The Quest Continues

For many Questies, life is filled with twists and turns. In our final episode of the season, Joey Barnett, Princeton '12, shares how his unique career path has taken him all over the world and spanned a wide variety of fields, from Bollywood dance to philanthropy. Despite this road less traveled, Joey has made a point of keeping in close contact with his family and hometown community. In conversation with host Saxon Bryant, Joey speaks about finding his way through various career pivots, all while staying connected to his roots.

Whether you feel like you don't belong or that your achievements might be an accident, imposter syndrome is a common challenge for QuestBridge Scholars and Alumni. Esteban Rojas, Notre Dame '15, has faced imposter syndrome head-on at various points along his academic and professional journey. In a reflective conversation with host Jahmeelay Jean-Leger, Esteban shares how he's found healthy ways to confront these recurring feelings of self-doubt.

For many Questies like Nick Dreher, Princeton '17, balancing family obligations and career aspirations is a challenge. Nick grew up with a large family in Northern California and is now a resident physician at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Over the years, Nick has supported his family in a variety of ways, from sending money home to offering guidance when needed. In today's episode, he reflects on how his relationships with his family and his partner play an important role in his personal and professional decisions. 

From starting a graduate program to accepting a job opportunity, new professional experiences can lead to significant life changes. Lauren Beard, Penn '17, pursued an academic interest in mental health by beginning a Ph.D. program at UChicago. While the subject matter resonated deeply, Lauren struggled early on to acclimate to her new surroundings. Support from an advisor made all the difference. In this episode, learn how Lauren recentered her focus on wellness and found meaningful communities in her new environment.

As members of the QuestBridge community work toward achieving their professional goals, navigating traditionally privileged spaces often becomes the new norm. Danielle Newton, Princeton '20, is a full-time medical student at UCLA. While Danielle is enjoying her path to becoming a doctor, she is acutely aware of the privilege that exists in medical schools. In this episode, learn more about Danielle's experience as a first-generation, low-income medical student and hear how she has discovered the unique value that her background and experiences bring to this field.

For some Questies, a desire to give back to their community can impact their life path and career trajectory. Saúl Ulloa, Vassar '15, is no stranger to this experience. Saúl witnessed first-hand the struggles of immigrants and migrants in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Deeply affected by this upbringing, Saúl found a professional calling in humanitarian policy and has since spent years working both domestically and abroad to address a variety of complex crises. In this episode, you'll learn how networking helped Saúl forge his career path and how he has found a healthy work life balance when striving for something so personal. 

As we enter different stages of our lives, we may face challenges that impact our mental health and well-being. It can be difficult to balance it all, especially as new opportunities and responsibilities arise. For Helen Yiu, USC ‘15, prioritizing mental health is a daily practice. Helen works as a physical therapist and is living in Allentown, Pennsylvania, while her fiancé completes his medical residency. From navigating her own professional journey to adapting to new areas in support of her partner, Helen has found that putting her well-being first allows her to embrace life's many changes.

After developing interests and experience in the fields of global health and human rights, 2016 Yale University graduate Ellie Dupler went on to earn a J.D. at Columbia Law School and now works as a Law Clerk at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

Hawa Ahmed, University of Virginia '15, shares that her liberal arts education helped her to push past seeing the world only in black and white. Hawa now says that she sees the shades of gray — the nuances and complexities that allow her to appreciate the fuller picture of the world around her. After studying Foreign Affairs and American Presidents at UVA, Hawa has gone on to work in the field of data at corporations, for a presidential campaign, and now as a Technical Business Intelligence Manager at Chief, a private network for female executives.

Sean Chapman's motivation to create a more sustainable future has taken him overseas and brought lessons he never would have learned had he stayed in his hometown. A 2017 graduate of Tufts University, Sean works as an R&D Scientist at Enapter in Italy and is concurrently pursuing his Master's in Engineering Physics and Applied Physics at The University of Freiburg in Germany. Sean firmly believes in taking risks to propel forward and encourages other first-generation, low-income students to do the same.

Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Deja Knight has met every challenge with fierce determination, leading to an inspiring career in public health. After starting a graduate program in Neuroscience at the University of Iowa, Deja ended up pivoting to complete a Master's in Public Health from Harvard University. She is now pursuing her third graduate degree: a Ph.D. in International Health at Johns Hopkins University. Influenced by her personal experiences and academic interests, Deja focuses on HIV prevention among Black women and strives to revamp systems to best support those in greatest need. Content Warning: Sexual violence

For Sergio Lopez, a 2017 graduate of Yale University, thinking critically about his background inspired a future path. Sergio grew up without many financial resources, but through these challenges, discovered the power of public policy. He learned that he could make his voice heard and play a role in bringing about positive change. Many years later, Sergio now serves as a Councilmember on the City Council of his hometown of Campbell, CA. 

While it can be difficult to get your foot in the door in the creative industry, it can be even more of a challenge if you come from a low-income background. Often the best connections are forged during unpaid or low paying internships. However, even with this knowledge, Wei Wei Chen, Emory '18, took risks and found ways to intern in creative departments at companies like Cartoon Network and Coca-Cola. Years later, Wei Wei now serves as a Writer/Producer at Warner Bros. Discovery and is grateful that pursuing something she loves has not just brought fulfillment, but now, stability.

Raised in Ethiopia for part of her childhood, Selam Bekele was conscious of healthcare disparities and wanted to improve access to and quality of care. Selam graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 and has since founded a nonprofit in Senegal, worked as a biotech Project Manager, and obtained a Master's in Public Health at Penn. Always connected to her goals of social impact, Selam has navigated the highs and lows of her career, and ultimately learned important lessons about self-discovery and resilience. 

A 2017 graduate of Wesleyan University, Aidan Martinez aimed to show up for his community and maximize learning through his career. Today, he puts those goals into action. Aidan serves as a Global Crisis Response Program Manager at Google.org, where he monitors crises all over the world and arranges grants on behalf of the organization. Committed to continued growth, Aidan also consciously positions himself to learn as much as he can in the workplace. 

When Jeff Chen was a student, finding mentors did not come naturally. However, five years after his 2017 graduation from Princeton University, Jeff cites networking with experienced colleagues and learning business vernacular as most integral to his success as an economic consultant. These days, Jeff remains open to professional growth thanks to support from his team and encourages others to do the same.

A recent graduate of a Master in Science in Social Work program, QuestBridge Alum Terranisha Hiley, Columbia '15, has considered many career paths including medicine, law, and more recently social work. She is now working with an organization to build capacity to support youth and adults through a variety of systems, ranging from mental health to education to housing to child welfare.    

Being a nurse manager in an Emergency Department during COVID is not what QuestBridge Alum Christopher Wilson, Emory '14, ever imagined for himself when he started college, but he is embracing the challenge and now enjoys working with a team that he describes as his “lion's pride.” However, it took some careful introspection, soul searching, and mentorship for him to decide on this career path and specialty.

QuestBridge Alum Tarryn Sanchez, Vassar ‘13, struggled with finding her first job out of college, but has discovered that there are no bad decisions; every turn along the way helps you learn a little more about yourself. Combining her background in advertising and marketing with her desire for fulfilling and mission driven work, Tarryn currently serves as a mental health awareness campaign manager at a public policy institute, where she helps to remove the stigma around mental health conversations.

QuestBridge Alum Austin Nguyen, Williams '15, wasn't sure exactly what he wanted to do after his liberal arts education, having spent previous summers doing lab bench research, but through his first job as a business analyst at TripAdvisor, he learned more about data science field, and now continues to grow and learn in this ever-changing field as a data scientist.

Ariela Nazar-Rosen, Wellesley '16, misses the energy of live theater during this pandemic. As an actor and educator, she has taken the road less travelled by QuestBridge Alumni, but feels hopeful about integrating the spirit and creativity of theater into educational spaces, and is excited by the possibility of the arts to set an example for more systemic change.

This year has been particularly tough on the teaching profession, but as a culturally relevant high school teacher, QuestBridge Alum Anthony Downer, UChicago '17, believes in empowering students to see education as freedom.  He shares how he defines success in the classroom, and what steps him and other local educators are taking to ensure greater equity and justice for all students.

After several attempts applying, QuestBridge Alum Judy Lee, USC '17 finally landed the rotational product marketing job she desired at Google. She reflects on the importance of asking yourself what really matters, while balancing it with the inevitable external pressures of job searching, as she defines the next steps in her career path.

Having grown up with health promoters in his family, a profession not common in the U.S., Rubén Monárrez, Haverford '14, was no stranger to careers in health. But he took a different path, and pursued a medical degree at Harvard Medical School, and is figuring out what the rest of his path looks like as he starts his orthopedic surgery residency.

As the design lead at a small start-up company, QuestBridge Alum Kassandra Randazzo (University of Notre Dame '12) has her hand in everything from user experience to brand and marketing to product strategy. The knowledge she's picked up over the years (and her continual learning) as a visual designer has prepared her well as a design generalist, but there are also times when her “inner critic” has challenged her. 

When Carlos Rivas, a 2012 graduate of Claremont McKenna College, was an undergrad, he didn't know what he wanted to do as a career, but just wanted to make sure he graduated. Fast forward a few years, and he has made it his central goal – to help other students make sure they are on track for college graduation. Armed with several graduate degrees, he is forging his path to help students succeed.

Mentorship and networking can be scary to any young professional, but taking the leap and reaching out to mentors or colleagues can really benefit your career, as it did for Christa Nutor, Emory '16. As a finance analyst at the same technology company for the past few years, she's been able to make new connections and has also gained invaluable skills which she hopes will pave the way to a future in the C-suite. 

“I thought it was my calling to be a classroom teacher”, says EJ Mitchell. But sometimes life takes you on another course, and various experiences helped this Amherst grad understand where his skills and strengths lie. As an educational consultant in living in China for the past few years, EJ has learned a lot about what he values about his work, how he views work-life balance, and the principles that drive his career path. He shares valuable tips for anyone, especially QuestBridge Scholars, thinking seriously about living and working abroad.

The daughter of Hmong refugees who fled persecution, QuestBridge Alum Mai Yer Xiong , Wellesley '14, grew up knowing she wanted to serve marginalized populations, and through numerous fellowships and programs, she's found her place in the field of international development.  She offers a glimpse of some of the challenges of working in this field, and how she navigated her way into a position in the Foreign Service.

Love animals? Becoming a veterinarian is the dream of many animal lovers, but the path to becoming a vet can be a difficult one, with a high debt-to-student ratio, an extremely low acceptance rate, and many on-the-job struggles. QuestBridge Alum Brandon Bell, Stanford '14, made his childhood dream of being a vet a reality, and explains the highs and lows of the job, what it's like to be a vet during COVID-19, and what all potential vets should know before they consider this career path.

We're exploring career journeys of our QuestBridge Alumni for upcoming episodes. Please stay tuned!The Quest Continues is a podcast that highlights the stories of our QuestBridge Alumni. For more information about QuestBridge, visit us at www.questbridge.org. For any questions about this podcase, please email us at alumni@questbridge.org.