job openings are available in my area.
I now see this rejection as a challenge that I am in the midst of overcoming.
– Hannah Swoffer
6. How do you think your interests in law, dentistry, and math will further your professional abilities?
My combined interests have taught me how to be an autonomous worker and ask the right questions. If I did not remember what instruments to set out for a tooth filling, I would take a picture of a completed example and study it. If I did not know how to make a disclosure schedule at the firm, I would use old examples as a guide. With the large weed-out classes last year, I had to learn a lot of material on my own. That being said, I also was too shy to ask for help when I was struggling. Stepping outside of my comfort zone and asking specific questions has been very helpful.
7. What has been your favorite class at UW so far?
PSYCH 210 – The class was already entertaining on its own, but I had friends in the class that made it even more fun.