About Us

Rather than the same boring bios you usually see in About Us sections, we are following David Letterman’s example, sharing our Top Ten. So here you go…

Top Ten Things to Know about Claire Childress

10.  I bleed orange and maroon. Although I did not get my undergraduate degree here, I obtained my MBA from the Pamplin College of Business and grew up going to Virginia Tech football and basketball games since I’m a townie. I love to cheer the Hokies on in just about any sport if I have the chance.

9.  I know the value of a liberal arts and single sex education. I attended Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, VA, graduating cum laude with an economics major and a political science minor. I was also fortunate to spend my junior year studying abroad at the University of Reading, England. Had the chance to travel to France, Italy and across Great Britain while I was abroad.

8. For me, the glass is always half full. My positive mindset works well with the understanding and listening skills I bring to advising appointments. I enjoy planning and coordinating events and work to include those who may be left out of an event or conversation. I can identify potential in others and endeavor to help them learn and grow. Strengths: Positivity Empathy Developer Arranger Includer 

7. Helping people brings me great joy and is my reason for being. I also really like teaching, making presentations (never thought I would say that when I was a college student!) and leading others. And, as I mentioned above, I like to organize events. Holland Code: Social Enterprising Conventional

6. I like to have fun! Where’s the party? I am an outgoing, sociable person, energized by being around others. I love to try anything new and also create new programs or projects; this blog is an example of that! I went to a breakout session about using an advising blog, and voila, 6 months later here we are! I am skilled at filling in details for big ideas (as well as coming up with some) and at looking at practical applications. I look at the impact on people when I make decisions and work to maintain harmony among those involved. So much interests me that making decisions is sometimes difficult. I work well under pressure and am flexible. Recently I had to read a chapter for work from The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership called, Thinking Gray and Free; that is how I am wired. Personality Type: ESFP

5. My two favorite places are the beach and where I live. I grew up going to Litchfield Beach, SC, took our children for years to Topsail Beach, NC, and really like Edisto Island, SC too. My idea of paradise: sitting in a sand chair at the ocean’s edge, reading a book with family and friends nearby. Southwest Virginia has some of the prettiest sights in every season of the year. Love the Blue Ridge Mountains; see Psalm 121; Take Me Home County Roads…

4. I am committed to lifelong learning. I love to read for fun and for work, and strive to continuously improve myself and the work that I do. 

3. I am happy to come to work every day. Helping students figure themselves out and pursue their dreams energizes me and is so very rewarding. I learn so much from the students and alumni I meet. I love being a career advisor--took me a few twists and turns but I finally found that out.

2. My family, friends and faith come first in my life.

And, the Number 1 thing I want you to know about me is..

I care.

Top Ten Things to Know about Ariel Cohen

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10.  My interests are all over the place.  How did a computer science major end up writing for a career services blog?  Actually, I happen to also have a creative writing minor.  From technical fields to English, from psychology to art, I love to learn about almost everything.  Unfortuntely this does not bode well for my concentration at times, but I like to think it keeps me well-rounded.

9.  I like to keep busy. Being idle is boring, so I constantly want to be doing something.  That's probably why I ended up as a an officer in two clubs, creating a mentoring system for the computer science department, and interning here with career services.  I like to be invovled and I like to be moving.  As an old teacher of mine used to say, I can rest when I'm dead.

8.  I like being there for people. There are few things that are more satisfying than feeling depended on.  I always feel the need to be the shoulder to lean on, the listening ear, and the advice giver.  I like finding the uniqueness in every person- how they think, their motivation, how they build relationships- and I use these to try to bring out the best in each person.  As someone who stresses easily herself, I like to let others know they're not alone.

7.  I believe everyone should spend time in a customer service job. After waitressing two summers, I have seen my fair share of the good, bad, and ugly sides of people.  Being on the other side of customer service gives you a completely different view on things and definitely builds your respect for other people the next time you're the customer.  Even if it's just for one summer, I think working a customer service job is an important character building experience.

6.  My dream job would be to work for an animation or gaming studio. It was Pixar that inspired me into my computer science major.  I'm not really sure where that inspiration came from.  It certainly wasn't something I had planned from the beginning, because I wanted to be a vet when I was a kid.  Nevertheless, it's the goal that keeps me going in the dark parts of the semester.

5.  I have a black belt. From the ages of five to fourteen, I spent a good portion of my life studying martial arts.  Over that time I traveled with a competition team, learned to fight with weapons and break boards, and injured myself in more ways than I care to remember.  Over those years, I definitely learned I am far from athletic.  however, and perhaps most importantly, I learned that almost anything can be achieved with hard work and self-discipline.

 

4.  I'm a daydreamer. When I'm not actively engaged in something, I'm almost always off in la-la land.  Sometimes I'm watching a plane fly over and making up the life stories of the people who are on it, and other times I'm figuring out how best to survive a sudden zombie attack give my current circumstances.  Regardless of what notion pops up in my head, my mind is always at work.  Good luck trying to talk to me if I've been walking alone.

3.  I'm a nerd and I'm proud of it. Go ahead.  Ask me about dungeons and dragons.

2.  I'm always up for trying something new.You never know if you'll like something until you try it.  I always try to give everything a chance and have discovered great things as a result.  For the record, you should all try cow tongue.  It's a great deli meat.

1.  Life is a learning experience and I'm determined to get the most out of it.  As the saying goes, "Experience is the hardest teacher- she gives the test first, then the lesson."  It's sometimes hard to get past the fear of making mistakes, but I'm determined to throw myself into whatever comes my way.