Networking Made Easy

I have always been a little wary of the concept of "networking." To me, the line between this so-called "networking" and the much less euphemistic "sucking up in order to move further along in your career" seemed to be dangerously blurry and perhaps non-existent. I told myself that I would very much prefer to advance on my own personal merit rather than on my ability to schmooze. Today, however, I learned that the dreaded and slightly disdained world of networking is not actually as tainted as I initially believed it to be. In fact, in the Project 55 world, networking is as simple as showing up to social events planned for you and talking with twenty+ successful Princeton alums who are there for the sole purpose of meeting you and helping you on your way.

That pretty much sums up my experience with networking through Project 55. Earlier this month, AlumniCorps held a special Project 55 gathering for current and past fellows, volunteers, and Board members. I was able to meet and talk with many of the people there and happened to take the metro back to Maryland with one past fellow (Princeton '08) who now works at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (a premier center for kids with developmental disabilities/neurological disorders). She was thrilled to hear that I was interested in child health and development and immediately gave me her card and encouraged me to get in touch with her if I had any questions. I just had dinner with her tonight, and I learned so much about how she got to where she is and the different paths I can pursue. I was so impressed by how quickly she has advanced in just a couple years since graduation, and by her willingness to help me--she even told me to send her my resume so she could forward it on to various people in the field, should Project 55 not work out for me next year! All of this from a quick 15 minute conversation on the way home from a cocktail party--it seems like networking can actually be a pretty painless experience, with minimal schmoozing required!

As for my work at CEP, it looks like big changes are in store for me over the next couple of months. Both my supervisors with whom I have been working closely since the beginning of my fellowship will be retiring/leaving for a new position by the end of the calendar year. It will definitely be interesting to see how the lack of supervision will affect my position--I'm sure I'll have more to report on that in my next blog post!

Importance of the "Unimportant"

Last Tuesday we held our “International Feast,” NYCCD’s version of Thanksgiving. The event took a lot of preparation and to be honest, as I microwaved 300 chicken nuggets, I wondered if it was worth our while. But as everyone arrived for the feast I became sure that it was. Many parents at our school live in rough conditions, work two jobs, and have young babies. It is often difficult, therefore, to get in touch with them and even harder to get them to come to the school. Yet in spite of all this, more than half of the parents filed in that day. Most proudly carried a contribution, a tray of food from their culture ranging from Moroccan couscous to Chinese chicken dumplings. As the children sang festive songs and everyone feasted on the International assortment, I thought about how important the seemingly unimportant is. We spend a lot of time here organizing parties, toy drives, etc., but I now believe this is almost as important as the time we spend orchestrating speech and physical therapy. Making the families feel some allegiance to NYCCD and excitement about their children’s progress is incredibly valuable.

Homecoming x 2

While I did not make it back to Princeton for Homecoming weekend, I was fortunate enough to be home for Thanksgiving last week. During college, it was often difficult for me to travel all the way to California (and back again) over such a short break. This year, I was so grateful to take off for a few days and spend time with my family whom I have not seen in 6(!) months. Vacation time is definitely one of the perks of “life after Princeton.”

Despite battling the busy airports, nearly missing one of my flights, and spending two hours wondering if my checked bag had made it onto the plane, it dawned on me that my return to New York City really was also a second homecoming. Over the past half-year, I truly have settled into my new city. (A former dance professor of mine noted how much more “at ease” I seemed in my body; I certainly trust her reading of body language.)

The first day back to work was a busy day at the Education Through Music office. This time of year is the beginning of the holiday giving season and, as such, we are preparing to send out over 1,000 appeal letters seeking support for our music programs. This is quite a task in organization (and patience) but I know the fruits of our labor will be worth it. From the ETM program staff and music teachers, I have been hearing about the repertoire that each school is preparing for the upcoming holiday concerts. From the handbells to hand-choreography, each one sounds like it is going to be so much fun, not only for the students, but for all the teachers and parents in attendance. I can’t wait to attend and see these kids perform in the first big concert of the year!

Complete Creative Control!

I am endlessly amazed at the variety of different tasks that fall onto my plate here at Achievement Prep.  I will admit that not all of them are intellectually challenging, but those that aren’t still require creative thought and approaching problems from several different angles.  And I most certainly get to be way more creative at this job than I would at a different office job.

Case in point, my most recent “baby,” our High School Placement Bulletin Board.  The task:  create a board that showcases our eighth graders, what high schools they are applying to and what their favorite schools are.  Creative control: complete.  (These sorts of tasks are great for me because I love being totally in control of the execution of my own artistic vision.)  And wow, did I have to be resourceful and make letters out of other letters for the banner because we didn't have enough.  Darn straight those h's are made out of m's and l's.

My list of other tasks in recent days have included:

• Behavioral data tracking for the whole school
• Organizing game bins for use during indoor recess (I LOVE ORGANIZING)
• Online research for potential APA merchandise
• Data entry for updated DC Health and Oral Exams for our scholars
• Data entry to our online disciplinary database
• Updating the school library with loads of new books
• Assisting our Office Coordinator who broke her foot!
• Teaching Art Club
• Helping my supervisor plan, prepare, and execute last week’s Family Night

Today, the teachers are upstairs working with data from our most recent Achievement Network assessment.  I’m down at my desk brainstorming ways to increase attendance at our Family Night Events (last week we had Family Health and Wellness Night, which was awesome!) and trying to decide upon best practices to get the staff and scholars involved at future events.  But as you can see from my list above, I am the go-to person for getting random stuff done that needs to be done.  It’s great to feel that my coworkers know that I am dependable and responsible and always ready to lend a hand!

p.s.  Shout out to Schuyler, fellow DC P55 Fellow working in Education, for telling me about Young Education Professionals DC (YEP-DC) which is a group that organizes events and has a great list serv with lots of event announcements and job postings, all having to do with education in DC.  Anyone who is interested can check out their website here: http://www.yepdc.org/  and join their Google or LinkedIn Group here:  http://www.yepdc.org/join.html

p.p.s.  Related:  for any prospective P55 applications who want to work in education – DC is the place to be!

Blogging

I like to tell people that Project 55 fellowships are a lot more than just the job.  We have mentors, seminars, and social events; plus, fellows become part of new communities of Princetonians through our cities and AlumniCorps.  However, I've recently realized that another part of my fellowship has had a big impact on me: blogging.  I've enjoyed having the chance to write about my experience as a fellow at CEP and in DC throughout the year.  I don't do a lot of extended writing at CEP (Sarah has that covered) but I love to write, so it's great that I've been able to continue to write through this blog.

In fact, my positive experience with this blog inspired me to create my own blog!  I recently started a new blog, dinnerisvegan.blogspot.com, where I record the recipes for and write about the food that my roommates and I cook/bake in our apartment.  I'm vegan and they're both omnivores, so it's fun to keep track of what we eat.  I'm really excited about this blog, especially since I learned that the new AlumniCorps Chairman John Fish is interested in thinking about food and would like to expand AlumniCorps' engagement with food issues.  It's been great to see how my personal interests and AlumniCorps interests are growing together so nicely.

Art in the Philadelphia DA’s Office

Philadelphia has a long history of mural artwork and has more murals than any other city in the United States. Murals are often used to convey the distinctive history and culture of Philly’s neighborhoods.

One of the goals that District Attorney Seth Williams has pursued since taking office has been to restore and promote artwork in the District Attorney’s Office. The intent is to inspire and uplift the many prosecutors who work tirelessly everyday in pursuit of justice. With that in mind, he commissioned a new indoor mural that would symbolize these efforts, as well as highlight the unique communities the office serves.

Done in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, the mural was officially unveiled this Tuesday. As you walk off the main elevators, a wall-to-wall mural depicts scenes such as the Italian Market as well as neighborhoods across the City. This innovative piece incorporates technology in a unique way, with six WiFi-enabled frames that rotate to show photographs of the ongoing work at Community Action Centers.

November

It may be cheesy, but I decided to stick "I'm Thankful For ______" slips of paper on the office fridge so coworkers could fill in the blanks. When I came back, the slips had multiplied! So in honor of my coworkers and their willingness to participate in a cheesy tradition, I'll reveal a few of my own answers. :)

I'm thankful for... the moments when hard work pays off.

We finally launched the completely NEW HDF website redesign I've been working so hard on! It's such a relief not because it's done, but because we really believe the new site is much more clear and that potential clients will be able to access the information they need far more easily. (And it got rave reviews! Check it out here: hdf-ct.org)

I'm thankful for... work/life balance.

Working at a nonprofit (and/or doing a fellowship) may not rake in big bucks, but there are other benefits you can't take for granted. Consistently working 9 to 5 leaves me time to take a painting class and make art, join a local dance studio and even perform in a show, as well as read, cook, and so much more. Not ever working weekends also lets me take trips (like to Princeton for homecoming weekend!) and generous vacation time allowed me to visit my brother in San Francisco this month - a city I fell in love with.

I'm thankful for... new, unexpected experiences.

- At the NYC PP55 seminar on the economy, I had the opportunity of talking with (the Emmy-winning) CBS News Business Correspondent Anthony Mason one-on-one and getting his insight on the housing crisis - and what he believes was the cause of the 2008 Recession (securitization). Unexpected and enlightening!

- I've never been to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade but I watch it on tv without fail. Every. Year. Decided on a whim to check out the big parade in Stamford this past Sunday, and to my surprise and excitement, it was just like a local version of the Macy's Parade with HUGE balloons (see below), floats, and bands.

How can I not count my blessings? :)

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.

- Meister Eckhart