This article is part of our Legends Interview Program. An Alumni Association initiative to record the experiences of alumni and share with our community. This interview took place on April 15th, 2022. Schedule an interview or submit your own story to us by emailing us at info@foreveraneasttechtitan.com.
Hi future alumni!
Graduating from East Tech can be daunting because you’re challenged with this question, “What’s next?”. Many alumni choose to continue their program but there are others who realized that after spending four years in a program, it’s time to try something new.
I want to show you from my story that it’s okay to try something new, because you may never know that with a different degree or education, it may be full circle and you can work in the same industry you majored at East Tech.
A little bit about me, I decided after going through the education program, I didn’t want to become a teacher but had the same passion and love for helping young kids. After graduating from UNLV with a BA in Journalism with an emphasis on Integrated Marketing Communications, I currently work for a non-profit called “Communities in School” where I serve as a community resource focused on supporting at-risk middle school students’ emotional and mental health. While I didn’t go through the traditional route of becoming a teacher, I still found a way to come back into the education industry just like what I majored at East Tech.
If you feel you’re ready to try something new after graduating from East Tech, here’s some advice I have for you.
Go with the flow
You don’t need a “set plan” or timeline figured out after graduating from East Tech. Putting yourself up on a timeline will definitely push you to be stressed out and could possibly make you lose focus of what you want to achieve. As crazy as this seems, just “go with the flow” and things will figure themselves out.
It’s okay to fail
In life, you’ll face a ton of challenges and it’s definitely okay for you to fail. Do things at your own pace and don’t focus on other people’s expectations to where you need to be. You are more prepared than what you think you are so don’t beat yourself up if you’re not going at the ideal pace.
What you learn at East Tech can be applied to any industry you go to
Even if you are not taking the traditional route of continuing your program education, the things you’ve learned can be very useful for you when you venture out to other industries. For example, one of the things I learned in the education program was that “consistency was key” for children’s education and positive growth development. Using what I’ve learned from my education program at East Tech, I identified the school age I wanted to work with and made sure to use the knowledge I’ve learned to have an effective and positive impact on the students I work with.
Surround yourself with people that want you to succeed
Do you remember how it felt at East Tech when we were all pushing each other to be the best? That was the “East Tech magic” that you should always keep and surround yourself. Make sure you surround yourself with people that encourage you to succeed no matter what industry you go in. Shout out to all the amazing teachers at East Tech (Mr. Meenan, Mr. Hindsman, and Ms. Bouch) that made learning fun and constantly challenging me to grow.
The world is a vast place, and I encourage you to experience it as much as possible! Just know that it’s totally okay to venture out of your program and I hope you find your passion out there!
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