Grads Giving Back

GRADS GIVING BACK: ALUMNI CAREER PANELS

By Bekah Johnson, Advancement & Alumni Relations

The spring 2021 semester kicked off a series of inaugural virtual alumni career panels for high school students. Elizabeth Hill (‘13), LRCA Academic and College Counselor, took a student interest poll earlier in the year and determined the highest-ranking career fields to be healthcare, psychology/counseling, and business. “I have wanted to connect students with alumni in various career fields since I first started working at LRCA five years ago,” said Elizabeth. “I want our students to be exposed to careers so that they can make informed decisions about internships, job shadowing, and college majors. These unscripted panels have led to many encouraging conversations in which students hear not only about career options, but also about how to make decisions and follow God's lead one step at a time.”

Questions about a typical day, the most rewarding and challenging parts of the job, and why each alum chose to go into their particular field led to great discussions filled with invaluable advice to students:

BUSINESS:

Ashley Ascher Steele (‘05)

Founder and Lead Strategist at Obtain Creative

I think being open to opportunities and not living by a checklist has been an important lesson that I learned on my journey.

Connor Van Hemert (‘12)

Account Executive at Call Box in Dallas, TX

When we choose a career or a job, it’s important to see these opportunities through an eternal perspective. God has a purpose for your life and your work.

Will Ford (‘12)

Group President at Westrock Coffee Company

Life is about who you partner with. Whether that be your spouse, your friends, your business, or your mentors.

Trent Childress (‘13)

Senior Tax Accountant at Little, Shaneyfelt, Marshall & Co.

It’s important to find a place where you feel motivated by the work you’re doing and the people you’re doing it with.

Haley Stotts (‘14)

Business Development & Marketing Officer at First Security Bank in Jonesboro

A job is more than just a paycheck. It’s critical to know yourself and what motivates you to have a healthy and happy career and therefore life outside of it.

PSYCHOLOGY/ COUNSELING:

Derek Edwards, LAC (‘04)

Youth Home, Inc. and Mosaic Wellness Counseling

One of the cool things about this field is that no matter what your personality, I think you can fit it and tailor it to who you are. You don’t have to fit into one role.

Anna Maris Kirkes, LCSW (‘05)

UAMS Family Treatment Program

Being with people as they’re vulnerable and on that journey - it’s an honor. It’s really beautiful to watch people heal.

Emily Keener Johnson, MA (‘07)

Psychology Doctoral Candidate, Southern Methodist University

We get to be instruments of God’s common grace to people to help them grow and recover, and that’s really powerful to be part of that.

Libby Carrico Hansen, MA, LPCC (‘13)

Colorado Christian University

Being able to see two sides of something is a really special skill. It’s not just empathy, it’s an empathy for all parties.

Carley Brown, LMSW (‘15)

Ozark Guidance in Fayetteville

Compassion and empathy are important. On the hard days, remember what brought you into the field. Keep an open mind.

HEALTHCARE:

Stephen Dalby, MD (‘08)

Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Take it one step at a time. You find things that you enjoy at each step along the way, so [the journey] doesn’t really seem that long. It’s possible to do all this and not stress and worry about how long it takes to actually finish, and just enjoy the path and the process.

Claire Chesshir Foster, MD, MPH (‘09)

UAMS/ACH Pediatric Critical Care Medicine & Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Fellow

This journey isn’t about being perfect. It’s about just persevering and getting it done and being comfortable with some failure.

Madalyn Wallace Duncan, BSN, RN (‘13)

Arkansas Children’s Hospital Pediatric ICU

The thing I love about pediatrics is that you get to care for both the child and their parents.

Brad Stone, MD (‘13)

UAMS Anesthesiology Resident

The smartest people in med school aren’t always the most successful. So just knowing that being a real, authentic human being who likes to take on challenges is kind of the crux of all of this.

If you are an alum and interested in participating in a future career panel, please email Bekah Johnson at Bekah.Johnson@LittleRockChristian.com.