College Experiences That Helped An Associate Director of Professional Learning at Rocketship Public Schools Succeed
Lauren's undergraduate experience, unexpectedly shaped by "a range of activities, internships, work, volunteering opportunities," allowed for exploration of diverse skill sets and career paths, ultimately leading to a fulfilling career in education despite initial plans to work in art. This unexpected trajectory highlights the value of exploring seemingly disparate opportunities and trusting "gut feelings" to guide career decisions.
Career Exploration, Internships, Networking, Leadership, Communication
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lauren Keough
Associate Director of Professional Learning
Rocketship Public Schools
UCLA - 2008
Lehman College - CUNY (2010) - Masters of Arts in Social Studies Education & Stanford University (2019) - Masters in Policy, Organization & Leadership Studies
History, Art History
Education
Education
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Explore diverse activities and internships to discover your skills and interests.
2. Don't limit yourself to obvious career paths; try things outside your comfort zone.
3. Trust your gut feelings and be open to unexpected career directions.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad that set you up for success in your career?
I had to think about this mission. I wasn't even planning on going that way in undergrad. What I would say is I really tried to participate in a range of activities: internships, work, and volunteering opportunities that let me test-drive different skill sets and environments.
If I hadn't taken an internship and then done part-time work teaching arts workshops at East LA schools, I never would have considered myself a teacher or education as a career path. This was just something cool and arts-related, as an art history major. I discovered that about myself by chance.
I learned a lot of different skills in other places, like in my work environment and different clubs, that were really helpful later. So, right now, you have all these resources, especially at a university like UCLA. You can join all these clubs and try all these things out.
Try a bunch of different ones, especially those that don't seem like obvious fits for you. You can see if they feel more natural than you thought they would. That can inform the direction you want to go in. Really heed those gut feelings as you go through it.
I thought I'd be working in an art gallery right now, and this is not where my career went at all. I think that's good; I don't think that actually would be the best environment for me.