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Alumni Speakers Show Career Variety

Those who graduate with degrees in community health, kinesiology, speech and hearing science, and recreation, sport, and tourism management don't always go into the fields you'd expect. In March, students in the College of Applied Health Sciences had the opportunity to hear from a few alumni whose careers carried them in a different direction.

Carol Wicklund Enright completed her degree in Speech and Hearing Science in 1976. She had already decided she did not want to pursue the additional education needed to become an audiologist. Instead, she completed a Master of Business Adminstration degree at DePaul University, focusing on strategic human resource management. She went on to a variety of senior positions in human resource management, training and organization development, executive search, and sales management. For the last 13 years, Carol has helped organizations become more effective as the founder and principal partner of her own organizational consulting firm, Enright & Associates, based in San Francisco, California. She has worked with senior leaders in family businesses, nonprofit organizations, and Fortune 100 companies to assist them in solving organizational problems and capitalizing on opportunities for change. Carol told the audience that she loved consulting because it provided the opportunity to continue learning herself while earning money and helping others. "I also love what I do because I get to solve problems every day and I get to live my values," she said. Her journey to the consulting work began at the University of Illinois, she said, where she learned how to write "a really, really good diagnostic report." It's similar to what she now does for organizations, only with different content.

Armed with a degree from the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, which he earned in 2008, Chris Stanton enrolled in law school and is completing his final year. While attending law school, he held positions with the DuPage State's Attorney's Office, CSMG Sports (now Octagon), and Walton Sports Management Group. He currently works with Valparaiso Sports Legal Clinic, providing legal aid to indigent individuals involved in sports. Specializing in sports law is Chris's goal, and he's likely to reach it because he's built a strong network of professional contacts. "Put yourself fully into networking," he advised students. "Once you put in the effort, things will start to snowball and you'll have lots of opportunities." Chris also urged students always to exude confidence in their abilities, including their ability to work with others.

Jeff Zachwieja is a Senior Research Fellow at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois. He earned his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology in 1987 and went on to earn a master's degree in Physical Education and a doctoral degree in Human Bioenergetics. He held a postdoctoral fellowship in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Washington University School of Medicine, than served as assistant professor and chief of the Exercise and Nutrition Program at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. In his current position, he manages the research and educational outreach staffs and directs the exercise biology research program in PepsiCo's Biology Innovation Laboratory. Asked what advice he would give students when they encounter challenges in their work, he said be a good listener, care about the people you're working with, consider all points of view, and try to make the best decision you can." The most important factor in loving your job, Jeff said, is to follow your passion. "What makes you happy? What makes you tick? That will always open doors," he said.

Students benefit tremendously from hearing about the experiences of and receiving advice from alumni. If you would like to participate in the Alumni Speaker Series, contact Renique Kersh, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, at rtkersh@illinois.edu.

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