End of an Era

As I write my final post for the PP55 blog, I am going to take this opportunity to be cheesy and cliche and just go ahead and say it: it is the end of a brief but truly transformational era for me. I have reached the end of my second fellowship year, and the dominant emotion I feel as I look back on these past two years is gratitude. I am so thankful that have been a part of this program. It has been integral to my development, both professional and personally. It wasn't just the jobs to which I was connected. The work was certainly the central component of my development, but it really was the sum of the parts: the work, the seminars, the mentoring opportunities, and the broader opportunity to connect with Princeton alums who are similarly dedicated to serving others and building up a new generation of civic-minded leaders. All of these elements taken together are what make me feel confident and well-equipped to take on a leadership position in marketing and development at Mount Carmel-Holy Rosary School in east Harlem. This sense of self-assurance and the accompanying certainty that I am heading down the right professional path is relatively new for me--it certainly isn't something I had in large quantities upon graduating from Princeton. Two years later, I am exceedingly grateful that I have moved out of that place of uncertainty and into a place of more self-confidence and self-awareness. This is not to say that I can accurately predict what I will be doing in ten years, or even in five. But my two fellowships have enriched my interest in the education sector and how business strategies and models can enhance its effectiveness. And, to understate things a little bit, they have confirmed me just how rewarding it is to be working every day to help a struggling family and better the future of a child. So, to wrap things up, thanks Project 55--it's been a great couple of years, and I look forward to remaining connected to the AlumniCorps community for more than a couple more!