Career Path of a Program Manager at Minds Matter Southern California
Alex's career path began with a college internship in the admissions office, where they "really enjoyed working with students," sparking interest in education. This led to a role as an admissions counselor before transitioning to a college access nonprofit, Minds Matter, starting as a volunteer and ultimately securing a staff position, driven by a desire to "support students in whatever their goals might be."
Career Exploration, College Access, Nonprofit, Program Management, Higher Education
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alex Moses
Program Manager
Minds Matter Southern California
Reed College, 2018
n/a
English
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Alex's internship in their college's Office of Admission conducting student interviews and tours solidified their interest in working with students and pursuing a career in education.
2. After graduating, Alex worked as an admission counselor, gaining experience in meeting with families, students, and evaluating applications. This role further developed their skills in the education field.
3. Alex's volunteer experience with Minds Matter Los Angeles (now Minds Matter Southern California) provided valuable experience working with students in a college access non-profit setting, which ultimately led to their current staff role at the organization. This highlights the importance of volunteer work in career development.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
In college, I worked different campus jobs and internships. The one most pertinent to what I'm doing now was an internship in my college's Office of Admissions.
I conducted student interviews, led tours, and talked to students and families about the college admission process. I really enjoyed working with students and felt drawn to education in some way. That internship directly led to where I am now.
When I graduated, I worked as an admission counselor at a different institution. That was a great experience traveling and educating students about the college admission process, as well as evaluating applications.
Then, I wanted to step more into college access. Instead of representing an institution, I wanted to support students in whatever their goals might be. I was volunteering for Minds Matter, Los Angeles, which is now Minds Matter, Southern California.
That volunteer experience also helped prepare me for my staff role with Minds Matter, Southern California. I worked with students, student recruitment, and student programming for a college access nonprofit.