It's Happening! Marquette University's Career Podcast

MU alumna Chinaza Nwaneri joins season six of the podcast to discuss her journey across the country in pursuit of new careers. She's tackled the branding and legal worlds. Now, she's moved from Google's Legal Operations team to a real estate internship—all while completing her master's. Chinaza shares lessons learned about the grind, support systems, and self-care. 

Wrapping up our last episode of the season, we talk with Julia Block, co-owner of C. Adam's Bakery (the one in the Public Market) & Black Twig Bakery, who graduated with an undergrad and graduate degree from Marquette University in English. Julia's offers bold advice for those interested in owning or starting a business. Listen to hear her wise words about how to approach college and life after. If you are interested in a part-time position learning communication and customer services skills email Julia at julia.block@cadamsbakery.com.

MU Alumna Nicole Laird, Social Worker for Waukesha County's Child Protective Services, shares about her experience working in an emotionally intense yet rewarding field. She shares what her day-to-day work looks like, and explains how she leans on colleagues and supervisors for support when the going gets tough. Find out how she went from a Social Welfare & Justice major at Marquette to the job she has now! Want to reach out to Nicole? She can be contacted at nlaird@waukeshacounty.gov.

Listen to this week's guest, Graicey Van Spankeren, who usually is a host, but is also a Career Counselor in the Career Services Center (CSC) at Marquette University. Hear Graicey talk about her undergraduate experiences and how she went about choosing her majors and learn about her study abroad/working abroad experiences in France. Graicey helps undergraduate, graduate, and alumni in career counseling appointments and has held over 1800 appointments over the past 6 years. If you would like to meet with Graicey make an appointment through Handshake or send her an email.

Listen to recent MU grad Nick Dalton as he explains his last-minute decision to turn down an accounting job at a Big 4 firm to pursue a master's degree in supply chain management. You'll hear Nick talk about how he got onto the business path in high school and found himself unexpectedly shifting his plan for his future based on something as seemingly small as an online ad. Nick also shares valuable advice for those looking to grow their careers and learn how to network in a virtual work environment. Interested in connecting with Nick? You can email him at nicholas.dalton@kohls.com.

Learn about Bri Suchy's journey towards a career in the growing field of genetic counseling. Bri shares her story about bouncing back after graduate school rejections to re-applying even stronger than before. You'll hear her best tips on interviewing and networking along with an in-depth look at the field of genetic counseling. Update on Bri's grad school journey: she got in to her top choice program! Want to connect with Bri? Email her at briannasuchy@gmail.com.

Feeling worried about graduating college? Listen as Haley Fioretti provides a calming and positive outlook on how to make decisions about the future. Haley is a Marquette Senior graduating in May 2022 with a degree in Environmental Studies, Economics and a minor in Psychology.

Meet our newest Career Counselor, Michael Stock. Michael shares his journey as a first-generation college student choosing to pursue a four-year college degree in Literature after deciding against trades like becoming a welder, electrician, or plumber. He shares about how mentorship and seemingly chance encounters on campus made a difference in his career journey which ultimately led him right here to the Career Services Center at Marquette. Want to schedule an appointment to meet with Michael? Log into Handshake or call our office at 414-288-7423. You can contact Michael directly at michael.stock@marquette.edu.

Kiley Banker, a new Career Counselor in the Career Services Center at Marquette University, shares her many challenges as a Division I Volleyball Player at UVA and how they led to choosing a major, going to graduate school, and discovering her values. Kiley shares moving stories about her health, grief, and how she helps others from these life experiences. She also has a horse so listen to the end to hear about this fun fact! Kiley can be reached at kiley.banker@marquette.edu or through Handshake to schedule an appointment.

Our last episode for the season features another frozen treat company owner and Marquette University Alum, Pete Cooney. Pete started Pete's Pops in 2014 and has continued to grow ever since! Listen as Pete shared his insights on work, careers, and leadership.

We spoke with Olivia Menzia, graphic designer extraordinaire and owner of Liv a Little Ice Cream. She shares stories about expanding her small business while also managing a freelance and eventually full time career in graphic design. You'll also hear Liv's thoughts on why Milwaukee is the best city to start a business, and how she overcame business hurdles after being laid off during the early days of the pandemic and ultimately turned it into something great for her brand. Show links: The Commons 707 Hub

This week we hear from Katie Niemer, a Trinity Fellow and Marquette University Graduate Student in the MBA program. Kate began as a Biology major, has experience in service, arts, design, teaching, and what's next is still up for grabs. Kate would love to help you on your journey and can be reached at kate.neimer@marquette.edu if you would like to connect.

This episode features our very first joint interview with Dr. Deanna Arble, Assistant Professor in Biological Sciences, along with fourth-year PhD student Aaron Jones who works in Dr. Arble's lab. They share what it's like to do research, how getting a master's or PhD is different from undergrad, and how to tell if that path is right for you. You'll also get good tips on how to figure out which skills you need to build for your ideal career, even if you're not going into biology research. We had some audio issues at the beginning of the recording, so some of Dr. Arble's voice will sound like a high-pitched robot. You should still be able to understand all the content in the show though, so we left it in!

Professor Lezlie Knox, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History and Department Chair as well as Director of the Interdisciplinary Minor in Medieval Studies at Marquette University discusses what it means to be a medievalist. Listen to her story of how she landed in medieval studies, the skills one learns that can be essential to other careers, and why it's important to choose a field that sparks joy!

Are you a digital media major or interested in choosing a major in the Diederich College of Communication? If so, listen to this week's episode where Dr. Amanda Keeler highlights immersive opportunities for traveling and networking with alumni living in LA! Applications for the LA trip open soon, so check out this episode to learn more.

This week's guest is Ann Mulgrew, Assistant Director of Campus Ministry. She shares her story from flunking business classes in high school to becoming a psychology teacher within Catholic schools, tracing her journey through to her current role at Marquette. This episode is great for anyone considering a career in education, whether in K-12 schools or elsewhere. Ann also talks about how salary is only one part of what makes a satisfying career, while giving advice on how to make ends meet.

Digital media, percussion instruments, and community! Guest Elijah Bradley (Junior at Marquette University) explains how he took the leap to pursue a career path he loves. Listen to his career advice for current and future college students.

Soon-to-be MU graduate Sarah Brezonik joins us this week to share how she learned how she gained confidence in herself through conversations with professionals in her field. She describes how networking helps you build genuine relationships and get a sense of what companies and careers might be a good fit for you. Sarah also mentions how working at the Career Services Center helped her get a leg up on internship searching. Interested in working at CSC? We're hiring! Check out our positions on our website and apply in Handshake.

The benefits of getting involved, challenging assumptions, and connecting with professionals are highlighted by guest Nick Contezac. Nick is an alumni and a current graduate student at Marquette while currently working within human resources. Hear how Nick chose his major and altered his path while getting involved during his undergraduate Marquette experiences.

Dr. Liz Angeli, Associate Professor of English, shares how honest advice from family and trusting her own gut led to the fulfilling career she has now. Along the way, she shares her story of going from a scared college senior at MU, all the way through completing her PhD and eventually becoming an English professor who studies how communication is used in emergency healthcare situations. You'll also learn about how spirituality can inform career decisions, and how career development is an ongoing process throughout your life! This is a great episode for anyone needing a little encouragement and inspiration. If you'd like to get in touch with Dr. Angeli, she can be reached at elizabeth.angeli@marquette.edu

Listen to our guest Dr. Jaime Robb, Marquette Assistant Professor of Communication Studies, share his wide range of experiences from being a high school landscaper to working at Best Buy, all leading to his decision to pursue a Ph.D. Dr. Robb's positivity and thoughtful life decisions may inspire you to pursue your career aspirations.

In our first episode of Season 2, we sit down with soon-to-be mechanical engineering graduate Emilee Cho. Emilee shares how involvement in academic Greek life as well as student organizations while at MU (shout out to Global Brigades!) helped her see herself as a leader and develop confidence that she brings with her into the workplace. Want to get in contact with Graicey, Maria, or Emilee? Email career.services@marquette.edu and we'll connect you!

This week, Graicey and Maria talk about how interests that seem to be unrelated to your career exploration or academic work can still help you learn new skills and engage more fully in your life. You'll also hear about the person-environment fit theory of Jon Holland. If you want to learn more about your interest type and careers that might be a match for it, schedule an appointment to meet with a career counselor! They can help you get started with the assessment.

Our guest Liz Baird, Client Assistant at Baird (no relation) shares how she has made leaps from a variety of industries and roles. Hear how her character led to these successes and how she overcame challenges too!

Sheena Carey, Internship Coordinator & faculty member within the Diederich College of Communication, joins us this week to talk about how she has used reflection as an important tool in her career discernment process. She also provides a framework to use when deciding on a job or internship that you're uncertain about.

Listen to Amber Johnson, Lead Mentor/Advisor Specialist at Marquette University talk about "moving the moon with her hands" and how she made it through roadblocks towards her career in nursing by seeking support from others, while also digging deep to apply her unique passion and motivation. If you are looking for some inspiration this is the episode for you! Amber can be contacted at ambernicole.johnson@marquette.edu.

This week, Parisa Shirazi from Marquette University's Center for Peacemaking joins us to discuss the many twists and turns in her path since graduating from MU in 2016. Parisa wanted to be a teacher at first, then changed her major to political science and planned to pursue law school. You'll learn how she made the decision to withdraw her law school applications and how she forged her own path to a post-graduate year of service and then all the way back to Marquette. Show links: Center for Peacemaking website: https://www.marquette.edu/peacemaking/ Making a Living, Making a Difference book download: https://www.marquette.edu/peacemaking/making-a-living-making-a-difference.php

Many enjoy college athletics, but is it for you? Listen to Graicey and Maria discuss the benefits, challenges, and skills of being a student athlete from their own experiences.

Learn about summer jobs and how they can help you explore career options. Hear Maria and Graicey share stories of summer jobs they enjoyed, and jobs they definitely didn't.

College is great, but what is your purpose for attending? Hear thoughts from Graicey and Maria on how to use your precious time in both a fun and meaningful way! This episode is brought to you by Milwaukee Tool.

Do childhood dreams lead to real-life careers? Learn how to connect the dots by thinking about your interests and career influences throughout your life. This episode is brought to you by Uline.

Maria and Graicey talk about common ways people find information about careers — both trustworthy and not so much. Learn tips for how to decide which information applies to your unique situation. Also, you'll hear about Graicey's rollerblading and sourdough hobbies, plus Maria shares a clever tip on where to find the most up-to-date deets about jobs! Links from show: Marquette University Career Services Center website: https://www.marquette.edu/career-services/ Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ O*Net: www.onetonline.org

Who are we? Graicey & Maria, staff from the Career Services Center at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and your hosts for the It's Happening! podcast. What will we talk about? All things college students want to know about careers-- stories, tips, and how-tos from career services professionals, but fun. PLUS, you'll learn about employers and the world of work. Why the title? Listen to learn our silly story of office shenanigans in this trailer.