Ten years ago today I awoke and went to work in the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Penn State's University Park campus for the first time.
I remember it well: it was a really cold February morning. This is clear to me because, as part of my on-boarding at Penn State I had to walk across campus to the HUB to have my photo taken for my staff ID badge:
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| Look at that youngster! |
Having worked at small liberal arts colleges previously, my first day (nay, year?) could certainly have been overwhelming. But, because the Undergraduate Admissions Office was filled with truly excellent people (and still is!), I made short work of getting to know everyone and finding my place among the team.
Initially I was answering telephones, responding to email messages, giving presentations to students and families, and evaluating applications. Since then my work has changed quite a bit.
Nowadays my working hours are filled with meetings, responding to calls and emails from people that are angry, meetings, checking admission decisions, meetings, and helping to guide the vision and strategy of our operation. Wait, did I mention meetings?
Nowadays my working hours are filled with meetings, responding to calls and emails from people that are angry, meetings, checking admission decisions, meetings, and helping to guide the vision and strategy of our operation. Wait, did I mention meetings?
All of that said, I still look forward to my work everyday.
So, here we are ten years later (!). Even though I look a bit less cherubic...
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| Just finished a presentation to 2,500 of my friends - now more application evaluations! |
...I still have a passion for the work and the students that we admit and enroll each year.
Here's to another ten (or twenty?) years!