College Experiences That Helped a Teach For America Recruitment Manager Succeed
Shaneli's undergraduate experience, marked by "switching [her] major five times," unexpectedly led to career success by focusing on fulfilling organizations and strong mentorship. Finding "joy" in these activities, eventually led to a Teach For America recruitment, a continued mentorship relationship, and ultimately, a career in education.
Career Exploration, Mentorship, Overcoming Challenges, Finding Joy in Work, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Shaneli Mirpuri
Recruitment Manager
Teach For America
UCLA 2020
Relay Graduate School of Education; Masters of Arts in Teaching
International Relations & Affairs
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Human Resources (HR)
Video Highlights
1. Shaneli found success by joining organizations that brought her joy and staying close to mentors and recruiters within those organizations.
2. She emphasizes the importance of finding fulfilling work, even if it means switching majors or careers multiple times.
3. Her experience with Teach For America highlights the value of strong mentorship and building relationships with recruiters.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
My biggest things are that I joined organizations that meant a lot to me and felt fulfilling. They brought my heart, spirit, and joy. As I found those organizations, I stayed really close to my mentors and recruiters.
I was one of those people who switched my major five times. I could not settle on what I wanted to do. It was a journey where I was unhappy with my academics.
I was at UCLA, and it was challenging being around people who knew what they wanted to do with their lives and were excelling. I definitely had a lot of imposter syndrome.
What really set me up for success in my career was finding those organizations that sparked joy in me, sticking with them, and then finding joy in those. One day, I figured out that if I was getting so much joy out of this, I could start a career out of it.
I was really lucky that I was recruited to Teach for America. I stayed really close to my recruitment manager, and she helped become a mentor for me throughout the entire process. She even helped me get my Masters in Education.