Jumbo Spotlight: Coro Fellow William Huang

 By Angela Sun

William Huang, Coro fellow and Tufts '12 alum

The prestigious Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs is a nine-month experiential leadership training program that prepares diverse, talented, and committed individuals for effective and ethical leadership. There are placements around the country in Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and St. Louis. In this post, we hear from William Huang, a 2012 alum who is a current Coro Fellow in New York. 

How did your academic and professional experiences at Tufts prepare you for Coro?

I majored in International Relations with an East Asia sub-concentration . I worked closely with the Asian American community during my time at Tufts as an Asian American Peer Leader and also as the Asian American Community Representative in Senate. In my application for Coro, I emphasized my experiences facilitating the Pan-Asian Council during my senior year. These experiences demonstrated my passion for social justice and community empowerment, which fit into the leadership development mission of Coro. 

As for internship experience, I interned at the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing, a housing non-profit in NYC that focused on building affordable housing for the elderly and ill. This experience was something I talked about in my Coro essay. My internship there sparked my professional interests in community development and affordable housing.

Why did you decide to apply to the Coro fellowship?

I decided to apply because I wanted to learn how to be a more effective leader. In helping direct the Pan-Asian Council, I was having difficulty getting consensus on various projects and events. For example, we were planning to do a culture show between all the Asian clubs, but we had to eventually switch to Games Night. I also wanted to get training in how to motivate others, which was something I was struggling with. Furthermore, Coro has a strong network of alumni in government, business, and non-profit, so participating in Coro would jumpstart my career in community development by providing an instant network.

What was the application process like? Who should apply?

The application is structured as if you're applying to a grad school program. I had to write four essays, submit my undergraduate transcript along with three recommendations. Once you get past the initial screening process, there is a Selection Day in March for the 36 finalists, of which Coro will pick 12. I can't get into any specifics about Selection Day, but it is grueling and quite un-orthodox! Come mentally prepared and focused - you have to be on your "A" game.

To be a Coro fellow, you must have the ability to work with others from different backgrounds than yourself, with regards to gender, race, class, sexuality, political beliefs, etc. You should come in open-minded and agile. Coro has a very fast timeline when it comes to group projects and it can be tricky to stay on top of it all. There will also be unexpected twists on some of the projects so it is important to stay mentally prepared.

How is the fellowship program structured?

Coro is an experiential leadership training program with tons of surprises prepared for the fellows. The program consists of rotational placements in government, election campaigns, labor, business and non-profit sectors. Additionally, there are Focus Weeks interspersed throughout the year on topics like public finance, and media. There are also leadership breakfasts where we interview key stakeholders in the various sectors. For example, this Friday we will interview Dennis Walcott, the chancellor for the NYC Department of Education. Tuesday evenings and Fridays are also Coro Seminar Days where we might work on projects or personal leadership development.

One memorable experience (out of many) was seeing that Mayor Bloomberg's office was just a regular cubicle in the middle of City Hall. He didn't have a corner office - he just had a cubicle surrounded by his staff members. He's just like the rest of us, albeit much richer!

What placements/ projects have your received as part of your fellowship?

Coro placed me at the NYC Department of Education for my government placement, and now I am at AFSCME, a union for municipal employees. For my Department of Education placement, I was placed with the newly created Division of Equity and Access and tasked with writing the online content for the Empowering Boys website. It is an online resource for educators, students, and parents to access things like SAT prep classes, study habit tips, and a variety of other tools. The Division of Equity and Access and the Empowering Boys website is specifically designed to help narrow the achievement gap in high school graduation and college matriculation rates between Black and Latino male and their white counterparts.

For my campaign placement, I and nine other Coro fellows assisted the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) with the Joseph Addabbo, Jr. re-election campaign. He is a Democrat running for re-election as State Senator in Queens. On a typical day, I would go to the Queen's office, head out to knock on doors and canvas. I would end the day debriefing and phone-banking.  Through the combined efforts of UFT, volunteers, and the Coro fellows, Addabbo won re-election!

Coro is about experiencing different sectors in order to draw connections across the board and cultivate effective leadership. Coro runs from September to May, like a one-year grad program. These placements are around a month long each.

Did you get to work with other fellows?

I work with other fellows constantly. The time I devote to the group processes is equal to, if not greater, than my time at placements. We meet on Tuesday evenings and Fridays to do group projects and prepare for leadership breakfasts, in which we interview prominent stakeholders. All of the fellows are very bright, motivated, and driven. About half grew up in NYC, but many of the fellows are from the West Coast, and even other countries (South Korea). It takes time to reach a consensus when we make a decision, but that is part of the group process we're learning to master.

What are some of the challenges as a fellow?

One difficulty is learning how to live on a budget. Coro provides a stipend that varies based on financial need, but nevertheless it can be hard to live on the stipend. I'm fortunate to be living at home, so I can use my stipend on transportation, food, clothing, etc. A lot of the fellows apply for food stamps and Medicaid to stretch their dollar. It's great to have these shared resources.

Another difficulty is managing the work-life balance. Coro is a full-time commitment (60 hours/ week) where Tuesday seminars can last until 11PM and we might have to come in on the weekends. I have a girlfriend and am on the Planning Committee for the Tufts Asian American Alumni Association, so it can be tricky to juggle all my priorities. The best way to resolve this is to communicate clearly--I tell my girlfriend that Tuesdays are hectic so I can't call her. The balance is an ongoing lesson, so I will have more answers as the program continues.

What have you learned from the experience so far?

So far, I have learned the importance of talking to a variety of stakeholders on any issues - it's important to recognize the heard and unheard voices in the decision-making process. I am able to use inquiry to understand the underlying power dynamics and contribute to informed and inclusive decisions.

What are your plans for next steps?

In the future, I am interested in working at a housing non-profit for a few years and then getting my Masters in Public Administration to further my career in community development. 

If you're interested in applying to Coro, applications are due January 18, 2013. William Huang is also happy to speak with interested Tufts students.  You can contact him through the Tufts Career Advisory Network at tuftscan.org. His Coro profile can be found here.

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Returned Peace Corps Natawnee Fritz

Interested in joining the Peace Corps after college? Natawnee Fritz A06 tells all about the application process, her volunteer experiences in Cape Verde, and the values of spending time abroad.

1. What was your major at Tufts? To what extent did Tufts and its international focus shape your decision?

I was always interested in international relations (IR) which is the reason why I chose to study at Tufts. At Tufts, I majored in IR, led Amnesty International, and studied abroad in Rome. During my second year, I took advantage of an opportunity offered by the IR department – the Anne E. Borghesani Memorial Prize. The prize enables the recipient(s) to undertake a research project, an internship, a volunteer activity, or a plan of study in any field involving international issues. I received a grant to volunteer in Uganda for a summer in order to work with a local NGO. There, I did HIV/AIDS education with women and youth, built houses, and led other local capacity building activities.

2. What inspired you to join the Peace Corps?

I knew that I wanted to work abroad. While the experience in Uganda was a great, I felt like I was just getting settled by the time I left. Peace Corps was attractive to me because it was two years. And with Peace Corps, I knew I would have a structured support system behind me as I volunteered. Also, I still wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after college so this seemed like a great opportunity to explore.

3. What is the Peace Corps application process like? What steps did you take to get accepted?

On average, it takes about a year to a year and half from the time one starts applying to the start of service. I was fortunate in that I began the process in the fall of my senior year and started service in the summer after graduation. The application, at least when I did it, included a long questionnaire, letters of recommendation, and an interview with a recruiter. The recruiter then decides to nominate you or not, moving your application from the local office to headquarters in Washington, D.C. Next, you go through medical and background clearances. Once, all of the clearances are approved, you are paired with a technical focus (i.e. education, community development, etc) and a country, and then sent an “invitation” to accept.

4. What advice do you have for students looking to apply to Peace Corps or similar-type programs?

Speak to other people who’ve done it. Peace Corps, and other volunteer programs, are different for each person, offering different benefits depending on who you are. Also, you don’t have to have international experience before applying. A commitment to service – which could be in your local community – or a specialized technical background can strengthen your application just as much as someone who has studied abroad.

With regard to the application, Peace Corps recruiters are really helpful. There’s a local office in Boston and the recruiters are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers themselves. Also, I would recommend you apply early. I was lucky to start so soon but I know a lot of people where the process took up to two years.

5. Can you describe your experiences? What kind of initiatives were you involved in?

I was a Community Development Volunteer with a local municipality in Cape Verde, an archipelago off the West Coast of Africa. I spent three months in training with the rest of the volunteers, learning the local language and Cape Verdean culture. Once I moved to my site, I worked without other volunteers at a local municipality.

Cape Verde is unique as a developing country because it has just passed the threshold to a middle-income country but remains that the bottom of this category. There is no extreme poverty and most of Cape Verde has electricity, even internet, and access to potable water. The question then became: how was I going to help people who are receiving an education, but aren’t receiving sufficient training to overcome key development gaps?

I decided to work with young women, mostly because it was an area in which I felt comfortable and where I felt I could make an impact. I created leadership camps for young women, bringing together female students from throughout the island I lived on. Young women typically take care of the household in Cape Verde and are often not able to experience opportunities outside of their school and home. Therefore, these camps afforded young women an opportunity to meet their peers and realize that they were not alone in their experiences. The camps featured female guest speakers, leadership and life skills activities, and education on women’s health. The camps have now been adopted by the national Ministry of Youth and implemented on several islands, among girls and boys.

6. What was your favorite part of the experience?

I don’t know if there will ever be one favorite – it always seems to change with what I’m most nostalgic about in the moment. In terms of work, I am proud of the work that I did with the young women of my community. When I think about the larger experience of living in Cape Verde for over two years, I am flooded with memories of Cape Verdean culture – the food, the music, the people, the language. Cape Verde became a second home to me by the end and I felt like those in my community were my family and friends.

7. What was the biggest challenge you faced during your experience?

Realizing that you’re human. Most Peace Corps Volunteers (and aspiring ones) are idealists, which is great. But, you are just one person and you can only affect so much. You learn during your two years to be okay with that and to appreciate the small contributions you make.

8. Any particular moment, or story, that particularly stands out to you?

I happened to be visiting another town one day and a stranger came up to me asking if I had been involved with Camp Crioula (the leadership camp). She said that her daughter had attended the camp and loved it. She wouldn’t stop talking about it and still kept in touch with friends she had made. It was a brief conversation before she was on her way but she left me standing there thinking that even if I didn’t leave Peace Corps having changed the world, I had positively impacted the life of this woman and her daughter.

9. Can you briefly describe your current field of work? How did your Peace Corps experience shape your career path?

I work in international development now, at a firm called DAI. DAI has projects in over 60 countries working in agriculture, environment, health and governance. When I left Peace Corps, I knew that I wanted to continue in the same line of work and found that opportunity with DAI. I currently work in market research where I help our company identify new projects, clients, and countries to do development work.

10. What are the values of exploring a different part of the world? What are the benefits of joining an international initiative out of college?

It always depends on the individual but I feel very fortunate to have been a part of Peace Corps after Tufts. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with an IR major but knew I wanted to be abroad and working in something I cared about. Peace Corps gave me that opportunity to explore and provided an excellent stepping stone in my career path.

Traveling and learning about other countries, cultures, and peoples doesn’t have to be done with Peace Corps or because you want to get into international development. And it isn’t just valuable when you travel someplace new. Our world is increasingly interconnected and the experience of learning about someplace or somebody different than you has tangible advantages in your daily life - whether it’s during an exchange with a stranger or working with a colleague at your next job.

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Julie Gomstyn, Communications & Advertising Professional

Introducing Julie Gomstyn, Senior Associate at Digitas, an integrated brand agency right here in Boston. Read on as Julie chats about her career trajectory, the vibrant culture of PR, and important steps for breaking into the industry.

1. How did you first become interested in the communications/advertising industry?
I have enjoyed writing ever since I was little. But I knew that writing per se wasn’t something I wanted to do 24/7. I also really like strategizing new ideas and working with people, so public relations seemed like a great combination of those skills.

2. What types of extracurricular activities were you involved with on campus? How did your experiences at Tufts help shape your career path?
I wrote and later served as a Managing Editor for the Tufts Zamboni. I learned a lot through editing and writing for a publication, and the fact that it was a humor magazine helped me to inject more creativity into my writing. I also interned at Tufts Career Services, where I helped students works on their resumes and cover letters. I found both these experiences very useful for the work I do now.

3. Did you have any internships and/or prior work experiences within media?
I held a variety of communications internships before Digitas. The summer after my freshman year, I interned two days a week unpaid for small adventure travel company as a PR intern. The winter of sophomore year, I did one of Tufts’ wintership programs at a nonprofit called Woodhull Institute. Again, I got some great hands-on experience; interning for a smaller company will do that. The summer after my sophomore year, I had a paid internship at a software company in the marketing department. I did it full time over the summer and part time during the fall as well.

The summer after my junior year, I had another paid internship, this time for a PR agency called MS&L. During the fall I also used it to fulfill the internship credit for my communications minor. Interning at a PR agency was a great experience; I learned a lot about working in media and the types of materials that you have to write in PR. I also had the chance to work with a number of different clients. I had wonderful mentors during my time there, and I got a great feel for the PR industry.

4. How did you land your job at Digitas?
My senior year, I reached out to a wide range of communications and media companies in Boston. I put together a list of the top companies I wanted to work for. Every day, I checked on their websites to see if they had any available job openings. It’s important that students take time to perfect resumes and cover letters, but once a job is posted, everyone else can see it too. You want to try to apply as quickly as you can.

I wound up landing the job a couple of weeks before I graduated. I started working a week after graduation.

5. What are your day-to-day responsibilities at the company?
I am a Senior Associate in the Corporate Communications team and my job is to represent Digitas both internally and externally to the wider advertising industry. Every morning, I come into the office and check the news on Digitas. In public relations, you want to see what people are saying about your clients---good, bad, inaccurate. It’s something that I keep my eye on all day.

I also post content to Digitas’ social channels, particularly our Twitter account and Facebook page. I update these channels on a daily basis, posting about events that we’re hosting and industry news that we think followers would be interested in. I also upload videos to our YouTube page and photos to our Flickr account.

I work on a weekly newsletter that goes out to the entire company, covering everything that’s happening at Digitas. I also publicize news about Digitas externally, informing the media about new ad campaigns that we’ve launched and events that our people are speaking at.

6. What are your favorite aspects of the job?
I love working on our social channels – it’s a lot of fun and I enjoy interacting with people on these networks. . I also love it when I get to promote the exciting things that are happening at Digitas to the media. It’s a wonderful feeling to see someone write something great about your client.

7. What skills do you feel are important to succeed at a job in communications?
You definitely need to be a good writer. You need to learn how to make your writing shorter and more to the point. It’s also important to be attentive to detail and have good research skills.

In today’s environment, if you want to succeed or land a job in communications, I recommend learning about social media because that’s become an increasingly important part of communications. I started blogging my senior year to make myself more appealing to companies.

An understanding of HTML could also be a good tool to have in your arsenal. I use it for the weekly newsletter, and it’s helpful for working with certain blog platforms.

8. What advice do you have for undergraduates also pursuing careers within communications? On the job-search in general?
Internships have become pretty critical for careers in communications. I would also say that it’s important to have good writing samples. Stay away from things that are too long; samples need to be well-written and not much longer than a page.

For the job hunt in general, you shouldn’t limit yourself to any one avenue of search. I used Craigslist and other job boards, but I also searched on Twitter and LinkedIn. I landed my job in Digitas by putting together a list of companies that I was interested in, and I checked their websites every day.

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Introducing Tufts Alum and Financier: Lorie Lin

Meet Tufts alum and healthcare financier Lorie Lin (A'11), a entry level banking analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman, an elite financial services company in Boston. Featuring insight into the finance industry, networking, and real-world job-life, Lorie's career-success story is certainly worth a read.

1. When did you first become interested in the finance industry? What aspects of the business world particularly resonate with you?
I’ve always been interested in business. I’m drawn to business not because I’m interested in crunching numbers all day, but because I’m interested in learning where a company’s value comes from. I just think about iPhone and Apple, for instance; there is an insane, ridiculous Apple cult following, with investors playing 400 dollars for a single company stock. The qualitative and social aspects of business are what I find most interesting.

2. How did your experiences at Tufts help shape your career path?
At Tufts, I was Quantitative Economics major and an Entrepreneurial Leadership Studies Minor (ELS). Hands-down, I learned so much more from my ELS minor than all of my economics classes combined. It’s what made me really consider banking finance and business. Through my classes, I created business plans for hypothetical start-up companies, through which I’d project a company’s financial growth and comprise marketing plans. Much of what I learned was applicable to my internships and current job.

3. Did you have any internships and/or prior work experiences within finance?
I was part of Tufts Financial Group my junior year. The summer after my sophomore year, I interned for a mutual fund company in Shenzhen, China. After my junior year, I interned at Brown Brothers Harriman, and I’m currently working in this same group today.

4. How did you land your job at Brown Brothers Harriman?
One of my ELS professors announced to our class that there was an internship opportunity for an internship at BBH (Brown Brothers Harriman). I applied and was offered the internship, which I did right after my junior year. It was a great learning experience and from there, I kept in touch with co-workers and human resources. Then, I applied for an opening in my group during spring of my senior year.

5. What are your day-to-day responsibilities at the company?
I work in the healthcare corporate banking group. We make loans out to middle-market healthcare companies, which include medical technologies, healthcare services, etc. My job is to analyze these different companies. I write credit analysis reports---almost similar to what I did for my ELS business plans---which contain an overview of the company, an analysis of the competition and the market, financial modeling, and forecasting. As an entry-level analyst, I basically support whoever else needs my help.

6. What is the work climate at BBH like?
The specific team that I work on contains 10 people. It’s a very collegiate atmosphere. You’re working on your own-time---you don’t clock in or clock out---and you take on your own responsibilities. It’s a very professional atmosphere, very business-y. But at the same time, it doesn’t give off a snooty banker vibe. Everyone is so nice and all willing to help; they know I’m the “new girl” on the floor. It took just a couple of weeks to get over the initial intimidation.

7. What are your favorite aspects of the job?
I am really lucky to have been placed in the healthcare group. I find it really exciting to be in healthcare, and I feel like it just adds more value to the work I’m doing. I’m investing in companies that are saving people’s lives every day. There is so much happening with new healthcare initiatives; there are enormous opportunities for healthcare IT and service providers because of the economic climate and new healthcare policies, and it’s been so interesting to monitor what’s going on in the current market. It is rewarding to provide money for companies that are physically helping other people.

8. What skills do you feel are important to succeed at a job in finance?
You should be a math person and just generally comfortable with numbers. You should also be very analytical and open-minded, and be able to find different ways of looking at situations. As an analyst, you are constantly evaluating various companies and situations. I think it’s important to be confident in the work you do, to have conviction and stand behind your points.

I also think it’s important to have good communication and inter-personal skills. Senior level bankers interact with clients everyday; in a business role, it’s all about networking. You could be biggest math and excel whiz, but if you can’t interact and connect with other people, you won’t get that far.

9. Where do you envision yourself in 5-10 years?
I definitely want to go to business school and get my MBA within the next 3-4 years. I am studying for the GMAT right now. I want to stay within business, but I’d also be open to seeing what comes out after business school. For now, I am planning to stay with BBH; I’ve already learned so much in the past few years, and I’d love to keep growing within the company. I am very excited by healthcare, and I could definitely see myself staying there if I have the option. I also like the weird, geeky gadget sectors related to technology. It would be awesome to be able to work in a variety of different sectors.

10. What advice do you have for undergraduates on the job-search?
Put yourself out there and network. When I was a senior, it was the only advice anyone gave us. I was skeptical about it at first, but it really is the most helpful thing you could do as a student. I never realized this until I graduated, but I’ve found that people are so much more willing to help you out if you say you’re a student. If you go to a random networking event and walk up to someone and say that you want to learn more about his/her professional life, they will generally want to help you. My professor was a huge help is how I got my job today, for instance; that’s networking. You just put yourself out there and ask to hear more information. Welcome any and all advice, as you never know when it’ll come in handy. And stay in touch with everyone that you know; you never know when they’ll link you to an opportunity

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Non-Profit Program Coordinator, Maura Donahue

I had the opportunity to chat with Tufts alum Maura Donahue A10, the talented, tech-savvy, and ever-busy program coordinator at the Children’s Advocacy Center. Read on as Maura discusses her vibrant work experiences, the infamous job search, and how her own Jumbo college days inspired her professional growth.

1.What was your college major? How did your experience at Tufts shape your interest in the non-profit field?

Tufts has a great college atmosphere; it promotes active citizenship, and there are so many classes and activities that cater to students who have a cause and genuinely want to improve the universe. I found this calling in Peace and Justice Studies, and Art History brought a creative element to it. My senior year, I wrote a senior honors thesis that explored public art projects with a social activism component. I was also involved with Collaborative Peace Games, which is an afterschool program that teaches nonviolence/nonviolent communication skills to middle schoolers. My interest in the non-profit field extended from my academic classes as well as my internship and volunteer experiences during my time at Tufts.

2. Can you expand on the mission of the Children’s Advocacy Organization?

When an incident of sexual or physical child abuse is reported, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County coordinates a multi-disciplinary team of police, prosecutors, social workers, advocates and medical and mental health professionals to provide specialized services for the child and their family. An example of a service is a forensic interview conducted at our Center, observed together by the Team. This is why [the Children’s Advocacy Center] has such a special mission. Before the CAC, the child would have to tell their story multiple times, perhaps to a teacher, then to a guidance counselor, then to a lawyer or social worker, and so on. Each time a child is telling his/her story, it’s reinforcing the trauma. At the Children’s Advocacy Center, the whole idea is centered on the best possible interest of the child. We exist so that children can tell their story comfortably and that they can tell it only once.

3.How did you land your job at the Children’s Advocacy center?

I had not heard of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Suffolk County before I applied for the position. I found the job opening on Idealist, which advertises a lot of non-profit positions. After not hearing back a month after applying, I sent a follow-up email, reiterating my interest in the organization and offering supplemental information. Then I was offered an interview. I came in for a second interview, and afterwards I was offered the position. I’ve found that there are so many ways to engage in the job search and just get your name and goals out there – use what works best for you!

4. What is your position at the Children’s Advocacy Center? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?

I am the Program Coordinator at the Children’s Advocacy Center. In many ways, it’s been a crash-course. In a small non-profit, the Program Coordinator can be charged with many responsibilities and tasks because there is often a lot to get done. I have learned many new skills; for example I never thought I would be using Quick books accounting software after graduation. It is beneficial for the organization to do projects in-house, which has led me to take on projects such as web-page programming and social media. This involved a new mastery of design work, primarily utilizing Adobe InDesign. Our generation is in-tune with computers in ways that I didn’t recongize while at Tufts and it has been exciting to bring that to the CAC

The other part of my job is supporting the development sector. This involves not only raising funds, but also raising awareness about the CAC. I work closely with the Development Director to find ways to bring our mission to people and foster their engagement, which we often do through events and programs. One particularly special event we organize is called Hope Blooms, launching this fall. We will plant 1122 crocus bulbs on the Greenway in Boston in recognition of each child referred to our organization last year. The first blooming of these flowers embodies the first signs of hope in spring after a long winter, so this event has a very symbolic meaning that speaks to the CAC mission.

5. What are your favorite parts about the job?

I work with so many people who are really dedicated to the mission of the CAC. It is inspiring to observe the work of direct services providers who have an extremely difficult and admirable job. My other favorite part of the job is the day-to-day challenge. When I graduated from Tufts, I would have told you that I had limited technical knowledge in the computer realm. Now I feel much more confident, using HTML programming, Adobe InDesign, and accounting tools on a nearly daily basis.. So much of my experience has been about tackling new skills formerly outside my comfort zone. It’s fun and rewarding to know that you’re growing your professional skill set and truly contributing to an organization.

6. What skills do you feel are most necessary to succeed at your job?

I think it’s really valuable to be a go-getter and an active problem-solver. If you don’t know how to do something, try to seek out the advice of people who do. If that isn’t possible in the moment, do what college students do best: Google it! And it’s also important to be flexible, especially in a smaller non-profit. I always find myself lending support to co-workers, and vice-versa, and I’ve continued to learn the importance of being a good team player.

7. Is there a particular experience or moment on-the-job that especially sticks out to you?

Last December, one of my first responsibilities was to plan the Holiday Toy Drive. We partnered with South Station, where all of the toys were collected, and we distributed the toys to our partner agencies, which reach the children that we serve. It was such an incredible feeling knowing that each of those toys was going to be in the hands of a child; it made me want to go to work even more. It was wonderful witnessing a stranger’s act of kindness in donating the toys, and then seeing how that kindness was passed along to create more of it. Out of all my experiences, this was especially close to my heart.

8. What steps did you take while at Tufts to get a leg up in the job hunt? What advice do you have for undergrads currently embarking on the career search?

While I knew what my interests and passions were during college, it didn’t always seem like there was a very clear career path when it came time to job search. I started to do a variety of informational interviews with alumni through Tufts Career Network during my senior year and after graduation. It was a great experience to hear from people who had gone to Tufts, and I would highly recommend it. Through the interviews, I also found out about jobs that I didn’t even know existed! I learned about their career trajectory, and it helped me understand that you don’t always have to know exactly where you’re going; if you keep in mind what makes you happy and what motivates you, things have a way of working out. My advice to undergraduates during the job hunt is to keep your confidence and know that you’re a qualified candidate with a lot to offer!

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Public Health Professional, Carolyn Matheson

Last week, I had the fantastic opportunity to sit down with Tufts
aluma Carolyn Matheson A08, an aspiring nurse practitioner and true career-star in the world of public healthcare. Read on as Carolyn discusses her exceptional years at The Barbara McInnis House, her ambitious long-term goals, and the steps she took to boot up her professional career.

1. How did you become interested in the healthcare industry?
I came to Tufts not knowing what I wanted to do at all. I grew up in Costa Rica, and came to the states for school. I didn’t even know what a nurse practitioner was. But I was always interested in community service, health, and nutrition. I quickly found the Community Health program at Tufts. This, in conjunction with the Tisch Scholars program gave me the opportunity to get meaningful hands-on experience [in the field]. I have Tufts to thank for exposing me.

2. Did you have any prior work experience in healthcare?
Through the Tisch Scholars program, I worked with immigrant provider groups for health. I even got to do a project on intestinal parasites in Nicaragua. And it was trough my community health internship and the Scholar’s project that I ended up at Healthcare for the Homeless. I had an internship there as a case manager. Since I spoke Spanish, the nurse practitioners there also asked me to help translate. I got a lot of exposure to different aspects of healthcare that I didn’t even know existed.

3. How did you land your job at Barbara McInnis House?
It’s a good example of networking. All of the jobs I’ve gotten are through people I know or have worked with. I first worked with Healthcare for Homeless in Jamaica Plain my senior year. I just loved the organization, and I always stayed in touch with them. I would send people Christmas cards, and I continued to email employers. I knew I enjoyed that organization, and that I could see myself working there.

4. Can you describe your work experience at Barbara McInnis? What were you day-to-day responsibilities?
Barbara McGinnis House is an impatient respite facility under the Healthcare for Homeless umbrella, and it [services] about 110 people. I see all kinds of different people—everyone from those with frostbite to people with terminal cancer. As a case worker, I was responsible for helping people get access to public benefits and food stamps, [filling out] housing applications, helping people get into halfway houses, and so on. I had 26 patients at a time on my caseload. I would do a psych social evaluation of each patient, which covers their family history, substance abuse history, sexual history, and more. It’s to get an idea of how we could best be working with each patient.

5. Can you think of any one experience, or a specific client, that particularly sticks out to you?

I worked for a while with a 21-year-old man, who was from an abusive family and had cancer when he was young. He was born in Boston, moved to Puerto Rico, but came back to Boston when he relapsed at 15. He was found living outside the prudential center. When he came into my care, I started calling around and going back and forth with him to Homestart, who finally came through with an emergency voucher. Bridge over Troubled Waters also opened up and took him in, so now he is living around people his own age.

He is one of my favorite success stories. He now has an interview with the admissions director at Tufts. Mayor Menino has offered to help him with his tuition. I even contacted the Globe, and there’s an article about him in the paper. Through my interactions with some of these patients, I realize that you don’t need to have some advanced degree to make a difference. All it takes is someone to advocate a little bit for someone else.

7. What inspired you to change your career path and pursue your interest in nursing?
Being a nurse practitioner allows you to combine public health with direct patient care. Like a physician, I’d be able to prescribe medication and diagnose [patients]. But I like the nursing model more than the medical model because it offers a more holistic view of a person.

8. What is your graduate program like?

I’m at Northeastern, in a four-year program for people who already have a bachelor's degree. I have a shift at Brigham Woman’s Hospital on Thursdays, which I really love.e. It’s a really diverse group of people in terms of age and background. It’s really hands-on, and many classes have a clinical component.

10. What advice do you have for undergraduates, especially seniors, about to embark on the job-search process?
Network. And I know that people don’t like to hear that, but you need to keep the contacts alive with people that you’ve worked with, including professors. It’s important to put in an effort to keep up relationships.

As for me, I didn’t know anyone in DC. So one day I went online and found a study that was trying to [recruit] participants. I emailed the head of the study and asked to meet with her. She ended up forwarding my resume to every principal investigator and head of research. Before I knew it, I had 5 interviews. So even if people don’t have a job for you, you might as well meet and interact with them. It helps if you are just willing to talk to someone, and it always helps to just think outside the box.

Read More

Jumbo Spotlight: Alumna Finds Her Career Calling

I had the chance to chat with Tufts alumna Dana Yoo, an engineer-turned toy-maker-turned teacher whose road to snagging her dream career is nothing short of admirable. After a few years at a Boston engineering company, Dana had an epiphany that teaching, instead, was her career calling. And so, following her tugging gut-feeling, Dana successfully changed routes, proving to us all that it’s never too late to pursue something you love.

How did you develop an interest in engineering? What kind of engineering did you study?
I went to Bronx Science, a high school geared toward math and science. When I applied to colleges, my my math and science scores were higher than my English scores. It just made sense to apply to engineering schools.

At Tufts, I started out with civil engineering because I thought I wanted to do architecture. But since civil engineering limited the scope of other engineering I could do, I decided to change to mechanical. More than drawing buildings and doing construction, I was drawn to a hands-on types of engineering.

How did you spend your summers? Did you land any internships or work experience related to engineering?
I was an intern at Fisher Price my sophomore summer. I designed toys usable for kids and safe by national requirements and laws. I would calculate how far the Sponge Bob toy could jump, for instance. I was definitely using a lot of physics.

I had wanted to apply to Fisher Price my senior year, but I didn’t end up applying because I wanted to keep exploring Boston. But it was one of the best internships I’ve had in my life. The crazy thing is that when I interned there, I was like, ‘I could see doing this for the rest of my life.’

What kind of teacher do you envision yourself becoming?
I definitely want to teach high school math, hopefully pre-calculus or calculus. I’d also want to be a high school volleyball coach. I’ve played volleyball since 7th grade and I still play in leagues. I just really believe in team settings. I think sports are another venue where students can excel and achieve.

In an ideal world, I would want to be involved in children’s lives. I have so much passion and compassion for kids, and I really believe in students. I am excited to learn because my background is engineering—it has nothing to do with child development. I’m really excited to learn how to become an effective teacher and teach a subject I’m good at and enjoy.

Did you have any prior experience teaching experience? Have you worked with kids before?
I always did online tutoring. I also always kept up with creating SAT books for companies. My junior year I got to work with Center for Engineering Outreach (CEEO), which helps students become aware of engineering education. I got to teach elementary school afterschool programs in Legos and robotics. My senior year, I did an independent study in which I created a classroom curriculum in robotics. I was always kinda like, ‘should I teach, or should I go into engineering?’

What was your experience like at Tufts? Any other classes or subjects that piqued your interest outside of engineering?
Tufts has a very intense engineering program. Mainly math and physics took up my engineering courses. I was very focused on engineering and that environment because you are always working with peers to do problem sets and projects. But I was also able to extend myself. I took sign language for three semesters and film classes. I also took classes in art and calligraphy. I was able to take classes I was interested in and knew I wouldn’t have a chance at again.

Where did you work post-college? What steps did you take to land the job?
I worked at Nuance Employment for the past four years. I had gone to Career Services my senior year. Donna was awesome--she was basically a savior. She helped me get my resume up to par and get active in networking. My manager, who was a Tufts alumnus, actually came into my human factors classroom. For my senior project in that class, I had created an application through which I used dragon software to link messages back with sign language. I used technology to make a concept a real application. When I interviewed with Nuance, I presented my project and they were impressed. They recognized I was up to par with knowledge in technology. Through networking, a decent resume, and several interviews, I landed this job. I got it the day I graduated. Up until May, I didn’t have anything lined up. It was definitely a roller-coaster of emotions.

What was working at Nuance Employment like?
Nuance designs things like IBR systems, cell phones, and cars. What I currently do is form and write applications for these programs. I helped out with Ford Sync, for example, which is the entertainment system in all cars. I love what I do. It’s a growing technology and I’ve experienced how to grow professionally. Culturally I was shocked about how different how different the corporate world was from internships and college. I grew tremendously from being in a corporate setting and experiencing different cultures and types of people.

What will you miss about the job?
I will miss being caught up with the latest growing technology. I worked with the latest i-Phones and i-Pads. Currently voice recognition devices are growing. I will miss that type of competitive learning environment. I hope that I can still keep up with technology and even bring it into the classroom.

Given you were overall content and inspired in your field, what motivated you to radically change gears and pursue teaching instead?
There was there was always this crazy pull to go back to education. It was something I was always passionate about and good at. Two years ago, I got rejected from Teach for America. That’s when I thought, ‘maybe it’s not the right time yet.’ This past year though, I thought I should pursue my dreams while still young. I couldn’t start right away because money was a big factor. But something kept telling me that everything would be okay. I got into the four schools I applied. It was crazy because I got offered full tuitions. To me, this meant that now was perfect timing; it’s meant to be.

What will your education master's program entail?
I finally got an offer to Boston College with full tuition plus extra scholarship money. I’m quitting Nuance the first week of May, and I start full time school in July. The program at Boston College is 12 months. I also got into its Urban Scholars program, which focuses on teaching in urban settings. I’ve done volunteer work in low income communities. I believe school is the place where student potential is brought to the highest possible.

What most draws you to teaching? What excites you most about your new profession?
Something that excites me is when kids are like, ‘Oh I get it now!’ It’s not always the ones that are studious, but more the ones that feel insecure but act out. Those are the ones that when they get the material and really care, you can see it in their change of attitudes, eyes, and postures. I know that kids are impressionable no matter what stage. I can’t wait for that moment where I’ll be able to connect to a student. I want to be part of giving kids open dreams.

I feel like I was also given unique opportunities as a student. Certain teachers I interacted with when I was younger inspired me to have my head on straight. I attended school everyday of my life, and I am here where I am now because of teachers.

Where do you see yourself 5-10 years down the line?
In the long run, I want to get a PHD in education leadership and become a principal someday. Down the line, I always want to go back to Fisher Price. I’m just taking it year by year. In high school and college, we can set all these goals and plans for your life. But for me, everything didn’t come into fruition until the right timing.

What advice can you give to undergrads/grads who are hesitant about the fields they’re currently in?
Students should definitely seek out career counselors at Tufts and talk to teachers and parents. And definitely network. Networking and talking to people who have gone through this process is extremely helpful and encouraging. And run with your heart. I know its so cliché when people say don’t go for a job because of the money, but after a while you get worn out. My job was intense and on the go, but at the end of the day I felt a sense of dissatisfaction. I feel like there is something else I’m called to do. At the end of the day you have to be happy. You have to just go with your gut feeling and enjoy life.

What advice can you give to undergraduates specifically about choosing a major/professional path?
I think there is a way to connect everything you enjoy to what you want to do. Seek out a career counselor and work on your resume together. Think about your skills, volunteer experiences, and hobbies. The core of who you are won’t change. What you study and what your interests are will inevitably lead to what you’re meant to do. I know there are many things I learned at my office that relate to teaching and leadership. I’m working with 30-40 personalities right now, which entirely relates back to the classroom. Everything you experience you can portray in your next career. Think outside of the box, be creative with life, and run with what you feel is best. And don’t give up and don’t quit and don’t settle.

Interested in talking to inspirational alumni like Dana? Visit the Tufts Alumni Career Network for a database of 8500+ alumni who have volunteered to speak with you!

Read More