Assignment #6: REACHING OUT

Exercise #1: Interview two of your role models -

In completing the assignment, I prepared six questions for my two role models. Their interviews followed by my summaries are below:

John Hader – Associate Dean

1) State your current job title and responsibilities.

I’m an Associate Dean in the Office of Instruction at Harold Washington College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago. My primary duty is to evaluate non-tenured and tenured faculty, while assisting non-tenured faculty through the tenure process, and I serve as an administrative liaison, attending to the needs of five academic departments. I am also responsible for establishing articulation agreements, overhauling departmental syllabi, reviewing and updating courses, and seeking course approval from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) and the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) to ensure transferability of credits.

2) What do you find the most and the least satisfying about your job?

I love working with faculty, helping to develop their skills as instructors. I hate paperwork.

3) What path did you travel to achieve success?

I was a tenured assistant professor in the Department of English, Speech, and Theatre, and I became the co-chair of the department, a quasi-administrative job. This led me to the job I have now. However, I didn’t take the academic path until late in my life. In fact, I didn’t earn a college degree until I was forty years old. For years, I worked in a dizzying selection of lousy jobs: factories, warehouses, chemical plants. I would stick my head in tanks and tell you whether perchlorethylene or methylene chloride was in there last. I could drive a straddle truck in the closest quarters, in the tightest warehouse, around the most fragile stock, after guzzling a six-pack of Old Style, while chewing a plug of Red Man. When I was a facilities worker at IIT, I would start every morning by skillfully sharpening up the nail at the end of my pick-up stick on a grinding wheel, and then proceed to patrol State Street, picking up dirty diapers people would throw from their passing cars.

4) In following your path to success, what difficulties did you face?
See above!

5) Did you ever feel discouraged or unsupported? How did you overcome the challenge?

Sure, I felt discouraged; however, my wife, Lisa, was and is tremendously supportive. I am very lucky to have her and two beautiful daughters who inspire me daily. I also found something I love: Harold Washington College! But, probably the key thing was that at one time I felt like a waste of flesh, and I found that service to others—the students, the College, the community, the City of Chicago—gave me great satisfaction.

6) What advice can you offer for my next steps to become a College Dean?

It’s one of those “keep your eyes on the prize” sort of things. I don’t know what else to say, Michelle!

Summary:

Mr. Hader’s path to success includes the following:

Acquiring a college education
Not being afraid to pursue college later in life
Gained inspiration from working lousy jobs
Followed his touchstone “Service to Others” by entering a vocation he loved
Looked to his family for moral support
Obtained promotions from within the college where he worked

Mr. Hader is by far my greatest role model. He was my instructor at Harold Washington College for two semesters in Literature. I was extremely impressed with Mr. Hader’s teaching style and professional ethics. While taking his classes, he told the students about all the lousy jobs he worked before he decided to go into teaching. I can identify with his work experiences because like Mr. Hader I feel that I have wasted much time and effort working jobs that I hate. His story has inspired me to follow my touchstone by pursing a vocation that I love. Mr. Hader’s story is proof that anyone can accomplish their dreams no matter where you are in life or what profession you currently hold.

Next Steps:

Mr. Hader’s advice is simply stated, “Keep your eyes on the prize.” I feel that what he means is to stay in school and don’t allow obstacles to deter me from my goals. However, after reading his path to success I have learned that seeking higher opportunities within your current job can lead to your ultimate vocation. I find this information encouraging because I outlined a similar path on my flow chart in last week’s class.

Renisha Campbell - Counselor

1) State your current job title and responsibilities.

As a Community Health Consultant I provide consulting services to Community Based Organization and Individual Businesses to assist in their development, implementation and/or evaluation of their health programs. Partner with organizations to provide HIV awareness outreach to the LGBTQ community, and other underserved minority communities that are disproportionately affected by the epidemic. Facilitate Health Ambassador Trainings for youth aged 14-18. These trainings are intended to empower young people to become proactive about their overall health and provided opportunities for them to practice their presentation skills. Assist individuals in navigating federal/governmental programs i.e. Unemployment, and Public Assistance.

2) What do you find the most and the least satisfying about your job?

What I find most satisfying about my job is that I started the company. About a year after I completed my Master’s Degree in Public Health I decided to start my own consulting business (Jan 2008), RMC Consulting due to the limited job market. I figured most non-profits/businesses could not afford a full-time employee therefore they may be open to hiring someone on a contractual basis.

What I find most frustrating about my job is building cliental. Although I enjoy networking greatly, with the current economy I am having a difficult time increasing my client base.

3) What path did you travel to achieve success?

I would say my path started with taking school seriously. Completing high school was a task in itself because I did not have the support of my parents. However with much determination I was able to graduate from high school with honors. I then moved on to the University of Illinois at Chicago where I completed both my BA in Psychology (2001) and MPH (2007). Outside of completing my education, I believe my work and volunteer experience has lead to my success.

4) In following your path to success, what difficulties did you face?

I faced many difficulties because I was a first generation college graduate and myself nor my family had a clue as to what to expect and how to be successful in college.

5) Did you ever feel discouraged or unsupported? How did you overcome the challenge?
Yes I felt discouraged often however I had a great advisor and he helped me through personal and academic problems.

6) What advice can you offer for my next steps to become a Counselor?

I have worked both as a Medical and Legal advocate where I provided survivors (and their families) of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence crisis counseling/support. What I have learned is that you must leave your personal baggage and privilege out when having your sessions (with your client) and/or advocating for a client. The client will know if you are not being sincere. For this reason it is imperative that we encourage all professionals to take cultural competence courses. Also remember that everything you learn in a book is not applicable in every setting, therefore you must be willing to adjust in every situation.

Summary:

Renisha’s path to success includes the following:

Acquiring a college education
Having good work ethics
Volunteering
Analyzing the job market
Becoming an entrepreneur
Pursuing untraditional methods of work in her field
Seeking help when problems arise

I was very pleased to find that Renisha refers to her college journey as one of the paths she pursed in becoming successful as a counselor. She received a Master’s Degree in Public health and started her own business. I admire the fact that Renisha was proactive in securing employment by becoming an entrepreneur and sought untraditional ways of establishing herself in her field by becoming an independent contractor. Renisha takes pride in her work and performed as a volunteer in order to establish herself as a counselor. Becoming a volunteer is one of the methods we discussed in class in order to gain experience in a particular vocation. Renisha was challenged with the fact that she is the first from her generation to receive a college degree. Unfortunately, receiving a college education is not always viewed as a priority in the African-American community. For this reason first generation African-American college students may not receive the support and skills needed to succeed in college from within their family. Although it is not stated in her interview, Renisha has stated to me that she experiences resentment from some family members because she has a college education. I admire Renisha for seeking support outside of her family by speaking with an advisor and admire her determination to become successful.

Next Steps:

Renisha’s advice does not give a specific course of action in plotting my next steps in becoming a counselor. However, she emphasizes that getting a college education, having a flexible outlook and maintaining a professional attitude is essential.