“Everyone here today is thinking about their future and are taking the next steps necessary that some people aren’t, this panel is a great opportunity for you all to learn and interact with people like me in different careers” said Stephen Marshall, a Social Security District Manager while speaking to SSU students learning about careers for the common good.
Students present were able to ask any questions they had regarding careers for the common good. One student asked what employers look at when going through resumes and what stands out to them when looking at new applicants. Sara Sitch from CalServes replied, “I look for a resume that speaks for the work the person wants to do and whether they have experience in that world.” Students can get this experience by volunteering or through an internship.
We collaborated with the Career Center and JUMP so that students could hear from Stephen Marshall who is the Santa Rosa District Manager for the Social Security Administration, Julie Montgomery a Peace Corps alumna, Liz Platte-Bermeo who is the Senior Programs Coordinator at Daily Acts, Sara Sitch from CalServes AmeriCorps, and Alli Rios, volunteer coordinator at YWCA. Guests were able to discuss their career options, give tips and advice, and answer any questions that the students had.
“I value being able to move things in the right direction, being part of a solution, and having the opportunity to make a difference” said Sarah Sitch from CalServes, when talking about what career social impact meant to her. The majority of careers discussed in the event were about helping others and working for the common good, so this was a great opportunity for students who aren’t sure of what they want to do in the future, have better ideas career wise. Not only that but having people from each career talk about their experiences after college and how they got to the position they are in, is the best advice and insight students can get for the future.
students present at the panel.
When a student who was there asked the panel how they overcome challenges in their careers and what gets them through the hard times, Sitch explained, “This work is really challenging, you face some complex issues and although it is not the most financially rewarding, this work is definitely worth the pain.” Alli Rios from YWCA agreed and said, “Sometimes it gets hard, but when you do get that one “thank you” and you know that you have an impact on a person, it means the world to me and makes me realize that this is what I'm supposed to be doing.”
Many of the guest speakers talked about what they did during their undergraduate and postgraduate years as well as how they got their current positions. Some volunteered in programs like the Peace Corps while others did internships or continued on to graduate school and later went on to their careers. A couple of the speakers also talked about how they had a professor or someone in their life that encouraged them to apply for internships and volunteer in different positions so they encouraged the students present to do the same. This event allowed students to hear the speakers’ personal experiences from the time they were in college to where they are now and the decisions they had to make in their lives. This can be very helpful for students who are looking for career options and looking at what’s next after their time here at SSU.
The panel allowed students to get advice from people who actually hire new employees for their respective jobs and have looked at many resumes in the past. This panel was a great opportunity for students to interact with some employers and ask any questions they had about possible careers for the common good.