Alumni Stories

Leadership skills. I knew I would go to class and learn things in an academic setting. I did not know how many opportunities I would have to be in leadership positions in clubs and organizations, in my student job, and outside the classroom. I got to lead groups – and be led by my peers - in a way that allowed me to grow and make mistakes and build skills I still use. Especially communication skills. You get so many opportunities to be a part of something that is bigger than yourself. These skills don’t develop without practice – and I did not understand how much practice I would get, naturally, because of how rich Puget Sound is with opportunities.

What I most value about Puget Sound is the incredible number of ways my experience on campus continues to positively impact my life. Professionally, I found a passion for the field of higher education. My credentials as a student and experience as an employee allowed me to go to a top-tier graduate school to further explore this passion, which allowed me to get a job as a consultant at a leading firm. In this world where we worry about ROI, and things feel unstable, Puget Sound is the foundation of professional fulfillment and stability that I am very grateful for.

This is surpassed only by the ways in which my personal life continues to be intricately linked to Puget Sound. I met my best friend on campus. I met my wife on campus. The officiant of our wedding was my supervisor across several student jobs. The football coach was in our wedding (I did not play football). Of the things that most fulfill me, nearly all of them can be traced back to Tacoma.

The ability to communicate nuance in the face of ambiguity. I work as a consultant helping colleges and universities to hire new leadership. I spend lots of time advising search committees in their decision-making, interviewing potential candidates, and working with university stakeholders to understand the present challenges and opportunities. I take in information from a wide variety of sources and contexts, synthesize what I have learned, and communicate evidence clearly and concisely so it can be acted upon. This process is one I practiced every day preparing for class and in class discussions. I’ve always loved reading and taking in information. Small seminar-style, discussion-based classes were an incredible forum for me to learn how to collate and share information in a way that adds value and is, for me, a marketable skill.

Puget Sound opened doors to spaces I never thought I would be in, where I had the privilege of interacting and working with incredible individuals. I interned for a United States congressperson. I stood on the House floor, ate in the member’s dining room, and walked to work across the steps of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. After Puget Sound, I got a graduate degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. My transcript was very normal in the context of my classmates, but the support of faculty and mentors in exploring and ultimately stepping into these opportunities was exceptional.

Near the end of my final semester, my advisor hosted our senior capstone seminar class at his home for dinner. Later in the evening, those of us who remained got into a deep discussion about music, culminating in us watching a good portion of the Talking Heads concert DVD Stop Making Sense at high volume.

I came to Puget Sound expecting that I would major in Chemistry and become an orthodontist (or at least, that’s what my family thought was best for me). My first semester of school, I ended up getting a taste for the Liberal Arts experience and through the support of my academic advisor completely changed my college trajectory. I didn’t expect to learn as much about myself as I did through my experiences, both in and out of the classroom.

I value my appreciation for holistic learning—I took courses in just about every field you could think of, and it all contributed to my overall development. I am grateful that I was able to engage in as much as I was in terms of extracurricular activities. Those shaped me just as much (if not more) than my academic experiences. Of course, I also greatly value the community I became a part of—many of whom are still prominent figures in my life today (including my husband!)

I learned a lot of leadership development skills through my roles in the Orientation program, Campus Visit Program, and other extracurricular experiences on campus—I became confident in who I was, my values, and even in public speaking and sharing my perspective publicly. All of these skills have been instrumental in my career, in all its chapters.

I have never in my life considered myself a dancer, but my Junior year of college, I finally decided to try out for the Repertory Dance Group—and I absolutely loved it! I gained a newfound confidence and had so much fun with my friends. Fast forward to my senior year, where I not only danced again, but co-choreographed a massive Bollywood routine with one of my closest friends. It was an incredible experience that honestly still gives me chills to think about—a moment of confidence, community, and embracing my culture.

Being an Orientation leader at Puget Sound was one of the best experiences I had while on campus. I learned so much about myself, gained a ton of confidence, and made some incredibly impactful relationships during  the experience. Singing my heart out during the Campus Life Skit still brings me so much joy to think about!

I came to college thinking I knew how to write a good paper, but I had so much more to learn about the value of writing and the diversity of writing across disciplines. Being able to express yourself clearly and concisely will unlock a whole new world. It helped me gain approval for my Special Interdisciplinary Major, win a summer research grant, and promote environmental education on campus. Puget Sound’s writing-centric curriculum has allowed me to navigate scientific papers, construct strong philosophical argument, analyze policy, and connect with people in creative ways.

One of the most valuable parts of my Puget Sound education was what I did off campus, learning about Tacoma communities and our local environment. I work in equity and environmental justice, which is very much about communities, places, and spatial patterns. Tacoma was the first place I learned to see disparities in who is exposed to pollution, who lives near freeways, and who has access to green spaces. I did research that took me to toxic  waste sites, and Tacoma’s Industrial waterways. Professors took us on field trips to parks, shorelines, and forests. Friends showed me different neighborhoods in Tacoma, and in the process, introduced me to some great places to eat.

My experience at Puget Sound taught me how to be a reliable teammate and trusted team leader, which is 90% of what I do leading equity work at a state environmental agency. Quite a few courses required team projects or lab partners, which was a brilliant way to ensure we taught each other and maybe learned some life lessons about collaborative work and accountability.

Puget Sound is also incredibly supportive of student clubs, so I had the chance to co-lead several student groups, and help start a club water polo team. Water polo was a great lesson in asking for what was needed, organizing people, equipment, and travel—and inspiring the team to give their best in the face of adversity. (A water polo game is mostly adversity, with a few moments of rest in between).

I never expected I would drive to Mount Rainier in the middle of the night and camp, but hey, that’s what happens when kids are on their own for the first time in their lives. College involved a lot of unplanned, spur of the moment excursions just to see new places and enjoy our freedom. Looking back, I was so lucky to have relatively few responsibilities, a beautiful state to explore, and adventurous friends.

I was so thrilled to take field botany when I could finally get into the course. Every week "lab" was a trip somewhere in the Puget Sound region to identify all kinds of fascinating plants. One week we were right here in Tacoma at Puget Park when my lab partner spotted a plant we hadn’t noticed before. I eagerly knelt down and took the stem between my fingers to gaze at the leaf shape and arrangement. As she combed through our field guide, we finally narrowed it down to Urtica, otherwise known as...stinging nettles! The excitement of identification, along with the burning sensation spreading across my hand, imprinted a botany lesson I will never forget.

I didn’t really expect to learn how to think more critically and communicate those thoughts clearly in writing and orally.

I most valued the friendships and relationships built—lifelong friendships were made, and deep connections to both faculty and staff who I am still in contact with today.

My ability to communicate clearly and with conviction.

I never expected I would take such an interest in Politics & Government! I went to my freshman year at Puget Sound very focused on completing pre-med work that would prepare me for medical school. I took a core class about politics and just fell in love with how fun it was to grapple with the conversations and thinking. Later that semester, I felt a huge sense of excitement when I changed my major and focus to the Politics & Government department!

My happiest moments were in student life programs like planning for the next class’ orientation or my times late at night in my student government office working on one of our many priority projects like renovating the Pizza Cellar.

I always felt like I was a valuable part of the Puget Sound community and had many ways to grow and be engaged. Over my four years, I was able to play football, serve in student government, and lead in the Greek community. I developed friendships across campus and relationships with my professors. I loved the small scale of Puget Sound, and the chance to do so much that I would not have been able to at a larger school.

While at Puget Sound I learned to be a critical thinker and a clear writer. In all my classes, I was encouraged to ask questions, to dig deeper, and to make connections. I was also encouraged and challenged to grow as a writer and to communicate clearly. The expectation was to participate and engage, and that is something I have carried on after I left campus.

In my work as an educator, public servant, and community member, these skills have helped me stand out and find success. I have many opportunities to lead because I have been able to communicate with teams and focus on important questions.

I was a campus DJ with my own radio show! I had always loved music and sharing my musical tastes with my friends, but I never thought about being on the radio. My show played R&B music and was on from one to two in the morning, and I am not sure how many people (other than my friends) actually listened in, but it was a great experience and really pushed me out of my comfort zone.

When I was at Puget Sound, Maroon 5 performed on campus. I was working for Security Services at the time, and I was responsible for securing the Fieldhouse. As I was walking through, checking the building, I heard someone in the locker room and went to check it out. I found someone and even though he told me he was with the band, I told him to leave or I would make him leave and escort him out of the building. Luckily for him, a few other people showed up and told me he was telling the truth, and was the lead singer of the band.

So that is how I learned I almost physically threw Adam Levine out of the Fieldhouse.

When I was a junior at Puget Sound I studied abroad in Madagascar, concentrating on urbanization and rural development. While there I conducted an independent research project about the barriers to uptake of alternative fuel cookstoves. When I returned to Tacoma my academic advisor (Andrew Gardner) suggested that I submit a version of my paper for consideration for the Society for Applied Anthropology’s Peter K. New Award. The SfAA is a professional association and the New Award goes to "the best paper in the applied social sciences." Perhaps unsurprisingly, given that I was up against PhD dissertations, I didn’t win. But I did come in second, only the third undergraduate in the prize’s history to be recognized.

That experience was transformational for the way I saw myself as a researcher and as a person. The same research went on to be the backbone of my senior thesis which -- much transformed -- won another award at the SfAA’s conference the following year. It was a great experience for me, and a great validation of the way that Puget Sound supports students. For me to even travel to Madagascar I had needed the validation of the SOAN department, the International Programs office, the Orientation Program (who let me be a leader for half the program and leave early to catch my flight to Antananarivo), and Athletics (I -obviously- missed all of the otherwise required fall workouts and practices while I was abroad).

As I note in a later answer in this survey, I still use the ethnographic skills I learned in the SOAN department and I’m working on a project for my master’s right now where I use exactly the same skills, exactly as I learned them. I’m very grateful for every element of these experiences.

I love Oppenheimer Cafe as much as anyone else, but my favorite non-obvious hangout spot is the third floor of Collins Library. It’s really quiet up there and the stacks are huge. When I really needed to get an assignment done I would usually go to the third floor and find a quiet nook to settle in and power through. A secret benefit to this is you can take breaks by browsing the shelves around you—I learned a lot about international architecture this way.

As noted, I’m getting a master’s degree right now. My final (capstone) project is a five-month long professional consultation with a state agency. The backbone of this partnership is a qualitative research project focused on semi-structured interviewing and surveys. Not coincidentally, this is also one of the key skills I learned as a SOAN major. Almost every day this quarter I have used something I learned as an undergraduate, whether designing interview guides, conducting outreach, or wrangling an IRB. The other day I even consulted a research methods textbook that was assigned in SOAN 299! I’ve used what I learned from my BA in subtler ways throughout my entire career, but it’s been especially cool to see those exact same skills come back to serve me in my professional life.

The vast spectrum of different academic, social, and athletic experiences you could encounter in short period of time within an intimate campus community.

The thing that always stood out to me about the faculty was the fact that the small student to professor ratio combined with their universal accessibility allowed for truly substantive student professor relationships to be formed. Your professor’s quickly became people you looked forward to seeing outside of their classrooms, people you’d want to stay in touch with long term. I was fortunate to have taken courses from multiple talented professors in the History department but none were more impactful than Breitenbach, Sackman, and Bristow. Every time I produce content of any kind I imagine Breitenbach meticulously editing it with his green pen, and whenever I have a challenging conversation with a player I attempt to be as relatable, consistent, and supportive as Bristow and Sackman.

Being a member of the baseball team and an RA were at the center of most of my non-academic free time, but I loved that Puget Sound created endless organic opportunities to live, eat, work, study, and socialize alongside people with exceptionally diverse backgrounds, all different from my own.

Upon graduating I started my coaching career at Puget Sound serving as both an Assistant Baseball Coach (3 years) and Athletic Recruitment Coordinator (2 years).

Puget Sound has the most amazing professors. In my time there I probably spent more time in some of my professors office hours than actual class. Not only does each professor take the time to really get to know you, they keep an eye out for opportunities that fit each student.

Professor Denise Despres is necessarily the most popular professor, but she has a secret heart of gold. As a bit of teacher’s pet in high school, I entered Puget Sound with far too much confidence in my writing skills and relationships with professors. Professor Denise Despres quickly disabused me of that idea, to my personal benefit. I remember one of the first conversations I had with her, where I told her I wanted to be a professor in the future, she looked at me like I was insane and proceeded to list a number of reasons why professorship in an Interdisciplinary field is thankless pursuit--this is one of the reasons Puget Sound professors are the best, they will always tell you the truth. Never one to back down, and armed with both the knowledge of what I needed to improve in order to succeed, and the challenges I would face trying to be a professor. I set out with one goal: get a fully fledged "A" in one of Professor Despres classes. It took me 4 years and 6 of her classes, but eventually I managed it. Throughout it all, she mentored me in grant applications, personal projects, public presentations, and gave me a reachable goal to strive for. When I graduated Puget Sound I suddenly discovered something amazing; no job application is ever going to be as difficult as all that. Thank you so much Denise, you are my role model.

"Boots" is a dwarf alligator owned by the Puget Sound science building, my suggestion to any Puget Sound student is to visit him. Even as a non-stem student I found the science building one of the most fun places on campus.

Puget Sound has an exceptional biology and chemistry department, providing students with unique experiences early-on in their academic careers. The rigor within the biology department prepared me extremely well for graduate school and gave me experiences that my graduate peers don’t often have. Additionally, the school as a whole provides ample support to students in order to give them the confidence and strength to succeed.

Sue Hannaford was an influential professor and mentor in my time at Puget Sound. She mentored me through my undergraduate research, provided me with academic and emotional support when I needed it, and also served as my professor on a few occasions. She was extremely supportive of my career goals and always empowered me to be confident in my skills. As a whole, my biology professors maintained high standards for academic performance which gave me the push I needed to excel and feel confident in my skills.

I loved studying at Diversions and Oppenheimer Cafes!

My proudest accomplishment from my time at Puget Sound is utilizing my role as the Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honors Society President to start a program in which University of Puget Sound students go to local public high schools and teach young students about genetic (doing a DNA extraction). This event is meaningful to me because it gives our students an opportunity to engage in community outreach which brings biology lab experience into classrooms that may not get access to these opportunities otherwise. Additionally, students are able to chat with high schoolers about their path into college and inform them about the realistic paths that you can take to get involved in science. I am proud to share that this program is still up and running in my absence, and will hopefully continue for years to come!