Pivoting Purposefully: My Path to Vocation
From a very young age, I asked myself: “What will I be?” A paleontologist. An ASL (American Sign Language) interpreter. A nurse. A business owner. The list changed with every year, but the lingering question never did. Looking back now, I understand that my question held a deeper meaning – one I wouldn’t recognize until I arrived at Valparaiso University.
I grew up in Gary, Indiana. As a young adult, I found a way to channel my creativity into a small stationery and print business. I used my art to connect with others, shining a light on themes of beauty and hope during the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was there, in that uncertainty, that I understood something important: the need to pay attention to your community, recognize what it lacks, and find a way to fill that gap. I enrolled in Ivy Tech’s Entrepreneurship Program to learn how to do that better and gained an appreciation for critical thinking, seizing opportunities to grow, and building something that serves people beyond yourself.
I thought I knew where my path was leading. Then, at a scholarship dinner I attended one night, [former] President José Padilla approached the mic and changed the course of my life. 24 [Ivy Tech] Chancellor’s Scholars, he announced, would be admitted to complete their bachelor’s degrees at Valparaiso University. I was one of them. Before I could take that next step, however, life asked something harder of me. I unexpectedly faced major surgery and a long recovery period. Medical challenges, though arduous, have a way of refining you and making you reflect on your journey. That same question arose: “What will I be?” Only now, I saw a clear way forward. I set a specific goal: As soon as I received medical clearance, I would pursue my degree at Valpo. That commitment anchored me throughout recovery and became the first sentence in an exciting new chapter of my life.
At Valpo’s College of Business, I’ve discovered my vocation in business analytics and community engagement. I’ve entered a welcoming, formative environment; one focused not just on producing graduates, but better humans. In my first semester here, I earned four certifications in my business analytics major. This year, I was also accepted into the CAPS Fellows Program through the Institute for Leadership and Service. As a CAPS Fellow, I’ll intern with local nonprofit leadership and work on impactful projects in my community. I’ve found strong support through professors like [Professor] Marty Tomszak, Ph.D., and [Professor] Natalie Krivas, Ph.D., who have both expanded my thinking not just within their disciplines, but in how I move through the world. In my spare time, I stay engaged by partnering with organizations like Junior Achievement, where I recently served on a panel to share my story with youths asking themselves the same question I once did. The university’s clubs and organizations connect me with people from a variety of backgrounds who broaden my perspective in meaningful ways. Events like Day of Vocation have helped me align my professional journey with my purpose and calling.
Vocation, I’ve learned, is not what you choose to do. It’s who you are. Every pivot in my journey has been leading somewhere purposeful. At Valpo, I am not just a student becoming a professional. I am becoming, I hope, a better human.
