Career Roadmap
Karissa's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Millard South High School
Bachelor's Degree
Advertising
Southern Methodist University
Graduate Degree
Education Policy Analysis
The University of Texas at Austin
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors:
Bachelor's Degree: Education, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Coming out of high school, I wanted to be a graphic designer.
2.
The college I choose didn't offer a graphic design major, so I settled on advertising, with minors in statistics and photography.
3.
I interned with a photographer, at an airline, a statistics agency, and an advertising agency before deciding not to pursue these careers.
4.
I volunteered at a middle school and researched education for low-income students in college.
5.
I decided to join Teach for America and spent 3 years teaching math.
6.
I moved into college counseling after finding a passion for helping students plan for their futures.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
Growing up, people always communicated with me that working in education was not a prestigious career, so I always believed I could do something "more worthy" or "more notable".
How I responded:
It took me a few years to really want to own that I was an educator. But now, I totally embrace it. I know the work I do is meaningful to myself and others. By letting go of the notion that money equals worthiness in a career, I am able to enjoy my career and do what I love. Today, my job is filled with building relationships with students, being creative, counseling, event planning, independent and collaborative work, as well as making a difference in students' lives.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I grew up as a low-income students and was really worried about paying for college. Nevertheless, By keeping my grades high, applying for financial and scholarships, and working/saving over the summer, I was able to fully fund my education.