Over Spring break, five undergrads studying religion and classics under Professor Nick Gresens headed to Rome for a week full of visits to the ancient sites of Cicero and Caesar, where the group would read inscriptions and study the geography and history of locations where Rome’s leaders once convened and shaped the classical world. And, in the surprise of a lifetime, the group also experienced history in the making, as cardinals from around the world gathered in Vatican City to elect the next leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics.

At around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16, Gresens, along with Peter Carlile ’13, Dan Gorman ’14, and Ryan Vogt ’13, made their way to St. Peter’s Square to see the results of the fifth rounding of voting. None of them expected to see white smoke billow from the Basilica.

“At first we weren’t sure if it was white or black smoke. The first puff was grey and then turned to white,” said Carlile, who was among more than 10,000 visitors awaiting the results. “The visceral, emotional response on the square was palpable.”

As the smoke signaled the selection of a new pope, Carlile and Gorman rushed to get as close to the steps of the Basilica as they could. “It was awe-inspiring,” says Gorman, a history and religion major, who took the opportunity to take as many photos as possible.

PHOTO SLIDESHOW: Sasha Tharani ’14 Says Trip a ‘Defining Experience’

Amanda Budreau ’14, a studio arts major studying in Rome for the spring semester, also was able to witness Pope Benedict’s last papal audience. While the excitement was high, with members of the crowd chanting “Viva, Viva, Papa” to the tune of Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” Budreau said comparing it to the selection of the new pope was akin to “comparing an elementary school’s talent show to a Beyonce concert.”

Like Carlile and Gorman, Budreau pushed through the crowd to get a closer glimpse of the new pope. All three were able to view members of the Swiss Guard and hear formal announcement that Argentinean cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio had been selected the 266^th pontiff.

Budreau also noted the reverence amid the celebration of the occasion. “When the Pope asked us to bow our heads, the entire square (which was completely full) was silent, you could hear the sound of the water splashing in the fountains,” she explained. “At the end of his speech, he said goodnight and told us that we could all relax now.”

On Thursday, Meredith Doubleday ’13, along with the other students in Gresens’ course, headed to the Vatican Museums, where they picked up copies of the souvenir newspaper. “It was nice to be in this quiet space,” she said, “reading the paper on the first day after the announcement.”

About the Photos: Pictures 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 are courtesy of Amanda Budreau, who in addition to witnessing the election of new pope, saw CNN corespondent Anderson Cooper cover the story. Pictures 2, 5, and 7 are courtesy of Dan Gorman. Picture 9, a photo of Nick Gresens and students Meredith Doubleday ’13, Kate Hughes ’13, Ryan Vogt ’13, Peter Carlile ’13, and Dan Gorman ’14, is courtesy of Meredith Doubleday.

What activities were you involved in as a student and what did you gain from them?

I was a part of many different student groups. I participated in Grassroots and Students for Social Justice, where I learned about consensus decision making and organizing and really developed the political perspective that I have now. I also participated in Outside Speaker Committee—now a part of Campus Activities Board, where I met many famous and interesting people from Desmond Tutu to Michael Moore.

What did you do immediately after graduation? How did you decide to take that path?

I stayed in Rochester. I wanted to get more involved in the community of the Southwest Area of the City. I decided to continue living in the EcoHouse and worked for Sector 4 Community Development Corporation. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the area, support community organizations, and really participate in Rochester.

What do you do now and why did you choose this career?

I run an organization called the Responsible Endowments Coalition. We work with students and administrators on college campuses who want their colleges to invest their money more responsibly with a focus on society and the environment. When I realized that UR had $1.7 billion and that colleges in total have $400 billion, I also realized they could do much better things with their money then just simply invest without thinking about its effects. I want to have a positive impact on the world and think that we can leverage the money of colleges to do that in a dramatic way.

How do you balance your work and personal life?

As an Executive Director of a non-profit this is a great challenge. I work a lot of hours and am very dedicated to my job- I love it, but it is important to have a life outside of work. I make sure that I see my friends, many of who are other UR alumni, and also make sure to schedule activities. I sail regularly, and make sure that I commit to sailing at least once a week over the summer. At the end of the day, I think it is important to build a wide variety of activities into your life.

What advice do you have for current students?

The best advice I can give to a current student is that you will be a lot happier if you spend some time thinking about what you value in life before you take a first step into your career. Think about whether you will be happy working at a bank or a big company or whether you would rather work for social change or to protect the environment. Also keep your values in mind not just when picking a career but also throughout your work and your life. You will sleep better at night knowing that no matter what you are doing you are helping people and creating a better world.

One democrat, one republican. One sophomore, one senior. Two internships with competing congressional election campaigns.  Cohabiting in student association government.  Bitter rivals?  Hardly.

Rishi Sharma ’15, an applied mathematics and history major who has an interest in education policy, and Alina Czekai ’13, a health policy major and legal studies minor, have dedicated their time this election season to local congressional campaigns.  Sharma, communications co-chair of the Students’ Association, is currently working as an intern on Congresswoman Louise Slaughter’s campaign, while Czekai, Students’ Association vice president, volunteers with County Executive Maggie Brooks. Republican Brooks and Democrat Slaughter are running competing campaigns for New York’s 25th District seat in the House of Representatives.

“It didn’t take a lot of encouragement for me to get involved. Just looking up what Louise had done, I knew she was someone I actually believed in and someone I wanted to get involved with,” said Sharma.

Specific aspects of Brooks’ style of campaigning stood out to Czekai.

“One thing that I really admire from Maggie’s campaign is her emphasis on positive campaigning, campaigning with the truth,” said Czekai.

While on opposite side of the campaign trails, Sharma and Czekai have both been interning on a regular basis since September.

“Alina and I do similar things, just on opposite ends,” said Sharma. “It’s not a consistent thing I do every single day because the campaign moves so fast.  I get exposure to a lot of different things.”

“I’ve been lucky to see a full perspective and view of what it is like to run a campaign,” said Czekai. “It’s all about seeing what your constituents need, what their problems are, and figuring out problem-solving strategies. Going to the people and saying ‘I know these are your concerns, I actually feel them too.  Let’s work together and figure out what we can do.’”

This personal focus of campaigning is pervasive on both sides of the race.

“Something that I know Louise’s staff does really well is campaign to people in a very personal way.  It’s taught me the importance of listening, really reaching out to your constituency well and making sure that their voices are heard,” said Sharma.

“It’s all about outreach, no matter what level of government you’re involved in, whether it’s student government or congressional,” said Czekai.

As a Co-Chair of Communications in SA Government, Sharma has experienced many things in Congresswoman Slaughter’s office that are applicable to his role in student government.

“If you want to be successful in politics, whether it’s in student government or in Congress like Louise is doing, you have to make sure you have a personal relationship with your constituents. She values that, I value that, a lot of student government leaders value that. It’s my job to think of creative ways and techniques about how to get the message out,” said Sharma.

Before serving as SA vice president, Czekai worked as executive historian and deputy speaker.

“All of these roles have taught me how to be comfortable in my leadership style.  Maggie really has a focus on keeping things positive and keeping things forward-looking and optimistic.  I think that definitely applies to my student government leadership role. If there’s a problem, we’re going to get through it together and we’re going to move forward,” said Czekai.

Sharma and Czekai are unusual not only because they are working on competing election campaigns, but because at the end of the day, they both come home to student government.

“Our roles work really closely together. Student government is nothing without strong communications,” said Czekai, noting the importance of reaching out to students about upcoming changes or new initiatives, and collecting information that will be helpful to the senate and executive branch.

Sharma and Czekai take their campaign internships for what they are, and leave their differences at the door.

“We use it as a point to joke about within our friendship. It doesn’t conflict with anything we have to do. We still work really well together, we are still great friends, in fact, probably even better friends,” said Sharma. “It’s funny how Maggie and Louise are competing and Alina and I are competing, but you know, it’s a healthy competition.”

Amid the good humored teasing, the two are careful to respect the integrity of each campaign.

“We don’t want to be the one that reveals any information that might give the other a competitive advantage,” said Sharma.

“I’m excited to talk to him after the race.  I think it will be really cool to see his perspective,” said Czekai.

The combination of roles possessed by both Sharma and Czekai has undoubtedly made their experiences uniquely valuable.  But on a more universal level, any motivated Rochester student can take advantage of these types of political experiences, and many have.

“I really encourage students who consider themselves to be politically minded or interested in politics to volunteer on a campaign.  I thought I understood politics and political issues, but you really don’t until you learn about it from that perspective,” said Czekai. “Whatever political side students are on, I definitely encourage them to get involved.”

Students at the University of Rochester will have the opportunity to learn from Italian actor and translator Mario Pirovano during a workshop on “The Art of Storytelling.”   The workshop, which is from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10,  in Drama House, features a two-hour segment in English from noon to 2 p.m. and one-hour segment in Italian from 2 to 3 p.m.  Pirovano aims to show the audience how “to conquer scenic space,” “use the body to support the voice,” and “show how one can tell a story without scenes, music, videos, or costumes.”

Pirovano also will host a showing of Francis, the Holy Jester (1997), a play by Nobel Prize Winner in Literature and renowned Italian playwright, Dario Fo, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10, in the sanctuary of the Interfaith Chapel.  Pirovano, a long time disciple, collaborator, and artistic heir of Fo’s, translated his masterpiece “Lu santu jullare Francesco” (1999) into English as “Francis, the Holy Jester.”  Wednesday’s performance will be the first time the play is performed for an American audience. The event is free and open to the public and includes refreshments and a book signing in the lobby following the performance.

According to Donatella Stocchi-Perucchio, associate professor of Italian and organizer of Pirovano’s appearance at the U of R, the event “serves the aims of the Humanities Project as a point of intersection of several disciplines, departments, and programs, including Italian language and literature, medieval studies, religion, theater, music, and translation studies.”

She also hopes to “attract students of the Italian language towards theater as a powerful tool for language and culture acquisition.”

The event is sponsored by the Humanities Project, University of Rochester, and co-sponsored by the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, the MLC Italian Program, the Department of History, the Cluster on Pre-Modern Studies, the J. H. Newman Chair in Roman Catholic Studies, The Drama House, The Department of Modern Languages and Cultures of the Rochester Institute of Technology, and an anonymous donor.

“Rochester was an epicenter of progressive causes,” says Michael Jarvis, an associate professor of history. As activists during this heady period of reform, the Posts knew well and corresponded with a surprising number of national leaders, from Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony to Sojourner Truth, Harriet Brent Jacobs, and William Cooper Nell.

“They were the Kevin Bacon of the 19th century,” says Jarvis, referring to the famously well-connected Hollywood actor so useful in playing the “six degrees of separation” game of association.

In the early 1840′s the Posts became deeply involved in the anti-slavery movement, using their house at 36 Sophia St., now N. Plymouth Ave., as a very active station on the Underground Railroad, says Lori Birrell, manuscript librarian in Rare Books and Special Collection who has served as co-project manager along with Melissa Mead, director of the Digital Projects Research Center.

“They supported Douglass’s newspaper, the North Star, Amy Post attended the first woman’s rights convention in Seneca Falls in 1848 and introduced fellow Rochesterian Susan B. Anthony to the woman’s rights movement,” says Birrell. “The Posts also participated in the controversial Spiritualist movement in the late 1840s. Begun by the Fox sisters here in Rochester, followers believed that through mediums (Isaac Post eventually believed himself to be a medium) they could communicate with the dead.”

To celebrate the launch of the online archive, scholars and students who have worked with the collection will discussed its significance to local and national history during an event on Thursday, Sept. 13.

The papers cover a full century, from 1817 to 1918, with the majority of the material falling during the nearly 50-year span from 1823 to 1872. They include extensive resources related to the Post’s activities in the abolitionist, Spiritualist, and women’s rights movements. Other topics for which there is significant material are: agriculture, the anti-tobacco movement, childbirth, Chinese immigrants, the Civil War, domestic servants, education, the Friends of Human Progress, freed slaves, Indians, medicine, Quakers, the Reconstruction Era, slavery, and the temperance movement.

The Post papers contain 2,089 letters, manuscripts, newspapers, and other material, and the initial online launch will feature a selection of more than 200 letters. Each letter has been scanned, transcribed, and annotated, a project made possible through the generosity of Randall B. Whitestone ’83 and Lisa T. Whitestone. Eventually the library plans to digitize the entire collection.

To date, students have performed all of the painstaking preparation of the transcriptions. “I had each student select a letter, transcribe it, and do research to explain who is being discussed–and what events,” says Jarvis, who uses the archive as a tool for training graduate students about primary sources. “The students have provided a reader’s guide to make the content of the letter more understandable and useful.”

Margarita Simon Guillory, an assistant professor of religion, also incorporates the collection into her class on Spiritualism. Reading and transcribing these private letters, she says, “humanized” historical figures for the undergraduates in her class. “It was amazing for them,” she says. For example, letters from the Fox sisters, reveal how the famed and widely traveled Spiritualist mediums, were also teenaged girls and sometime lonely. “[A]h how I do wish that you were here,” wrote Catherine Fox to Amy Post in this letter from 1850. “[Y]ou know we always loved you.”

But the collection’s importance extends far beyond the classroom. Guillory uses the archive in her own research on Spiritualism and scholars around the world will find these papers a rich source of social history, she says.

For example, Amy Post was one of the early influences on Susan B. Anthony, encouraging and supporting her in entering the struggle for women’s rights. An organizer of both the Seneca Falls and Rochester conventions in 1848, Post was also an editor of the convention Proceedings published in 1870. In this letter from 1861, Anthony urges Post to gather the names of prominent businessmen, lawyers, and judges for a petition, tells of her visit to their mutual friend and women’s rights activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and updates Post on gatherings in Auburn, Boston, and Albany.

Many of the letters are from leaders of the abolitionist movement. For example, Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist and former slave, dictated in this letter sent to Amy Post her experience of being assaulted in Washington, D.C. for trying to ride on a public train. Harriet Jacobs, a former slave and author the first slave narrative to detail the sexual abuse of female slaves, discussed the difficulty of writing about such a sensitive topic in this letter to Post. “[T]here are somethings [sic] that I might have made plainer I know- woman can whisper- her cruel wrongs into the ear of a very dear friend- much easier than she can record them for the world to read.”

Why did you choose to attend the University of Rochester?

Of all of the colleges, I was accepted to the only one that called.  It was Mr. Crews from the HEOP Office, and he was inviting me to the ECO program.  This is when I decided I would attend.

When and how did you choose your major?

I choose my major when I decided I was going to study abroad.  Initially, I wanted to be a math major, but I could not declare it as a major because I did not have enough classes.   African American Studies or Anthropology was the only two I could declare, and African American Studies sounded more interesting.

What activities were you involved in as a student and what did you gain from them?

I worked with the admission office and with Mr Boone. I did some college fairs and high school programming, which made me feel like I was giving back to the community.  I did the McNair Program, which introduced me to graduate school and research.  And, I studied abroad, which opened me up to other cultures.

What resources did you use on campus that you recommend current students use?

Study abroad office, the library, the OMSA office.

Who were your mentors while you were on campus? Have you continued those relationships?

Daryl Boone, John Barker, Professor Mandela, Jackie Mendez.  Sadly, I have lost touch with all of these people.

What did you do immediately after graduation? How did you decide to take that path?

I decided to go to graduate school to get a masters degree. I had a scholarship that would pay for my masters.

What do you do now and why did you choose this career?

Now, I am pursuing a doctoral degree. I choose to do this because I had a scholarship that would pay for it.

What skills, tools, or knowledge from your major have been most useful to you since graduation?

In my major, I learned a lot about history and how what happened in the past affects us today.  The most useful skill that I have taken from my major was how to make a strong argument and argue my points.

How do you balance your work and personal life?

I just make time for everything that is important to me.

Where would you like to be in five years?

I really don’t know.

How are you still connected with the University?

I answer these surveys whenever I get them, and I read a newsletter.

What advice do you have for current students?

Do Take Five, if you’re in the social sciences; study, and get a teaching degree to use it with.  Study abroad because it will change your life, and try to take advantage of all of the resources on campus and be as active on campus as you can.

When and how did you choose your major?

I went through several different majors during my first two years before finally settling on History. I took many English and computer science courses – all of which were highly interesting – but settled on history because of a few excellent professors in that discipline (Hauser, Kaeuper). History seemed the best fit to me as it combined an understanding reading, science, and applicability to the current state of affairs at the time (9/11 happened while I was a sophomore and a lot of conversations as to the cause of it made me look backwards to understand why).

What activities were you involved in as a student, and what did you gain from them?

I was involved the most in creating JUR (Journal of Undergraduate Research), which was instrumental in getting me into the research world. The understanding that anyone, regardless of their discipline or how advanced they may be in their research, can contribute to our understanding of science, humanities, and the human condition was eye-opening. I credit my involvement in JUR to the research position I have today.

What do you do now and why did you choose this career?

I am a project manager for a small consulting firm that specializes in the evaluation of public health programs and policies. These days, I spend most of my time working with various communities around the United States providing advice and evaluation technical assistance on their interventions for childhood obesity. I find it highly rewarding, and it stems directly from my interests and experiences doing research and learning about the historical precedents for the inequalities in health we have today.

How do you balance your work and personal life?

This is difficult – I work long hours during the week and travel frequently. But, my passion is cycling, so I try to spend my spare time working on bikes, teaching others about bicycle maintenance, or going on rides in the Midwest. I try to make sure that I spend at least a few hours a week doing what I love. Vacations are nice, but I rarely have time for them. So, cultivating friendships at work can be helpful!

What advice do you have for current students?

Try to get a combination of real world skills (internships, student clubs, jobs) and research knowledge through your experience at Rochester. While the economic situation can be bleak and it may take you a while to find your footing, you should know that as long as you are having a good experience or gaining skills, you are moving upward. I have had jobs paying between $10,000 a year and $55,000 a year since graduation, but I would not have the latter if I didn’t spend some time working at some of the former, low-paying positions. Good luck!

“The Urban Fellows is a 10 week fellowship that places students in community organizations with the goal of not only educating them about urban issues but also figuring out ways that they can be agents of change,” said Jenna Dell, assistant director of the RCCL and director of the Urban Fellows Program.

With fellowships in area non-profits and civic organizations focused on urban education, crime and justice, access to food, housing, and community arts in addition to weekly seminar discussions, students will develop an understanding of the city of Rochester that goes beyond abstract discussion. Junior Jonathan Johnson, a political science and anthropology major and current Urban Fellow, looks forward to the opportunity to actively engage with the issues covered in the program.

“There is a vast difference between reading about an adventure in a book and actually going on the adventure. The Urban Fellows Program supplements the theoretical knowledge I have, and that drive, with the frustrations and the challenges of going into a community and learning hands-on,” said Johnson.

This year’s Urban Fellows are placed in a variety of organizations in Rochester: Writers and Books, the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center, and Flower City Habitat for Humanity, to name a few. Johnson will spend his summer at Community Place, an organization that provides social services and programming for the Northeast quadrant of Rochester.

“My focus is on youth ages two to 10 in conjunction with their parents through the SEEDS program (Strengthening, Eating and Exercising Daily Successfully). We try and promote activities that encourage families to work together and to learn about nutrition, education, and health in a holistic way,” said Johnson. Throughout the fellowship, Johnson will work with Community Place planning, organizing, and assisting with youth development programs.

“We sponsor programs like Urban Farming where community members can receive free fruits and vegetables as well as learn to grow their own. We also sponsor other initiatives from mountain biking programs to walking clubs to free cooking classes,” said Johnson.

Junior Jordan Shapiro, a history and international relations major, will complete her Urban Fellowship with the Genesee Land Trust and Project Hope.

“I am very interested in sustainability as well as land preservation and protecting the earth, so I have been interested in a lot of the projects the Genesee Land Trust is doing,” said Shapiro.

During her fellowship, Shapiro will be specifically working to encourage citizen use of a park on the corner of Clifford Avenue and Conkey Avenue, built by Project Hope.

“We’re trying to boost the neighborhood and get people to feel like the park is really theirs,” said Shapiro. “There’s going to be a camp with a landscape apprentice program, as well as an after school program for kids in the neighborhood.”

Shapiro hopes the Urban Fellows program will prepare her for a potential career in civil rights law.

“I think the Urban Fellows Program is really beneficial for students because it gives you the opportunity to be forced out of your comfort zone. One of the things that I hope to improve is my ability to communicate with all different types of people,” said Shapiro.

As director of the Urban Fellows program, Dell strives to build a lasting connection between students and the city of Rochester.

“The broader goal is to have students continue being involved with their communities in some way,” said Dell. “We were intentional this year in recruiting underclassmen for Urban Fellows in the hope that this would be a formative experience for them and they would continue it throughout their college career.”

Now several weeks into the program, this year’s Urban Fellows are beginning to appreciate the unique opportunity they will have this summer.

“At the University of Rochester, we are a sphere of very intellectual, very driven, and very motivated individuals who have a variety of interests. It can be very challenging when you’re situated at the University to connect with the community. The Urban Fellows program is not only necessary, but essential to actually developing a relationship between the University and the Rochester community, as well as helping students understand that relationship and why it is so important,” said Johnson.

Article written by Erica Messner ’12(T5), an intern in University Communications. Messner, who majored in political science and music, was a member of the Urban Fellows Class of 2010 and also served as an Election Fellow, also a RCCL program.

Photo: Urban Fellows Jonathan Johnson, a University of Rochester student, and Alaura Daniels, a Nazareth College student, participate in a discussion during an Urban Housing seminar at the Charles Settlement House in Northwest Rochester. Photo courtesy of Erica Messner.

What activities were you involved in as a student, and what did you gain from them?

My two main activities as a student were with the UR Polish Club and my part-time job at University Telecomm, now called University NS/IT. I ‘re-founded’ the UR Polish Club with another student, Sara Korol, and it became the center of my social life for over 3 years. Both the Club and my job helped me immensely grow beyond my ‘loner’ identity, expanded my view of the prospective social world, and taught me how to live, work, and befriend different kinds of people.

What resources did you use on campus that you recommend current students use?

The Study Abroad Office, the Fellowships Office, and the Skalny Center for Polish & Central European Studies were all extraordinarily helpful for achieving my goals and allowing me to become the person I wanted to be. The Rush Rhees Library, and InterLibrary Loan in particular, were incredibly useful and really cannot be taken for granted. Finally, the Take Five Scholarship program is an exemplary example of humanism in practice, and its’ importance cannot be understated.

Who were your mentors while you were on campus? Have you continued those relationships?

I was lucky to have some great mentors while at the UofR – Celia Applegate, Stewart Weaver, and Richard Kaeuper at the History Department, Jackie Levine and Sara Korol (a fellow student but also a mentor) at Study Abroad, and John Tomkinson, Liz Dombowski, Rose McGovern, and Mark Pierce (my bosses) at University Telecomm. Also, I should mention Jan Lencznarowicz (who will be teaching again at the UofR in Spring 2013), Krzysztof Zamorski, and Michał Galas from the Jagiellonian University, all visiting professors through the Skalny Center. I’m happy to say that I’m still in touch with most of the people on this list (Facebook has been great), and I see them when I can.

What did you do immediately after graduation? How did you decide to take that path?

I began a Fulbright Fellowship at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, as a means of exploring a potential career in academia. Many undergraduate students in the humanities and social sciences choose a career in academia because they feel it’s “the natural course” after their studies, and I was no different; I was fortunate I had a chance to experience academic life without committing to it fully. I was happy I did not go for a PhD right after graduation because it gave me time to experience the world and consider other possible career choices; the Fulbright fellowship, in particular, allowed me to meet a whole host of different kinds of people I would not have been able to meet otherwise.

What do you do no,w and why did you choose this career?

I am in the 4th year of a joint PhD in European History and Jewish Studies at the University of Toronto. I specialize in Central European history from roughly 1750 – 1935, and I concentrate on conceptions of identity at the personal, societal, and political level. In my dissertation, I am using the city of Kraków from 1815 – 1846 as a case study for how urban populations in East Central Europe defined themselves in terms of self-identity. I chose a career in European history and East Central Europe in particular because I feel that questions of identity are at the heart of many of the problems facing our world, especially in the face of nationalist, trans-nationalist, and globalizing forces. I want to be a professor; to quote Professor Kaeuper, “In order to remain a student, and to continue learning (while encouraging others to do so also), for the rest of my life”.

Where would you like to be in five years?

I could use this question to make a whole host of jokes about how difficult it is for PhD students to find jobs couldn’t I? Seriously, and realistically, in five years I would like to be settled at a University teaching/researching post, having published my dissertation as a book and beginning a career teaching both undergraduate and graduate students in my areas of specialization.

What advice do you have for current students?

Always ask questions (even “stupid” ones), and be prepared to listen with an open heart and mind to what your peers and mentors have to say; both have their unique value. Conversely, be welcome to answering all questions, even those that may challenge what you believe. Never be afraid of what you might hear, nor the reactions of others based on your questions. Do not be afraid of failure, be prepared to learn from your mistakes – but also value your successes, and strive for them. Don’t beat yourself up too badly when you’re sitting in the library at 2 am the night before the paper/project is due, realizing you procrastinated for far too long.

When and how did you choose your major?

I declared my major during my sophomore year.  After considering a handful of other disciplines, I chose to major in History- a subject that I was very interested in and one that would also afford me the opportunity to do a lot of writing, research and to study abroad.

What activities were you involved in as a student, and what did you gain from them?

I was a member of the Varsity Softball team for two years and a member of Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority.  Both gave me the chance to learn to balance work and fun and to manage a sometimes demanding schedule.  Over five years after graduation, my sorority sisters are still some of the very best friends I have.

What did you do immediately after graduation? How did you decide to take that path?

I saved some money and moved to Seattle to give the West Coast a try and to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector.  My passion is people and relationships, and I wanted a job that would be challenging and rewarding.  I didn’t have a lot of experience or direction beyond that, so I kept my options open and applied for a wide variety of positions.

What do you do now and why did you choose this career?

I have been with Benevon, where I got my first job in Seattle, for six years.  I train and coach nonprofit organizations to build systems for finding and building relationships with individual donors.  Our mission is one I have grown to be extremely passionate about, and my position really draws on things that I have discovered I’m quite good at, like group facilitation and public speaking.  I started here in an entry level administrative position and knew I wanted to stay, so I learned everything I could, took every opportunity to take on something new, and eventually worked my way up to a senior position in the company.

What advice do you have for current students?

Enjoy every minute because it will be over in a heartbeat.  Make connections and network while you are in school.  Get to know your professors, take internships (even if they are unpaid), volunteer or get a part time job in a field you are interested in.  Study abroad!  Don’t expect to have it all figured out when you are done.  If you don’t know what you want to do, just do something.  You’ll either like it or it will bring you one step closer to what you want to be doing.