Careers by Design: The Interviews

A conversation with Ellen Prager '84, noted marine scientist, aquanaut, and author of a number of popular science books, including "Chasing Science at Sea." "Opportunities don't necessarily come to you. You have to ask for opportunities."

An Olympic special with Kathy Keeler, who was the stroke for the women's 8 boat that took gold in rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. "[I had] in the back of my mind, I'll just do this until someone tells me I'm not good enough...just keep rolling with the punches."

We speak with Jim Citrin, who leads the CEO Search and Succession Practice at Spencer Stuart and is a bestselling writer of a number of books on leadership and career development. "You don’t want to make mistakes, but we all know you’re going to make mistakes. And as painful as they are to make and experience at the time, you genuinely can only learn from making some sidesteps.”

A conversation with Governor John Hickenlooper ’74 (D-Colo.), author of “The Opposite of Woe: My Life in Beer and Politics.” “I would have stayed a geologist my whole life if I hadn’t been laid off. In a funny way, sometimes when bad things happen to you they can turn out to be really good things.”

A conversation with Rob King ’84, Senior Vice President, SportsCenter and News, ESPN. “I say this every chance I get, particular to rising juniors and seniors in college…It’s going to work out, you just don’t know how yet.”

We discuss medical careers with Shonni Silverberg '76, MD, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; co-director of their training program in Endocrinology and Metabolism. “The great thing is…within medicine as a career… there’s so many different options and so many different ways to do one career.”

We speak with Beverly Daniel Tatum ’75, President Emerita, Spelman College; author of "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race." “There was a line [in a Spelman brochure], that said, ‘This is your heritage and your calling.’ And I really felt like that sentence was speaking to me…there was that moment of recognition that this is it.”

We chat with Bradley Whitford ’81, film and television actor (The West Wing—Emmy Award, Billy Madison, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Cabin in the Woods, Trophy Wife, Saving Mr. Banks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happyish, Transparent). “I urge people to really examine what brings you joy creatively. That is not always going to be commercial success.”

Hear from Majora Carter '88, President, The Majora Carter Group, an environmental consulting company; founder and former executive director, Sustainable South Bronx; MacArthur Fellow. “That was a really powerful thing that I still carry with me now…the act of creativity, whether it’s on a canvas or on a city street…you do need to be fearless when you do it, because no one is going to give you that permission, you have to take it.”

Advice from Ed Heffernan ’84, President and CEO, Alliance Data Systems Corporation. “Be very flexible, especially early on in your career. Don’t look for the perfect job, you’re not going to find it. But try to find something that’s obviously of interest in an industry that’s showing some promise for growth…that’s where the opportunities are.”