How Identity Has Influenced A Charter School Principal's Career At A Middle School
Alma, a first-generation college student, strives to make pathways to success "more attainable and transparent," impacting her career choices from teaching and administration to a future in consulting with a focus on social impact. This commitment stems from a personal journey of discovering career options later in life, fueling a desire to illuminate the "step-by-step pieces" for others, ensuring students are exposed to diverse possibilities.
Educational Leadership, First-Generation College Student, Career Pivoting, Transparency in Career Paths, Social Impact
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Alma Zepeda
Charter School Principal and Administrator
Middle School
Yale College 2012
Johns Hopkins School of Education, MS in Elementary Education, 2015
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Took Out Loans
Video Highlights
1. Making education attainable for students from diverse backgrounds is a key focus. Alma emphasizes that college isn't always the best path and works to make various career pathways more transparent and accessible.
2. Alma's career pivot into consulting in her 20s highlights the importance of career exploration and transparency. She didn't know this career existed until later, showing the value of exposure to various opportunities.
3. Alma's commitment to pro bono work and social impact demonstrates a dedication to making success more attainable for others, providing a strong role model for students interested in careers with social responsibility.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as a first-generation college student, how has that impacted how you navigate your career?
I think I'm constantly solving for how to make my path to and through college more attainable for people who come from my background. I also want to make pathways to success more transparent, and that doesn't always have to be college. I've learned that was my path and my dream, but it isn't always the path that needs to happen.
By making things more attainable, I wanted to make a direct impact. I chose to do it through teaching and administration, but I've seen others do it through planning, by serving on a board, or through volunteer work. I believe whatever way we can make striving for a college or career dream more attainable for people, we should.
Then, we need to make it more transparent. There might be a dream, but if you don't know how to get there, it's really difficult. Efforts like this, which show what career paths can be, are really useful.
I am currently looking to pivot. I didn't even know the career I'm looking to pivot into existed until I was in my 20s, which is a little late. I could have done it so much earlier in some ways. So, transparency is about understanding the step-by-step pieces to get to a career in entrepreneurship.
How do you get step-by-step into a career in banking? Or, if you want to start your own mechanic shop, how do you start a business if that's your passion? It could be anything, but I think sometimes the "how" is difficult. People have the dreams and the passion but just don't know the steps to get there.
So, at every step, I try to make sure we're exposing my students to as much as possible. As I go into my next career in consulting, I still want to do pro bono work. The firm I'm joining is excellent at social impact work, so I want to continue to craft my career in ways that make the path to success more transparent for people.
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