How did the Opportunity Scholarship impact you?
I was in the first cohort of students to receive the Opportunity Scholarship in 2012. At the time, the scholarship funds were much smaller than they are today. Like any college student, I grew concerned because the other scholarships I had been awarded were running out. Thankfully, WSOS contacted us and let us know the scholarship amount would increase and spread across five years. It was a blessing and a weight off my shoulders.
Tell us how you landed your job!
In college, I was proactive in attending different networking events in Spokane to get my foot in the door. Whenever I’d meet someone, I’d follow-up to ask if they’d be willing to meet with me again. I would occasionally keep in touch via email so they wouldn’t forget me. When I graduated, I reached out to these people to let them know I was looking for my next opportunity—one of these connections worked at Hart Crowser. To this day, I continue to run into and nurture industry connections I met in college. My advice for those seeking their next role, take the initiative and network!
What do you miss the most about college? The least?
Call me crazy, but I miss class! As a geology major, we often took field trips with our cohort, many of whom I am still friends with. My capstone consisted of a month-long wilderness trek in Dillion, Montana—a memorable and great way to finish college.
What I miss the least is how expensive college is. Besides tuition and other academic-related costs, you must pay for food, entertainment, extracurricular activities, parking, etc. It’s very costly. Thankfully the Opportunity Scholarship and others alike, along with a part-time job, helped, but I didn’t have the time to earn enough money to do everything I wanted to do.
What's the last book you read?
I am currently reading The Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz and The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Besides the usual (eating junk food and binge-watching tv), I like to “people watch.” Simply seeing what others do in public and creating my own backstory for that person is fascinating. You can learn a lot from watching others engage with the world around them.
Where do you hope to be five years from now?
In college, the obvious five-year goal was to graduate. Now that I am in my career, pinpointing a specific goal is difficult. I am eager to connect with those around me to support me in creating a roadmap. On a personal note, I am an active investor and hope these efforts will provide real returns five years from now. I am looking forward to building my career while providing for myself, reaching comfort and flexibility to juggle life and work.
