By Killian Doran
The leaves are changing, the weather is cooling, and football is back. Summer is coming to a close and fall is charging ahead at full speed. As I sit here, I reflect on a summer of change. If you had asked me at the beginning of 2023 If I saw myself moving to Seattle and working at the University of Washington, I would have given you an outstanding no. It is bizarre to think about how much actually changes over the course of the year.
I started as the Graduate Program Advisor for the Computational Finance and Risk Management program at the end of May. Over the course of the summer, I have grown, adapted, and evolved as a person and professional. I have had the opportunity to be a sponge and learn the ins and outs of the university, department, and program. In my new role, I will provide one-on-one advising for online and on-campus students regarding academic planning, registration, university requirements, and prepare students for graduation. I will also work as a liaison with International Student Services and provide students with basic CPT and OPT guidance. Additionally, I will lead student engagement activities and department events. While I have previous experience with many of these duties and responsibilities in previous roles, the last three months have challenged me in different ways, taught me new things, and pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I imagine that many of you will face similar experiences with being challenged and pushed outside of your comfort zone over the next academic year. From my experience, I have some tips that I would like to share that have helped me navigate through different times of change.
1. Be a sponge.
2. The effort you put into the experience is the effort you will get out of the experience.
3. Take advantage of the networking opportunities you have. The connections you make this year may not help you get your first job out of school but might help you with the third or fourth.
4. Prioritize yourself.
5. HAVE FUN!
I am excited to see what this year holds for all of us! I look forward to working with you all. Let’s have a great year!