What is your role at Oliver Scholars? What did you do before joining the staff?
I am the Alumni Relations Manager. I started as the Receptionist a little over three years ago, and have worked hard to move into roles with greater responsibility, from Events and Office Coordinator to Development Associate, to my current position. Now I work closely with the Alumni Council to create opportunities for Alumni to stay engaged with Oliver after they graduate college, and with each other. My goal is connect with Alumni at the intersection of their desire to give back and their interest in networking with their high-achieving peers. I do this by personally connecting with as many Alumni as possible, and supporting Alumni events, like the reception we hosted this spring, and special campaigns organized by the Alumni Council.

Before Oliver, I worked at the South Street Seaport Museum providing visitors with assistance when visiting the museum and its historical ships and shops. While at the Museum, I became increasingly interested in learning more about the role development plays in the growth of organization, especially increasing its impact on communities. I decided to pursue a career in development within a mission-driven organization that aligned with my outlook. Oliver was a perfect fit! As a first-generation college student, I understand the difficulties of navigating the education landscape with limited access to guidance, test prep, tutors, mentors, and career counseling. Yet all of those things are necessary to prepare for success. Using my own experience as a foundation, I sought to join a team that I knew was working towards providing all of its scholars with those key tools, and so much more. The work that Oliver does to create leaders and agents of change inspired me before I applied for the position and still does to this day!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
In 5 years, I see myself continuing to successfully manage our Alumni Relations team! One of my original goals in this role was to reconnect with Oliver Alumni of all class years to determine what additional support we could provide to boost the success of our scholars after college. As Oliver’s Alumni network continues to grow, I hope to work with an extended team and the Alumni Council to create and implement programming that will provide invaluable tools and resources to our Alumni network and further foster their relationship with Oliver.

What advice would you give a scholar who wishes to pursue a career in your field?
Passion is key! I have found that you have to be passionate about what you do in order to do your job well, carry out the mission of an organization, and truly have an impact on others. When it comes to development, you build relationships constantly. Focus on finding an organization whose mission is something you are passionate about, something that really speaks to you. Your enthusiasm and dedication for fulfilling that mission will help motivate others to invest their time and energy and to be genuinely interested in connecting with your organization on multiple levels. That is why I love working with Alumni! I get to connect with people who already understand the kind of difference a program like Oliver Scholars can make, who can speak to its success, and who will give back to the program in invaluable ways for years to come. They are amazing ambassadors for showing what a program like Oliver can do!

Three adjectives to describe your life right now?
Exciting, Adventurous, and Reflective