In today’s workforce, switching jobs every couple years has become increasingly common. In fact, the average person is said to have up to seven careers in their lifetime. For others, including myself, transitioning to a new career can be a challenge, whether because of a sense of loyalty to our employer, comfort, or a fear […]
Karen Bishop Morris (MA ’96, PHD ’02) | Associate Professor of English| Purdue University Northwest Have you ever been asked to serve on a board or a committee? Or, how about this: Raise your hand again if you’ve ever been asked for a donation to a cause — nonprofit, political, or otherwise. Bonus points if […]
Brooke Linn (EDU’04) has a mantra: Never underestimate the power of being likeable. “I used to get on my soapbox and tell students to take advantage of those daily opportunities, even if it’s just connecting with someone at Starbucks,” Linn says. “We have all these recruiters on campus, you might find yourself in line behind […]
When I needed someone to talk to about career transitions, I immediately thought of Brooke Linn (EDU’04). We met in 2018, when Linn was teaching Management 295 at Krannert School of Management. At the time, I was up to my neck compiling a list of objects to celebrate Purdue’s sesquicentennial, so I jumped at the […]
Jamilah Mottley Brown (LA’08) | Principal Designer | JM Interior Stylings, LLC Small steps count. This is one of my favorite sayings. It always seems applicable when I’m encouraging friends to follow through on their big idea, or move confidently in the direction of their dreams. In a world full of flash, huge launches, and […]
Backpacking through Central America and India was a life-changing experience for Radhika (Rangarajan) Dirks (S’03). During the trip with her husband, Travis Dirks (S’04), she witnessed heartache, strife — and an opportunity to leverage the enormous power of artificial intelligence (AI). “We saw a lot of unfortunate things that seemed like they should have been […]
Hillary (Direnzo) Gramm’s (HHS’05) time at Purdue led her to a career, her husband, and their child, whom they gave a Purdue-themed name (Amelia, as in Earhart). And it was the unlikeliest of items that brought Gramm to West Lafayette: a baby sweat suit. “I’m one of the first in my family to graduate from […]
Michelle Gladieux (HHS’93 MS T’95) | President | Gladieux Consulting An executive coaching client recently asked me, “How do you make public speaking look so easy?” The truth is, if I’m making it look easy, that’s an optical illusion. Public speaking is a lifelong, value-add pursuit. We all want our ideas heard and put to […]
Goals provide focus, direction, and momentum. They provide a way to track progress. Without goals, you can wander aimlessly. As such, there is no better time to get serious about setting goals than when you are in search of your next best career move. I suspect that you have been taught to create SMART goals. […]
Ukari Figgs (ME’99) is one of the most accomplished athletes in Purdue history. Born in Georgetown, Kentucky, in 1977, Figgs was an immensely talented basketball player in high school. In 1995, she led her high school team to a state championship and earned the title of Kentucky’s Miss Basketball the same year. During the 1998–99 […]
