I never would have become so profoundly aware of my ability and responsibility to impact others.
The Career Pathways initiative, which you can read about in more detail on page 11, is an opportunity for alumni to help place skilled students in our workplaces. With this unique gift of being a Mountie, comes great responsibility. We, each of us sons and daughters of Mary’s mountain, owe our successes in large part to those who went before us. My story at the Mount began as a young adult living in borderline poverty, the product of good, hardworking Croatian immigrants. Not only did my parents not attend college, but they did not even finish high school. When I arrived at the Mount, overly conscious of my background and intimidated by what I may find, I discovered myself surrounded by classmates of similar circumstances. More than that, I found myself encircled by an alumni, faculty, and administrative network that constantly affirmed my classmates and me. FIRST PERSON
My View From the Mount by Pat Goles / C’64
Of my many blessings, few are as great or as meaningful to me as being a Mountie. I am a privileged member of a wonderful extended family of caring people who are faith-filled, successful, and who make a difference in our world. I believe that our world, our workplaces, and our communities desperately need more individuals shaped by morals with the drive to make a difference – qualities that our Mount graduates already possess in abundance! Because of this great societal need and as a way to pay it forward to the next generation of Mounties, I recently became involved in Career Pathways.
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MOUNT MAGAZINE FALL 2016
Without the help of these individuals, I never would have been appointed as campus mailman, a post that enabled me to stay at the Mount. I never would have found my calling as an educator, shaping the lives of others as the Mount and my mentors shaped mine. I never would have become so profoundly aware of my ability and responsibility to impact others. I am convinced, with all my heart, that any success we have started with the nurturing, the affirmation, and the confidence that we received from the special people on our Mount journey. It is my fervent hope and prayer that we alumni do all that we can to help our students achieve success through programs like Career Pathways. I also hope and pray that, in turn, future Mount grads assume the responsibility that comes with the blessing of being a daughter or son of Mary’s mountain by making a difference in whatever places our Lord plants them.
Goles serves as the co-chair for the Career Pathways committee and chairman of the President’s Council.
