College Experiences That Helped A Project Manager At United Launch Alliance Succeed
Joshua's undergraduate experience, characterized by "three jobs, six classes a quarter, and joining the Army," pushed the individual to their limits, resulting in numerous failures that proved invaluable. These experiences taught the individual their limits, fostered resilience ("it helped harden me up"), and instilled valuable lessons like focusing on a single task ("always just do one thing"), ultimately shaping their professional bearing and success as a Project Manager at United Launch Alliance.
Resilience, Stress Management, Overcoming Challenges, Self-Awareness, Time Management
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Joshua Adams
Project Manager
United Launch Alliance
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
MBA - University of North Alabama
Industrial, Supply Chain Management
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain
Operations and Project Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran
Video Highlights
1. He pushed himself to his personal and professional boundaries, experiencing failures which allowed him to better understand his limits and build resilience.
2. He learned to recognize when he needs a break to avoid burnout.
3. He emphasizes the importance of being present in a single situation and not spreading himself too thin, a lesson he learned through his experiences in college.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
In my undergraduate degree, I found what made me most successful was discovering my own limits. I had three jobs, took six classes a quarter, and joined the Army. I pushed myself to every boundary I could imagine and failed on a number of occasions.
These experiences challenged me on multiple levels: personally, professionally, as a student, as a worker, and as an officer in training. They forced me to confront failure, whether it was a bad grade, being late for work, or other setbacks. I was not a shining star in college, but these experiences taught me valuable lessons.
First, they taught me my own limits. I can now sense when I'm nearing burnout and when I need a break, and I understand the consequences of not taking one. Second, those small failures built my confidence in who I am today.
They also taught me many intangible lessons. One simple lesson is to focus on one thing at a time. Instead of spreading my effort across multiple scenarios, I learned to be present in a single situation.
While the education itself was great, and Cal Poly was a good school, the experience of being so stressed out truly shaped me. It hardened me and helped me learn my limitations, allowing me to maintain professionalism in any environment or situation.