Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with 2014 Van Buren graduate Michelle Ricker, who is a writer and assistant editor at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. In this episode, Michelle shares how a typical day looks in her position, how AI has affected her career, the value of her internships while in school, the importance of a writing portfolio, and much more. Whether you are interested in a career as a writer or editor or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Michelle shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Ashley (Erwin) Little, a 2007 Van Buren High School graduate who is the Director of Graduate Admissions at The University of Findlay. In this episode, Ashley shares how a typical day looks in her position, the role a graphic design degree played in her career journey, what students who might go to graduate school should be doing right now, and much more. Whether you are interested in a career in higher education or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Ashley shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Stephanie (Boyd) Donahue, a 1997 Van Buren High School graduate who works in the computer science field and is the Americas Workplace Data, Apps, and Workflow Lead for Avanade. In this episode, Stephanie shares how a typical day looks in her position, how there is much more to computer science than coding, what it was like to start her own business, and much more. Whether you are interested in a computer science or business career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Stephanie shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Nick DeVore, a 2016 Van Buren High School graduate who is an electrician and project foreman for Bodie Mechanical Services. In this episode, Nick shares how a typical day looks in his position, how he decided to pursue this career through an apprenticeship, the importance of math in his career, and much more. Anyone interested in pursuing a career as an electrician or construction worker will find information related to starting down those paths in this episode. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with 1997 Van Buren graduate Todd Bailey, the Senior Vice President - Director of Regional Economic Development at Huntington National Bank. In the interview, Todd shares how a typical day looks in his position, how his degree in communications provided a solid foundation for his career journey, the career opportunities there are in the banking field, and much more. Whether you are interested in a banking career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Todd shares will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with 2009 Van Buren graduate Jacob Sublett, the staff biologist at the Toledo Area Sanitation District. In the interview, Jacob shares how a typical day looks for him, how he focuses on mosquito control in his career, how the field of biology offers a plethora of career opportunities, and much more. Whether you are interested in a STEM or science-focused career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Jacob shares will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Sawyer Junge, a 2014 Van Buren graduate who is a Partnerships and Account Executive with LinkedIn Talent and Learning Solutions in Chicago, IL. Sawyer shares how a typical day looks for him, how to deal with rejection when making sales, what it’s like to live in Chicago, the importance of being a good listener, and much more. Whether you are interested in a sales career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Sawyer shares will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Jae Sutherland, a 2004 Van Buren graduate who is an Area Engineer for the US Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Service. Jae shares what she does as a civil engineer, how attending a camp at Notre Dame contributed to where she is today, and much more. Whether you are interested in an engineering career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Jae shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!1:34 - A typical day as a Civil Engineer3:28 - What NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) is and how it pertains to farmers in Wisconsin4:47 - Solving problems both before and after they become problems5:42 - Jae’s plans when she left high school6:20 - Engineering camp at Notre Dame exposed Jae to a variety of career options.7:25 - Aspects of Civil Engineering that people might not consider8:41 - Internships and the role they play in Jae’s career journey10:48 - Finding an internship in Oklahoma - connections help12:42 - Making the move to New York after finding a posting on USAJobs13:54 - The New York City watershed - a great training-ground15:58 - “Details,” or temporary promotions - a great way to try a new career17:00 - Becoming an area engineer in Appleton, Wisconsin17:45 - Acting as an area conservationist18:20 - The advancement steps for people in Jae’s position20:41 - Camps, volunteering, and other opportunities for students to get involved while in high school22:10 - Using AutoDesk and GIS to manage data23:17 - Students can start using AutoCAD and GIS even before they move into a career.24:40 - Job shadow and ask questions!Questions?Connect with Brian on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/brian-bratt/) or e-mail ([email protected]).Connect with Jae on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jae-ann-sutherland-p-e-81411414) or by e-mail ([email protected]).

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Alan Molyet, a 2010 Van Buren graduate who is a Senior 340B Coordinator at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Alan shares how a typical day in his position looks, how he balances his day job with a career as a soccer official at the high school and college levels, the importance of being a life-long learner, and much more. Whether you are interested in a healthcare administration career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Alan shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!

Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! This episode features a conversation with Tre Switzer, a 2017 Van Buren graduate who is an Assistant Superintendent of the Buffalo Ridge Springs Golf Course in Branson, MO. Tre shares how a typical day looks as an Assistant Superintendent, how he decided to earn a turf grass degree from ATI in Wooster, what the most rewarding aspects of his career are, and much more. Whether you are interested in a turf grass career or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Tre shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!