Something that I often think about, especially ever since I started at Heller, is the idea of how to build my career with a sense of purpose. Time in graduate school is great, and while we all have many different priorities and backgrounds, here we are all united by the fact that we are students. We are here to learn, take classes, challenge ourselves, and build knowledge. But, we are doing so because we are trying to move forward in our careers. With that, I constantly think about the day after graduation. The beginning, or resumption for some, of a career. I find this the most challenging aspect. How do I pick a job that aligns with an overall sense of purpose while also being realistic? A job that can pay the bills, pay off loans, offer some security, some retirement, and stability, while also fulfilling a commitment to a bigger mission and building towards long-term goals and personal growth. This is the most difficult part of graduate school, especially at Heller. Everyone here is so committed to their mission and purpose that it makes you want to commit to a life devoted to that mission. That, however, takes some good planning and lots of mentorship. Fortunately, there are plenty of faculty willing to offer advice and guidance. To prospective students, and really to any graduate students going to a school with such devotion and commitment to solving certain problems, you have to make the time to sit, plan, and build your skills and resume to apply for the jobs and career path you want. I think this is one of the reasons why at Heller we are required to complete a practicum, a phase of our academics where we have to go work, write, and get real-world experience.
As students who are preparing to balance careers with purpose, we have to personally make these decisions and commit that time to think through where we should go next after receiving our wonderful, but time-bound, education at Heller.