Careers in public service and thinking big

There is a sense of peace knowing that your worries are universal and that, not only are they temporary, but the answer to those worries is that there is no right answer. I was worried about where I could focus my passions and skills, but there is a whole world at my fingertips if I simply allow myself the space to realize it. I’m thinking small when I need to be thinking big.

Before spring break, I had the opportunity to travel with the Weissmann Center for Leadership to Washington, D.C., for its Careers in Public Service trip. I was excited to go for a plethora of reasons, but the two biggest ones were to hear from those before me and to know what is out there for someone like me. I hadn’t realized that the alum networking reception was exactly what I needed. I went in shy and anxious, but hopeful as well. I was seated at the Education and Social Impact table, headed by Kayla Jackson ’86 and Hilary Robertson Collado ’07. To me, this was perfect. I am passionate about and want to work in immigration, human rights and education equity on a global scale. How could this not be for me? Hearing those two women speak, as well as the other alums at my table, helped me in my struggle. Hearing the paths they took and how indirect — and even sometimes unrelated — they were made me realize two things: one, my path, no matter how hard I try, will not be what I think it is or what anyone else may think it will be, and two, that is okay because it leaves room for new experiences. The alums at the event spanned several decades of classes, and not one of the alums I had the pleasure of speaking with had experienced a straight path into their careers. Many did not have it all figured out right at graduation. If anything, things only got clearer as they got older and went through life.

As a graduating senior, I was hoping that this trip would magically solve all the insecurities and uncertainties I had about my career path. I really just wanted someone to tell me what to do or to have all the answers. Growing up, I had always set goals for myself. Especially as a first-generation college student and a child of immigrants, there was always this hovering need to do more and to be more. Now, I’m about to reach one of the biggest goals — graduating with my bachelor’s degree — but I’m not quite sure what happens next. That terrifies me. I know I need to graduate and get a “big-girl job,” but how do I get there? What if what I want is risky and not as straightforward as what is expected of me? I wanted these questions answered, and I got that — not in the way I wanted but just how I needed.

I also had the chance to listen to Brandon Wolf speak, as he was our keynote speaker. He works with the Human Rights Campaign and is a survivor of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. Hearing his story was arguably one of the highlights of this trip for me. What resonated with me was how his experiences all led him to where he is now. Wolf did not have a clear path for his life, yet he still found his passion and work that aligned with his values because of what he went through. My passions did not come to me by chance. They are based on my own experiences. One of my biggest takeaways from Wolf is that I’m going to get to where I need to be in due course. It won’t be linear. It won’t always be clear or easy. I need to embrace the change as it comes and not close my own doors because I want to be rigid and follow a plan that isn’t solid — because life isn’t solid. This doesn’t mean I can’t dream big. It simply means I don’t hold myself back. Wolf said to be aspirational, not rigid, and I will hold on to that for a long time.

Tying up this trip to Washington, D.C., we visited the Cannon House Office Building, the Capitol and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I absolutely loved it! It was a great ending to my trip of self-discovery. Was it a lot of walking? Yes. Did I feel like a kid in a candy store getting to see the gallery for the Senate and House of Representatives? Also yes. I learn a lot about the government, policy-making and black history in my classes. I envision myself making change in Washington, D.C., and globally. So, being in Washington, D.C., and seeing where so much history took place and is on display will always make me excited. The museum was absolutely beautiful. The “More Than a Flower: The Connective Power of Orchids” exhibition was absolutely stunning. It warmed my heart to see so many Black people in spaces that we don’t think about regularly and that want to showcase the beauty of orchids. It may seem like such a small thing, but it isn’t. I also enjoyed the “Taking the Stage” exhibition. I saw the display of Olivia Pope’s coat from “Scandal,” and it reminded me of everything I tell myself I want to be: influential, unapologetic and, really, just that girl.

This trip was much-needed. I was running myself ragged trying to figure out my five-year plan, when in actuality, it will change just like I will. Seventeen-year-old me had a completely different plan for 22-year-old me. You’d think that, by now, I would realize that five-year plans don’t always work out. It would hurt me more than help me to try to stick to a strict path. From the alums and Wolf, I learned that not only will what I’m looking for find me eventually, but I also need to take a breath — something I didn’t realize I had been holding since I started college.