Can you briefly describe your career path? 
I have always wanted to get into higher education or possible human resources.

How did Trinity prepare you for this career?
It prepared me in very different levels academically. I did a lot of writing and editing. As an undergraduate I was a R.A. and was involved in residential life, which involved did a lot of planning events. This skill has helped me because I do a lot of event planning.  

Are there any courses or extra-curricular activities that you would recommend for students?
Be involved in as many activities you can while you are here. It really depends on what you want to get into, but just being involved helps you plan your time and enhances your social skills, which are very important for networking and other things that you might not think about.  As for Professors, Diana Evans was great!
One of the best courses I had was a graduate course called Sex, Gender and Victorian times. It helped in thinking critically and applies to a vaariety of fields.

Can you give us an overview of what the alumni office does?
We make sure that our alumni are happy.  We do this through a series of different events and programs.  Whether it is homecoming or reunion we each take on different area clubs and work locally with different regional Trinity Clubs, whether it is the Boston Club, or the New York Club we do things to keep them connected to the college.

What are the major trends currently affecting your industry?
The direction that President Dobelle is currently taking our college is really shaping what we do with our alumni. He is motivating every thing, and keeping alumni enthusiastic. It is making our job kind of easy.

What could someone expect from a lifestyle in your career field?
It is a very fast paced career field. The only break I really get is during the summer months. I work a lot of late nights and weekend hours. It is very busy and very hectic, but it is also very rewarding. After a program such as homecoming when alumni come up to me and say they really enjoyed the event it is worthwhile.

Which traits and skills should a new employee have? 
To get into alumni relations you have to be very personable, organized, and detail-oriented. You also have to be able to listen and talk to alumni to keep things fresh for them. They do not want to come back and have the same things over and over. Creativity and open mindedness are also important.

What opportunities are available to recent grads interested in entering higher education?
Whether it is my department or any department in higher education there is a lot of entry level positions where you can start off as an assistant director or an admissions officer. In my position it is important to have someone young who can work and connect with the students.  You need to have energy to keep up with them. There is definitely lots of availability. It is a great opportunity to work in a higher education institution after college and work locally with different regional Trinity Clubs, whether it is the Boston Club, or the New York Club we do things to keep them connected to the college.

What do you like most about your job?
I really enjoy working with the alumni and the students. I enjoy working in a people oriented environment, rather than sitting in an office crunching numbers all day.

What resources did you use to come across your position?
One of the best resources is the Internet. You can go to the chronicle of higher education and they have the job listings. When I was a senior I used this resourcen all the time. If you go to any college website they will have a human resources website and they will list the available positions.

How do you stay current in your field? 
Much of what I do is communicating to alumni. We also go to an advancement conference at least once a year. Through these conferences we see how advanced Trinity is with some of our alumni programming. We also listen to other ideas that other schools have. We also listen to what our volunteers are doing.

What advice would you give to someone trying to get into higher education?  
I would recommend that they take advantage of every opportunity. Don't get frustrated,e ven though it can be at times; being patient and having fun are very important.