For my alumni interview I chose to interview Katie Maloney. Katie is an ENR alumni who has a degree in zoology and psychology. She has worked as a zookeeper in a few different zoos and she currently works as a park ranger! Katie and I first talked about my major and what I wanted to do with it after finishing my undergrad with my bachelors of science. She helped me decide whether my major was best for me considering what I seem to be interested in and she gave me some classes that she enjoyed in the major that I should probably pursue. Katie also gave me some classes that are easy and super fun that she recommends to have a break from some of the seriousness of college. After we talked about some other career options from zoologists and canine trainers to careers in research, Katie gave me some advice using her own experience in the professional world. When I asked what one of the biggest lessons she’s learned from the professional world was, she immediately said “life is fluid!” She made sure that I understood that life is always changing and that nothing is ever truly set in stone. Because of this she let me know that it is always okay to change my mind and that I should pursue what I want to do. As for other advice, she had a few very good points. She said to make sure that I know my boundaries and what I’m capable of and also to understand that I’m never going to love everyone that I work with, and that’s okay! Along with knowing my boundaries, she says that I need to learn how to tell a toxic environment from an environment that might just not be favorable because that will help me determine if it is somewhere I should be long-term or not. Katie then gave me a lot of really valuable advice for interviews. She spoke of how important it was to make eye contact in order to show that you are calm and comfortable. As for speaking she said that silence is better than “ummm’s” and that you should always do your research so that you can ask questions.
Talking with Katie was extremely beneficial for me because I was struggling with deciding what to do after college. She helped me find a few areas of interest and told me which majors I should pursue for those. She also helped me with some really great advice to succeed in a professional career after college. Everything Katie told me I can use to get a full experience in life and really take advantage of what OSU has to offer me, especially when it comes down to resources to help set me up for success. Her interview advice can help me with getting a job in the future and truly live the best life possible. Katie gave me a whole new perspective for getting through college and making sure that I do what I want and not to stick to something that I don’t feel fits me.