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Meet Alum Joseph Wihbey ’16, Mechanical Engineer @ Sikorsky

Name: Joseph Wihbey

Class Year: 2016

Title: Mechanical Engineer

Organization: Sikorsky

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

I am a mechanical designer that designs, analyzes, and details test machines for Sikorsky helicopter components.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?    

I had always planned on pursuing engineering. I was unsure of which engineering field I would be most interested in. My experience within the Holy Cross physics department helped me decide on mechanical engineering.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

I was involved in on-campus research – I studied atomic physics in Professor Oxley’s lab. The hands-on experiments I took part in through Professor Oxley’s lab were very formative and a major inspiration. I was also involved in SPUD and Track and Field.

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

I was a 3-2 engineering student at Holy Cross. I studied physics at Holy Cross and mechanical engineering at Columbia. In both majors, I got to use a lot of math – particularly calculus and differential equations. I wanted a job where I would be able to use those math skills on a regular basis. I feel very lucky that in my current role I am constantly referring back to my college textbooks and applying what I learned in school.

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Taking detailed notes! A lot can happen in the course of the day, between meetings and other types of distractions, and keeping a notebook has helped me stay on task.

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Take advantage of the liberal arts curriculum! Try not to think of the common requirements as a chore, but as an opportunity to try something new.
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Meet Alum Dillon Clancy ’20, AmeriCorps Men’s Health Care Coordinator

Name: Dillon Clancy

Class Year: 2020

Title: AmeriCorps Men’s Health Care Coordinator

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

AmeriCorps Men’s Health Care Coordinator at 112 Southampton Street Shelter Clinic. I directly work with patients to coordinate equitable access to the highest quality of health care, benefits, and community resources.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?

During my senior year, I knew that I wanted to pursue a future in the health professions. I decided to sign up for the Health Care Career Trek that was hosted by the Center for Career Development. One of the places we visited was Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP). During this visit, I was able to connect with a Holy Cross graduate, who was in one of my Health Studies classes as a senior when I was a freshman. She served an AmeriCorps year at BHCHP and now works there full time. She gave me the advice to apply to the AmeriCorps program at BHCHP, and here I am!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

On campus, I served as both an Orientation Leader and Student Coordinator for Fall Gateways Orientation, I worked as Writing Consultant in the Writer’s Workshop, I sang as a Bass in Fools on the Hill, I played on the Men’s Club Volleyball Team, was a Co-Leader for Spring Break Immersion Programs, and a retreat leader with the Chaplin’s Office for the Communitas Virtual Retreat. Yes, I did like to keep busy 🙂

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

In coming to Holy Cross, I was extremely passionate about pursuing a Health Studies major through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. Throughout the courses I took at Holy Cross (S/O to my advisor, Prof. Masvawure, and the many other wonderful professors I had), and the internships I was fortunate enough to have, my passion for health only grew deeper. Along the way, I decided to add on a Neuroscience minor, which perfectly complemented my interests. The “highlight-reel” of classes that I took at Holy Cross include, Mixed-Methods Health Research, Drug Use: Brain and Behavior, Writing about Data and Policy, Critical Issues in Global Health, and Health Care Management Academic Internship Program. In combining my major and minor, I grew particularly interested in the intersection between mental health, substance use disorder, and health care delivery, which led me to BHCHP.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

The two most important skills that I use in my service as an AmeriCorps Member with BHCHP are communication and persistence. As for communication, both my written and verbal communication skills were sharpened at Holy Cross through the classes I took and the extracurriculars I was involved in. It is so important that I effectively communicate information to the patients that I serve, and to all the other care teams that are providing care to patients. As for persistence, this position is HARD. It is difficult to “sum up” my job in one sentence because there is so much that my job may entail – there is no “typical day.” The patients that I work with are experiencing homelessness for a whole range of reasons, but overarchingly due to the incredible number of systems that are built to disadvantage them. It is my job to navigate through these systems with them, which requires a lot of persistence and grit.

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Be thankful and take advantage of the opportunities given to you at Holy Cross.  Holy Cross can be an easy place to get caught up in the mix of everything, and quickly grow overwhelmed. It always helped me to take a step back to reflect on the good that I had, rather than the bad that constantly stressed me out. If that is academics – great! If that is extracurriculars – awesome! If that is hanging out with friends – cool! Find the thing that makes goosebumps fills your arms, and, as St. Ignatius once said, SET THE WORLD ON FIRE.
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Meet Alumna Mary Kate Brennan ’09, Associate @ Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Name: Mary Kate Brennan

Class year:  2009

Position:  Associate

Organization:  Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

Law School:  Fordham University School of Law, J.D. 2012, LL.M. in Fashion Law 2017

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

My practice focuses on trademark, false advertising, and copyright litigation for a wide variety of clients and industries, including fashion, consumer goods, and media.

 

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?

Even before attending Holy Cross, I knew that I wanted to be an attorney.  I did not, however, expect to become a fashion lawyer.  While at Fordham Law School, I took Professor Susan Scafidi’s Fashion Law survey class.  Professor Scafidi is the first professor ever to offer a course in Fashion Law, and she is internationally recognized for her leadership in establishing the field.  After graduating and while studying for the bar exam in 2012, Professor Scafidi invited me to work with her at the Fashion Law Institute, the world’s first center dedicated to law and the business of fashion.  From there, I continued to connect with industry members.  Although my immediate next position did not involve fashion law – I joined the litigation department at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey – I continued to network and stay involved in fashion.  For example, I co-founded the Holy Cross in Fashion Alumni Affinity Group.  This group has afforded me unparalleled opportunities to connect with Crusader fashion luminaries, such as Carolyn Risoli.

I love writing and thankfully, other people seem to think that I’m pretty good at it.  Going into law school, I thought that I wanted to be a transactional attorney working on deals and contracts.  While between my first and second years of law school, I interned with Time Inc.’s legal department.  Notably, it is only because of Holy Cross’s Summer Internship Program that I was able get this position (going into my senior year, I interned at Sports Illustrated as part of Time Inc.’s editorial internship program).  At Time Inc., I worked with the in-house litigation team and knew that the fast-paced nature of trial work was for me.  I haven’t looked back since.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

Class of 2009 Convocation Scholar; Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Holy Cross Journal of Law and Public Policy; Co-Chair of the Hanify-Howland Memorial Lecture Committee; News Editor and Columnist at The Crusader; Writing Tutor and Teacher’s Assistant; Co-Chair of the English Department Student Advisory Board; and Staff Member of the Campus Activity Board.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

I was an English major and minored in Art History.  Both have had an enormous impact on my personal and professional life.  As an English major, I dedicated my studies to close-readings and precise writing.  While legal writing is quite different, the skills that I began to develop during undergrad have transferred nicely and set the groundwork for success.  In terms of the substantive fashion law work, my art history background provided a wonderful foundation in fashion and fostered my overall interest in the arts and protecting them.  On a personal note, I still love reading for fun and enjoy catching up with Professor Paige Reynolds about what new Irish novel I should pick up next (besides Sally Rooney).

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I used to think it was cheesy, but the Jesuit motto of “Men and Women for Others” remains a touchstone.  Little things matter.  For example, I remember appreciating it when my Holy Cross classmates held doors open for me on campus or dropped off an iced coffee while I wrote a paper in Coolbeans.  While I may be a formidable opponent in the courtroom, I strive to remain kind.  In litigation, things can get heated quickly, and remembering the human element of work is critical.  If you’re sort of jerk in the first semester of law school and don’t share your notes, people remember it years later.  Having come from Holy Cross, I couldn’t imagine not being a collaborative classmate or co-worker.  I think this makes me a better attorney and person.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Chart your own course.  Do not become paralyzed trying to find a “dream” law school or job.  Rather, think broadly and strategically when looking for the best opening that you can find now.  Take that springboard and keep working hard, make meaningful connections and never lose sight of your long-terms goals.  People can and will open doors for you, but you have to be the one to walk through them.
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Meet Alum Anthony Russo ’14, Assistant Dean @ Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

Name: Anthony Russo

Class Year: 2014

Title: Assistant Dean, Graduate Enrollment Management

Organization Name: Boston College School of Theology and Ministry

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?

In my role, I oversee admissions and marketing for the School of Theology and Ministry, a graduate school of Boston College.

 

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?

The very short version: I never would have guessed when I graduated that I’d be doing what I’m doing now, though looking back, it all makes sense! During my senior year, I felt a tug to pursue post-graduate service, which led me to the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. I then enrolled at Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development for a master’s in higher education administration. During this program, I also led a few undergraduate campus ministry programs at BC, which helped me decide to pursue a master’s in theology and ministry at BC. Upon graduating, I was hired into my current role, which is a perfect fusion of both administration and ministry. I am able to utilize both my operational and strategic strengths, as well as support the discernment of folks committed to using their gifts in service to the world. What could be better!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

I was a member of the varsity swim team, Co-Director of Athletics for SGA, Program Coordinator for Gateways Orientation, and a Manresa retreat leader.

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Political Science. I entered Holy Cross thinking I wanted to go into a career in government; while that turned out to not be the case, my political science major stilled played a significant role in my vocational discernment and career decisions. I remain very interested in questions of power, social structures, and how to form citizens oriented toward the common good. My major continues to shapes the lens through which I make decisions and view my current work.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

A skill that stands out, drawn significantly from a liberal arts education, is the ability to think in interdisciplinary and integrated ways about complex problems. Holy Cross helped me develop a capacity for critical thinking that is essential to my work on a daily basis. In a related way, my Holy Cross education also really enhanced my imagination – intellectually, socially, and spiritually. I learned to think beyond what’s in front of me, and also importantly, how to communicate these thoughts (which particularly helps the marketing side of my role!). With this imagination, I am equipped with both hope and vision to work toward a world more in line with the values instilled by a Jesuit education at Holy Cross.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Be open to the unexpected! I love a good plan as much as anyone, but don’t limit yourself to pressures to have to stick to plans you or others have set for you. It can be scary to “divert” (though I don’t think our vocational path ever truly follows a straight line), but as in my case, this can often lead us toward something that brings us into greater harmony with who we most authentically are.

 
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Meet Alumna Christina Doherty ’20, Audit & Assurance Staff @ Deloitte

Name: Christina Doherty

Class Year: 2020

Title: Audit & Assurance Staff

Organization Name: Deloitte

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I work on a Mutual Fund engagement team out of the Deloitte Boston office and spend my days preparing workpapers in excel for the funds currently under audit, checking in with other staff and seniors on my team with any questions I or they may have and reaching out to our client to request any further support we may need for the audit.

 

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? 

 Beginning Sophomore year I attended all the recruiting events the accounting firms held on campus. The more people you can meet, the better off you will be in making a decision for what firm best fits you!

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus? 

During my time at Holy Cross I was involved in both SPUD and Purple Key Society.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

 I double majored in Accounting and Psychology! I actually went into college thinking I wanted to study finance and quickly changed my mind after my first accounting class. I transferred to Holy Cross sophomore year after learning more about the reputation the accounting program holds and the recruiting efforts on campus from the Big 4.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

There is a common misconception that accounting just involves numbers, but I think the biggest skill I developed at Holy Cross was how to communicate effectively – you wouldn’t believe how many emails you send daily!

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Connect with as many alumni as possible. Speaking to as many alumni as I did at different recruiting events helped me make the decision with what firm I wanted to intern at and ultimately work full time for. I also think its important to note that just because you choose to be an accounting major doesn’t mean you need to get your CPA and work for a Big 4. Being an accounting major can open a ton of different doors for finance jobs as well!
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Meet Alumna Midori Marsh ’15, Ecommerce Merchandising Specialist @ Wayfair

Name: Midori Marsh

Class Year: 2015
Title: Ecommerce Merchandising Specialist
Organization Name: Wayfair
1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?
Analyze clickstream metrics and other customer data to identify and create a best-in-class customer experience on the Wayfair-owned luxury site, Perigold.com
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?
As a junior at HC, I belonged to what was then called the Summer Internship Program (“SIP”). This experience helped me land my first internship in fashion merchandising at Theory in NYC. This role also turned into my first job out of college. Something that helped me understand which career path would be a good fit was a suggestion from my dad to find a job that doesn’t feel like work so that you’ll never get tired of it. Working in merchandising was a great mix of analytics and creativity, which for me was super exciting and didn’t feel like real work. After 5 years in wholesale merchandising, I now work in ecommerce merchandising at a luxury furniture retailer, Perigold.com.
3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?
 I co-led the Black Student Union Fashion Show during my senior year and was the VP of the Holy Cross Fashion Society. Both experiences helped me to manage a budget, coordinate events, and allowed me to grow my network in the industry.
4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions? 
Psychology, with a minor in Asian studies. Psychology pushed me to work hard and allowed me to learn about human behavior from incredible professors, but it didn’t really affect my career decisions. The great part about our liberal arts education is that it allows you to study the field you’re interested in and still pursue a variety of career interests.
5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 
The power of relationships and networking. Holy Cross helped me to develop the necessary skills to build and foster relationships. At both the big and small companies I’ve worked at, I’ve learned that productivity thrives when you understand the goals of the teams you work with. It’s tremendously important to build and maintain relationships in order to collaborate effectively.
6. What advice do you have for students on campus today? 
Use your summers as time to test out your interests with internships. You may confirm your interests or realize the industry is not for you. Either way, it will be a great learning experience.
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Meet Alumna Dr. Kathleen D. Dejwakh ’09, NASA

Name:  Dr. Kathleen D. Dejwakh

Class Year: 2009

Title: Computer Engineer, Data Management Team Lead, CERES Science Team

Organization:  NASA

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

I oversee the production of publicly available data products, generated from data collected by NASA and NOAA Earth observing satellites, that constitute a twenty-year and ongoing climate data record of Earth.

 

2. What planned and unplanned events connected you to your industry and your first employer after Holy Cross? How did you learn/decided it was a good fit for you?
I suppose that you could say that this is my first “real” job since graduating from Holy Cross, since I was in graduate school and engaged in a brief post-doctoral opportunity for so long (2009-2017). When I think about it, each transition made sense, but it was mostly serendipity that got me here.

Attending a graduate school so close to a NASA center, (NASA Langley Research Center), was certainly lucky. As I found that I needed supplemental income, I planned on finding an internship type of opportunity, transitioning out of my graduate program in computer graphics. Since I wanted to expand my concept of the types of imagery I could work with, I applied for and obtained a position as a NASA DEVELOP participant, working with Earth observation data. Comparing this more academia-like experience to a previous industry internship that I’d had, I became certain that I wanted to work in a sector that had more direct benefit to humanity and the environment. So, I applied for a civil service position at NASA and was selected.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

I participated in several clubs and activities while on campus: S.P.U.D., liturgical ministry (lector coordinator), Sailing Club, Bishop Healy Multicultural Club, and Math/C.S. Student Advisory Council.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

I majored in Computer Science simply because I enjoyed the classes. I really didn’t have a career goal in mind, at the time. The part-logic, part-creativity involved in creating programs felt really satisfying. It just so happened that it is a hot market for software engineers out there.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

First off, I would say that I employ mindfulness and empathy day-to-day. Practicing the motto and spiritual cultivation at Holy Cross strengthened in me the importance of being kind to myself and understanding of others, and the bigger picture. Secondly, I use those core Computer Science classes of algorithms, data structures, and programming. They’re the backbone of software engineering! What can I say.

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

I think the best career for someone would be not just what they enjoy, but what they’re good at. To figure that out, you probably have to cast a wide net in school. Don’t be afraid to do that, change with time, cross things off of your list, and envision a career-path that may play to multiple strengths at once or in sequence. Sometimes…you even have to create a niche for yourself. There are no rules.
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Meet Alumna Stephanie A. Haddad ’15, Internal Medicine, PGY-1

Name: Stephanie A. Haddad

Class Year: 2015

Title: Internal Medicine, PGY-1

Organization:  Brown University/Kent Hospital

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail?  

I work as a resident physician on the medicine team to manage, treat, and take care of patients admitted to the hospital.

 

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 always thought I would go directly into medical school after undergrad; however, my path to medical school changed when I realized my MCAT scores were not as competitive as I had hoped, and I wanted more clinical experience. I worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator/Assistant in Breast Oncology at the MGH: Cancer Center for a little over two years before matriculating into medical school. I gained so much clinical experience in the hospital and outpatient medical settings, which further solidified my desire to pursue a career as a physician. I discovered that medicine is a dynamic field intertwined with pathophysiology, genetics, novel treatments, team-based approaches, comprehensive care, and patient-driven decision making. Working alongside the oncology team, seeing the role of the physicians, and helping to treat patients daily, showed me that becoming a physician was truly the right fit for me.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?  

I had some of the best experiences at Holy Cross being involved with various committees and clubs around campus. I participated in research with the Bellin Lab and worked as a TA for the Biology Department. I also was the Co-Chair of the Biology Department Student Advisory Committee and Co-Chair of the Bio Buddies tutoring program. Additionally, I was involved with the American Medical Student Association and competed as a dancer on the Holy Cross Ballroom Dance Team.

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?  

I majored in Biology with a Biochemistry Concentration. I always had a passion for science and medicine, and my Biochemistry Concentration further encouraged me to pursue research. Since I worked in a research lab at Holy Cross, I sought a clinical-based research experience within the medical setting. I worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator/Assistant in Breast Oncology at the MGH: Cancer Center helping to run clinical trials. I enrolled and followed breast cancer patients on clinical trials. Along with the clinical problem solving, it was the emotional moments with my research patients that drew me closer to the field of medicine. As I became an integral part of their healthcare team and an empathetic caregiver, I discovered my passion for medicine and research, particularly within Hematology/Oncology. I gained clinical and research experience and solidified my desire to pursue medical school to become a physician. These experiences also contributed to my decision to pursue an Internal Medicine Residency after I graduated medical school and a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship in the future.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work? 

Being a life-long learner and critical thinking

Effective communication and staying connected, the world is a small place

 

6. What advice do you have for students today?

Follow your dreams! Once you discover your passion, follow it because you will truly enjoy your work every day. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else with my life! Stay passionate and continue to learn daily because this will be the fuel that keeps you going and remember to enjoy all aspects of the ride; it all becomes part of your story.

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Meet Alumna Christie Letarte ’08, Special Counsel

Name: Christie Letarte

Class Year: ‘08

Title: Special Counsel

Organization Name: The Florida Senate

 

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

In this role, I provide legal advice to the president of the Florida Senate and serve as a special master for executive suspensions (when the governor suspends an elected official, the Senate determines whether the official is reinstated or removed from office) and claim bills (which are usually bills where an individual alleges injury by a governmental entity and is seeking funds in excess of the statutory caps and occasionally are compensation claims for alleged wrongful incarceration), where I hold hearings, make findings of fact, and provide a legal analysis and recommendation to the president, as necessary.

 

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?  

Having an interest in both higher education and the law, after Holy Cross, I intentionally pursued each interest and received a Master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs and then a juris doctor. I specifically chose the law school I attended because of the Center for Higher Education Law and Policy and the professors who taught there as I had been reading their scholarly work. I thought, after I passed the bar exam, I would pair the two areas and work at a college or university – then came the unplanned event.

While studying for the bar exam, I received a call from the career development office at my law school after the chief attorney for the Florida Senate Committee on Education had inquired as to whether they had any recent graduates interested in education law. The office gave the chief attorney my name and I submitted application materials.

Since that time, I have had the opportunity to serve in the Florida Senate in a variety of roles – none of which would I have anticipated as I attempted to plan my career path in prior years. I knew the Florida Senate was a good fit because of the people with whom I work and the content and variety of matters on which I have had the opportunity to work. The colleagues I work beside are of the highest caliber and we share the same sense of integrity and dedication to our service through our roles in the Florida Senate. I also enjoy the content, challenges, and different lenses of the legislative process that each role has provided. The Florida Senate continually presents opportunities to grow and has felt like a professional home.

 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

While at Holy Cross, I was involved in a variety of opportunities provided by the school. I was: an athlete and member of the women’s indoor and outdoor track and field team as a thrower (throwing the javelin, hammer, shotput, and the weight) and served as a co-captain senior year; a resident assistant and a head resident assistant in what is now Brooks-Mulledy Hall; a volunteer through Student Programs for Urban Development (SPUD) with my main volunteer work being overnight stays at Abby’s House (a shelter for abused and/or homeless women and children) and St. Francis Adult Day Health; a student who was able to perform and present research related to bereavement in the elderly with the assistance of a professor and fellow student; a participant and leader in immersion programs through the Chaplains’ Office (including the immersion program in Kingston, Jamaica and an alternative spring break in Biloxi, Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina); a participant in retreats offered through the Chaplains’ Office (including Manresa and the Spiritual Exercises five-day silent retreat); and an intern at Massachusetts Justice Project (which provides legal aid to those in need).

 

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Having a major in psychology, and concentrations in gerontology and Africana Studies, affected and impacted my career decisions by highlighting interests in the human condition, development, stages of life, and our collective and individual histories. I knew I would want to work with others in a career path with complexity that required analytical skills and creativity to solve problems and process information and experiences from different lenses.

 

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

Two skills developed at Holy Cross that I use in my work are the desire to learn and work beyond what is necessary to achieve a specific goal and continued use of reflective and introspective practices. Both of these skills continue to facilitate personal and professional growth.

 

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Approach each stage of your academic career and professional experiences with the same discipline, integrity, and inquisitiveness that has helped you get to Holy Cross.

Continue to be engaged with your Holy Cross community and the greater communities of which you and Holy Cross are a part.

Embrace all the experiences Holy Cross has to offer and be open to opportunities arising that you may never have imagined. Enjoy the journey!
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Meet Alum Antonio Willis-Berry ’13, Director of Residence Life @ Merrimack

Name: Antonio Willis-Berry ’13
Title: Director of Residence Life
Organization Name: Merrimack College

1. In one sentence, what does your job entail? 

I am responsible for all students living on campus and ensuring they are having a safe, engaging, supportive, and caring experience.

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?  

When I was a student at Holy Cross, I discovered somewhere between the summer of my sophomore and the summer of my junior year that I wanted to work in Student Affairs. I had an opportunity to go to a few different conferences and kept meeting and networking with professionals (both working at Holy Cross and within the New England region). An unplanned event happened at the conclusion of my sophomore year, when I wasn’t selected to be a returning RA and I thought my career was over. I was quite angry, but it was a great learning moment for me and one that I’m thankful that I had. I needed to refocus my energy more on school (because I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had flunked out) and the other opportunities that I cared more about. The care the ResLife and Student Affairs Division showed me during this learning moment helped me to decide that this career path would be a great fit for me. They cared about me and I knew that’s what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be for others. My career has not been rainbows and sunshines, but I always come back to that moment of why I started doing this in the first place and that makes the headaches that much easier to navigate.
 

3. What were you involved in when you were on campus?

Too many things! I was an RA, an OL, Minister of Music for the Protestant Community, in the MAGIS program, a Student Co-Chair of NJSLC, multiple roles in SGA, multiple roles in BSU, Music Director of an A Capella group, a Hogan Student Manager, Co-Chair of WCHC Sports, a dedicated member of CAB, member of the Jazz Ensemble, and I’m sure there was more.

4. What was your major and how did it affect your career decisions?

Music and it didn’t really affect my career decision. However, they taught me the value of individuality and exposed me to different ways of creating and supporting a team. I learned a great deal about leadership in my conducting course with Prof. Culver and how to improv and be adaptable from my course on Jazz with Prof. Monaghan.

5. What are one or two skills that you developed at Holy Cross that you use in your work?

I do a lot of reflecting and thinking about the things I am grateful for. I went on the Spiritual Exercises as a student and that really taught me the value of stopping, listening, and being in the moment. I remind myself to do this daily and it really helps to recenter me.

6. What advice do you have for students on campus today?

Find the communities that bring you joy and add value to your life. For me, it was my a cappella group. I did not tell them enough how impactful they were to my experience as a student and I regret that. I miss them daily and while we are in different parts of the world during different things, I know that we are still connected because of our love of music. So find your place and if you don’t have one, then create it. I was one of the founding members of our group and it had a tremendous impact on me. Holy Cross has the capacity to have a tremendous impact on you and for you to impact it, if you’re willing to listen, push back, and ask the tough questions.