03
View from the Valley
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT "Cowboy for sure," that was always my answer. "What do you want to do when you grow up?" "A cowboy." That answer changed when I learned that being a cowboy was more than just riding horses all day long; plus I hated wearing jeans and had never actually ridden a horse. The next logical job career option was a doctor. Then I learned how much college costs, and how much college I would need to do. But, once I was enrolled in high school, I found a knack for Chemistry. "A chemist," I thought, '"is what I want to be." I graduated from Mount Carmel High School in 2012 and attended Wabash Valley College beginning in the summer of 2012. It had been my intention for quite some time to stay in Mount Carmel, where I had lived my whole life. Not to mention the fact I had no idea of where I was to attend nor have enough money saved up to move away from home. I worked hard on campus, participating in Student Senate, Red Rage, International Club, and Science Club while also working two part-time jobs, and managing a 20-credit course load. By the summer of 2013, I had enough credits to graduate with my Associate in Applied Sciences. At Southern Illinois University I decided to major in Zoology. After the first two weeks of class, my major (and classes) changed to Criminology and Criminal Justice. In 2015, I graduated with a Bachelor in Criminology and Criminal Justice with minors in Forensic Chemistry and Psychology. I had many jobs throughout high school and college, but having no luck after graduation I took a job as a bartender and a summer gig at a nearby theme park. One year after graduating college, I landed an entry-level position in a youth home; my first full-time "big boy" job. It was a place I dreamt of working in my last two years of college. I loved it. The daily travel and hours of work, not so much. In 2018, I took a job closer to home, at my alma mater WVC. It was here where I learned trigonometry, human growth, ethics, sociology, and even piano. Years later, it was where I learned about working in higher education, counseling, and community connections. Q: What have you done at WVC? A: I worked as a TRIO Upward Bound Counselor, Retention Coordinator, and now Coordinator of Public Information and Marketing. Q: Are you glad you attended Wabash Valley College? A: Yes! I am so thankful for the opportunities I had to stay close to home and save time and money. There were also many classes offered in a wide variety of fields so I was able to sample a few different ones while they still counted towards my degree. I joined clubs and made new friends, even though I had never left my hometown. It was a good stepping stone before going into a large university. Q: What do you want readers to know? A: It is okay to not know what you want to do. I wanted to be a cowboy, a doctor, a chemist, a zoologist, or work in juvenile justice. Here I am working in marketing! How did that even happen? Regardless, I am grateful for my degree, and all my employers. It was through all of these changes, and hard work, that I found myself doing what I love.
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