Senior Associate Program Director at University of Chicago
About
What are you doing today in your career?
I lead a team of career advisors for undergraduate students at the University of Chicago. We provide career guidance across a wide range of professions including healthcare, law, education, public policy, entrepreneurship, STEM, journalism, arts, and media.
My primary responsibilities include coaching individual students, providing resources for the career advisers, and working with employers, alums, and university partners on career programs. We measure success by student outcomes including summer internships and post graduate plans.
What inspires you?
Working with such talented students is both energizing and humbling. Like Michigan students, UChicago students are smart, driven, and always in learning mode. It gives me great satisfaction to help so many individuals sort through the chaos of the job market and reduce the unnecessary stress associated with the process.
What impact has your Psychology degree at UM had on your career or life?
I did not recognize at the time, but my Psychology classes reflected my interest in two distinct areas 1) consumer behavior and 2) professional development. For 1) I spent most of my professional life working in roles such as market research and product management. At the core of those roles was figuring out what individuals want and what makes them tick. For 2) professional development requires a lot of listening, trying to understand the whole person. It is easy to give advice, but it is disproportionately effective when you take the time to understand the individual’s state and perspective.
What do you remember most about your time at UM?
This question is like asking me to pick my favorite child. I am grateful for all the friends I made that I am still in touch with 30 years later. And I continue to meet Michigan alum everywhere. Last week I met a man who graduated the year before in the Beijing airport. We were both sporting UM gear.
What advice would you give to aspiring Psychology students?
The Psychology major combined with the University of Michigan name provides you so many options and the freedom to pivot across different disciplines. If you are worried about getting “locked in” to a particular career or vocation, I urge you to stop worrying. Whether it is undergraduate, masters or PhD, you have a multitude of options across a wide range of professions. Don’t believe me? Let’s schedule a time to meet and discuss the opportunities. Go Blue!
