Coming Back to the Industry 15 Years Later
Degree and Major: BS Finance
Affinity or Alliance: Lehigh Alumni Sustainability Alliance (LASA)
Current position and employer: Client Partner, Wilbury Stratton
How did your Lehigh experience inform, help or influence your life now?
Lehigh opened my eyes to a more diverse world and a world of opportunity. The friends I made there are still some of my closest and are always there when needed. Greek life gave me a sense of belonging and brought me out of my shell to become the outgoing person I am today. It gave me the confidence to speak with anyone whether a CEO or a warehouse worker.
What has been the most challenging thing you’ve faced since graduating?
Personally, within 10 years of graduating, I had already gone through a divorce from someone I met at Lehigh. I also lost both of my parents. Professionally, I have changed careers three times.
What excites you right now?
Getting back into a career I left 15 years ago and feeling rejuvenated, motivated, and confident. It is amazing how age and experience make you see things from a completely different perspective. And while excited is not the word I necessarily would use, my daughter is going to college in a year and there is a whole ball of feelings there that I am scared but excited to experience.
What advice would you give current Lehigh students?
Follow your heart. Do not be influenced by the expectations of others. Do not be afraid of change. It's the adventure of life that matters and change propels that adventure! Be strong but never be afraid of failure or needing the help of others to stay upright!
What keeps you connected to Lehigh?
I am still very connected to many of my fraternity brothers, but what connects me to Lehigh more so is I recently became the Chairman of LASA (Lehigh Alumni Sustainability Alliance). Through my time spent in packaging, I became very involved in the sustainability space. Being able to discuss and learn from others involved with sustainability in different fields has been an enlightening learning experience. It has enabled me to get involved with the students as well and impart whatever limited wisdom I have gained over the years. Seeing how advanced they are, makes me proud to be an alumni!