What was your first job after college and how did you get it?
I worked in a fish market in Nantucket. I got it because I thought working in a supermarket was below me, as an Ivy League graduate.
How did you get your current job?
I had just finished working for the Clinton Presidential Campaign in 1992 and did not want to work in the White House or for the federal government. I found the job through a nonprofit help wanted ad.
What experiences and/or course work in college best prepared you for this job or influenced your decision to do this work?
Working long hours on impossible and ill-defined tasks at Cornell helped. Being able to argue a point of view. Having confidence in my ideas and abilities. Being willing to swallow my pride and pay my dues.
Any regrets? What experiences and/or course work might have better prepared you for this work?
I wish I had taken less technical classes and more classes on literature and history.
Have you attended graduate school or are you considering graduate school? What degree do you have/would you want and why? Are there any limitations to advancement in your field if you do not have a certain graduate degree?
I have an M.A. in Philosophy of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. I would love to get an MFA in poetry. In my field you need a masters degree, but not in any specific area.
