FUNemployment, Part 1

August 8, 2013 was the last day of work for me, officially kicking off my month or so of FUNemployment.  For three years I have worked for the University of Chicago Admissions Office, and many of you know that this was the first full-time job I had right out of college.

Overall, my experience working for UChicago Admissions was rewarding and formative.  I knew as early as graduation that higher education was not my calling.  Since high school, I knew that I would eventually join the Peace Corps, but I needed time to pay off some student debt and think through my life.  Any UChicago alumnus knows that the academics at UChicago do not allow much time for thinking about one’s future, and I needed all the time I could afford in the “real world” to contemplate my long term plans.

Now here I am, ready to embark on this adventure that I always knew I would pursue.  Yet, I would not have predicted that I could gain so much experience and meet so many great people that eventually helped form my professional identity.

For the past three years I have worked with UChicago’s Alumni Schools Committee (an alumnus volunteer network that interviews prospective students, represents UChicago at college fairs, hosts yield events, etc).  I also interned with the ASC for two years previous while in College.  Helping with the ASC and eventually taking control of the program as a director has wielded me many non-profit management skills that I am sure I will use again during my service in the Peace Corps.  Furthermore, working with all of the Chairs and volunteers has further cemented my adoration for UChicago.

I am also blessed to have met so many great colleagues during my time at the UChicago Admissions Office.  All offices (I assume) have their own politics and short-comings, but I have learned that it is often the people who invest in one’s abilities and care for their own work that make any dysfunctional office bearable.  While I will not identify anyone by name, there were a great few who had invested themselves into my work, and allowed me to invest in theirs, and they had truly made a difference in how I approached each challenge in the office.  Leaving these folks definitely makes this journey to the Peace Corps bittersweet for me.

Finally, I cannot close this long chapter without reflecting on my experiences and thanking those I have met in Florida.  Since Florida was my “major” territory for the past three years, it has definitely developed into a second home for me (especially South Florida).  Being able to travel and relate to a new environment has definitely been one of the most positive aspects of working at UChicago Admissions.

Again, thanks to all of my colleagues, volunteers, and associates who I have worked with over the past three years!  I hope you will enjoy reading about my adventures through this blog!