Career Path of a Dean of Culture and Instruction at Summit Public Schools
Ernesto's career path, initially focused on international affairs and diplomacy, shifted after a life-changing study abroad experience in Germany and family circumstances; this led to a focus on domestic education, starting with mentoring and teaching before reaching their current role as Dean of Culture & Instruction, illustrating a pivot from "something abroad" to a career deeply rooted in their community.
Education, Career Pivoting, Community Engagement, Mentorship, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Ernesto Umaña
Dean of Culture & Instruction
Summit Public Schools
UC Riverside, 2011
Harvard University, Master in Public Policy
Political Science, American Studies
Education
Human Resources (HR)
HSI Grad, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Ernesto's career path evolved from a desire to work abroad as a diplomat to a focus on domestic education, influenced by family priorities and rewarding experiences mentoring young people.
2. His college study abroad experience in Berlin, while enriching, highlighted the importance of proximity to family and community, leading him to shift career focus.
3. Ernesto's journey demonstrates the value of volunteer work and extracurricular activities in shaping career paths, as his involvement with young people through mentoring and teaching solidified his interest in education.
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?
Sure, I studied Political Science and International Affairs at UC Riverside. I started my career journey thinking I wanted to do something abroad. I had envisioned myself possibly working as a diplomat or with the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer.
In college, I was lucky enough to study abroad in Berlin, Germany. That was really amazing and life-changing, but it illuminated that time and distance away from my loved ones and community were real, and something I valued.
That, plus some fellowship experiences during summers between college, made me realize it was important to find something I was interested in but also allowed me to be close to my family. My sister was really sick during my college years, so that was top of mind.
I did some volunteer work in student organizations, working with young people in the community, which I found myself enjoying a lot. So, I quickly pivoted from an international focus to something more domestic: education. That's how I started working with young people, first as a mentor, then a teacher, and now as an administrator.