Ask this alum an
Contents Feature Stories Alum at IBM says Ask Me Anything History students make Spanish Flu podcast Grad student creates cardiac cell algorithm Biology undergrad studies perch aquaculture English alum’s debut novel is set at UWM History student tells of Black-owned brewery Biology grad student uses big data on bats
p.2 p.4 p.6 p.7 p.8 p.10 p.13
Columns Laurels and Accolades Video Story People in Print Program Spotlight Upcoming Events Alumni Accomplishments In the Media
Published College the
the first
Tuesday
of Letters and
University
Contact
of
of each month by the
Science
at
Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
us at let-sci@uwm.edu
L&S Dean: Scott Gronert In Focus Editor: Deanna Alba
p.12
Jonathan Adashek (‘96, BA Political Science) has made his ma giant’s Global Communications and Corporate Citizenship orga His team operates in more than 170 countries, but Adashek ha Communications Officer at Nissan and in Paris, France, as the Edelman Public Relations. Before his jump to the private secto worked on presidential candidate John Kerry’s campaign.
In March, he Zoomed in to meet with several students in the C Q: How many languages do you speak? A: I speak one. I speak English. I learned some basics whenever I moved places or would travel places for extended periods of time. But, I only speak English, but I can still get in a taxi in Japan and get anywhere I need to go.
p.13 p.14 p.15 p.16 p.17 p.18
Q: Given your current position, what was the most helpful thing that got you to where you are? A: If I were to be honest about it, I was a terrible student. I’m going to be the wrong person to talk to about classes. The only thing I would say is to do a lot better than I did. I tried to stay singularly focused on what I wanted to do, and that’s been very helpful. ... Don’t run from something. Run to something. Run to an opportunity that you think you are going to love and is right for you. When I was at Microsoft and knew it was time to look for something new, I said, “I want to be the chief communications officer at a big multinational (company).” Nissan was an amazing opportunity. It was staying singularly focused on being the chief communications officer for a Fortune 500 that got me there.
Q: What keeps you up at night?
Find us at UWMLetSci
2 • IN FOCUS • April, 2021
A: There’s one thing that keeps up at night and that’s people. People is the thing I love most about my job and people is the thing I worry most about in my job. You can have the best idea in the world, but if you don’t have people to carry out those plans, you can’t do anything. You won’t get anywhere. I want to make sure that I have the right people doing the right things.
