Leverage Your Potential

Carey Lee was ambitious as a Freshman at Menlo: she wanted to study abroad, ASAP. This led her to spend 10 days in Hong Kong with GAV, followed by 6 weeks in Seoul, South Korea the following summer. She notes that homesickness is real, but conquerable. Carey’s main advice for students who want to study abroad? Don’t sweat the little stuff nagging at you - the broader experience is well worth it!

➺ Avatar: The Last Airbender (via Netflix)

Jessica Carlson ’19, Menlo Alum and Product Marketing Associate at GuideSpark, takes us through her one-year journey of graduating from Menlo to where she is now. Learn more about Jessica’s entrepreneurial drive and her involvement in the Stanford University Innovation Fellowship. Along the way, Jessica shares her passions, her great-grandfather’s inventions, her view of gender bias in the marketing world, and advice on navigating the job search process for recent graduates.

➺ Talking to Strangers and The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

➺ Start with Why by Simon Cinek

➺ Educated by Tara Westover

How does spending even the shortest time abroad impact your future? As discussed with Laura Madden, the impact is huge - it can shape your life, and make you incorporate a literal world of possibilities as you continue to make big decisions in your life. Listening to Laura’s story of how she went from studying International Relations, to working on a political campaign, to working for a tv show in Argentina, to working international education, we learn that to be nervous about making these big jumps is actually a good thing: you land on your feet, and realize it will all be ok.

➺ Atomic Habits by James Clear

➺ The Last Dance - A documentary about Michael Jordan from ESPN

Menlo’s Dean of Enrollment, Prisicla de Souza, studied at Menlo and has worked at Menlo ever since she graduated. Priscila, like many of our students, was an international student and later pursued an MBA. Though she had not intended to work in higher education, the progression of her work has allowed her to stay close to her home - Menlo - and stay close to the people who make it such a wonderful place to be.

Matt Crevin, founder of TalkShop (talkshop.co), a communication strategies firm, sits down to discuss his career which spans everything from being an NFL stadium announcer, hosting radio shows, writing books, guest lecturing and career consulting. Demonstrated by his own resume, Matt is an expert on how to communicate effectively and with confidence. Listen in as Matt shares some of his trade secrets (and a few fun stories from his early days at the 49ers).

➺ If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? by Alan Alda

Menlo alums Dominic and Lauriane Jackson ‘15 discovered their passion for travel when they took the gutsy move of asking for a 4 month sabbatical from their respective jobs to travel to over 20 countries. What else did they discover while they were on the world, besides how much they loved it? They realized that by aiming to boost their Instagram account, they were beginning to acquire new skills. Their travels have had an inevitable impact on them as people, and on their professional careers.

Follow them on Instagram @coupleonthemap

Menlo’s Vice President of Enrollment and Athletics, Keith Spataro, has been working at Menlo for nearly 20 years - it all started with his growing the prestige of the wrestling team, which in the past couple of years have seen successes at the national level. What is Keith’s secret to success? In this episode, we discuss Keith’s perspectives on leadership and the role of athletics in higher education. Tune in to learn some of his favorite quips, including: “Give me an excuse to win.”

Erik Bakke is Menlo’s Senior Director of Academic Support, where he leads the English as a Second Language (ESL) program and the Writing Center, among many other things. In this episode, Erik talks about what “rigor” means and how to apply rigor to your life and work. Erik shares some of his other hobbies - including writing and art - in depth as both examples and to expand upon how we find our voices through different methods.

➺ Machines Like Me by Ian McEwan

➺ The Companions by Katie M. Flynn

➺ A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole

➺ Exercise is Medicine: How Physical Activity Boosts Health and Slows Aging by Judy Foreman

➺ Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California’s Natural Resources by M. Kat Anderson

Menlo student Klay Ketelle spent the spring of 2019 studying in Rome, Italy with CEA. Klay shares his experience studying in Rome: the classes he took, the way his runs through the city embellished his experience and knowledge of the city. Listen in to hear his advice on why students should seize the opportunity to study abroad, and what first steps they can take.

➺ Map of Rome from Lonely Planet

➺ Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion

Devon Nemelka ‘21 is this year’s Senior Class President at Menlo College. She transferred to Menlo a year ago, surprised to find herself so close to where she went to high school in the Bay Area and so easily making a home for herself on Menlo’s campus. Devon’s mission this year is to support and advocate for her fellow students with her new responsibilities, and lead the way in engaging the senior class in events - Virtual though they may be! - that her peers are sure to remember.

Podcasts Devon enjoys listening to:

➺ My Favorite Murder (true crime)

➺ Crime Junkie (true crime)

➺ Higher Learning (politics and black culture)