Name: Aaron Going
Class Year: 2014
Job Title: Associate Director of College Counseling
Organization Name: Worcester Academy
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
I currently counsel juniors and seniors through the college application and admission process at Worcester Academy.
2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decide it was a good fit for you?
I had originally wanted to be a history teacher after college. However that quickly ended after I passed my MTELS and went through the process of registering for a substitute teacher position. I realized that the structure and environment of a classroom was not the way in which I wanted to serve our youth. I ended up turning my attention to the Department of Youth Services and began working as a Residential Counselor for youthful offenders. After spending some time working at DYS I asked myself one question…
What can I do to ensure young folks have opportunities and resources that will keep them out of a life of bad decisions?
I immediately thought about working as some type of counselor for a Job Corps or college counseling program. Thankfully I got an opportunity to work at a wonderful non-profit called Bottom Line and that is where my career as a college counselor launched.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
At Holy Cross I spent a lot of my time participating in intramurals and the rest of the time was dedicated to my studies. I had to work through college to afford different things and my part-time job took up the rest of any free time.
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?
I majored in History at Holy Cross. I always knew I wanted to work with young people but outside of being a teacher, I was not sure how to do that. I began exploring the path of becoming a teacher and that ultimately led me to a world of other career opportunities.
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?
Efficiency and Perseverance
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?
I think my biggest piece of advice to students would be to “try it” and do not think twice about it. Holy Cross offers so many new experiences and opportunities that can seem overwhelming or frightening but I would challenge students to lean it to the unknown. There were a countless amount of things I missed out on at Holy Cross but I wish I didn’t. Sometimes circumstances are out of our control but to my current and future crusaders, if time and responsibility allows, participate in everything!
