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If it's a matter of studying an extra hour or getting out there and getting yourself involved in a club, do it. Never be afraid. And uh don't shy away uh from something that you think you can do but you're not sure that you can do. Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I'm your host Kelly Peiffer, a vice president of marketing communications and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you,

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making you feel like at Manor College, you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call Did You Know? Where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that the Independent Blue Cross Foundation has awarded Manor College with a Blue Safety Net Grant for the seventh consecutive year? This is a $20,000 grant that will provide operating support for our college's dental health center. The Manor College

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Dental Health Center was established in 1979, functions as both a teaching facility for dental students and a full service dental clinic for the community. Due to its status as a teaching center, it can offer dental services at approximately 50% less than the average cost of a private practice. This grant from the IBX Foundation is vital for our cent's mission to provide affordable dental care, improve community health, and offer preventative education. Thank you so much to the IBX Foundation for being

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a sustaining partner with the Manor College Dental Health Center. We are keeping our community healthy thanks to your partnership and support. Today's episode is sponsored by Manor College's Bird Feed. Did you know that some of Manor College's students struggle with food insecurity? Manor College is proud to be an official PA hunger-free campus. Our bird feed food pantry provides a vital lifeline offering nonperishable food and toiletries for those in need. But we can't do it without your help.

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Your donation of canned goods, dry goods, or financial contributions help us stock the shelves and ensure that no one in our campus goes hungry. Learn how you can help by visiting manor.edu/birdfeed. That's manor.edu/birdfeed. We have a very special guest joining us today, an alumni who graduated not just once but twice from Manor College. Wow, that's very impressive. Coming from Philadelphia and a graduate of Tacony Academy Charter High School, our guests chose to pursue their passion for public

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service by majoring in both paralegal studies and public policy here at Manor College. A truly remarkable achievement. They earned both their associates degree in 2021 and then a bachelor's degree in 2023. As a first generation college student, they didn't just attend classes. They became a force for uh for good on campus, serving as a student senate president. Today, they are a powerful advocate for good government working at the committee of 70, a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization dedicated to

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improving Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Victoria Laughlin. Hi, Victoria. >> Hi, everybody. >> Thanks for being with us today. I I feel so honored to get to talk to you. >> Definitely. It's my pleasure. >> So, let's get started by how did you find out about Manor College and why did you choose to attend? Uh when I initially graduated from high school in 2014, I was really determined to get into law and policy and Manor College was very convenient for me for

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my local area in Philadelphia and so that was the natural course I took. >> That's great. I love I love kind of the clearcut like it was local and convenient. There we go. Um sometimes a lot of our students they want to commute so Manor is a good option for that as well. Um, so how did you know that you wanted to go into law and policy? What was that what was that drive in you and that passion? >> I was initially aspired by helping serving local communities and representing myself as a leader who can

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have a positive impact and have real effective change and offer practical solutions uh to real world problems. >> That's great. So you knew this was a a field that you wanted to go into for your career? Yes, absolutely. That's correct. >> Oh, that's great. So, what was your Manor experience like? Take us back. What was it like being a student here? And kind of give us like a day-to-day feeling so we can kind of imagine it. >> Manor College definitely helped me grow

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uh not only just professionally but also personally. It's a very positive learning atmosphere and uh instruct many instructors are willing to help you along the way with that process. It's a learning experience before you reach out and go to the world and it's definitely helped me grow and apply real world skills that I still use today. >> What um what are some of the things that you were involved with when you were a student? Like outside of like the classes, what are other activities or

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things that you get to experience? >> Um so when I was at Manor, I was initially a student senator. I served for two years um along with my other fellow senators. Um and then eventually I was elected as student president for my leadership and uh the commitment I had to make Manor a good place. H um student senate is always a really important group on campus and I know one of the big things that senate does is they um work all year to get feedback from the the students about what are some things that they would like to see

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changed or improved at manner and then the senate team presents it usually in like March or April to in like a public setting um usually administration's there usually our president's there and then whoever else wants to attend. What were some of your big projects do you remember that you had in Senate? >> Well, I remember that we helped create a bird feed uh which is a local lounge uh right near the cafeteria. Uh students really seem to take liking to that. So, um we managed to get that on campus.

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>> Oh, you mean do you mean the nest? >> Yes, the bird nest. >> Yes, the nest. Okay. Because you said the bird feed and I was like the bird feed's a food pantry. Um, but I we have a lot of bird and blue J acronym words around here, so I totally understand how that would be confused. The Nest, the Nest is such a cool spot. It's a it's a student lounge and right, you guys really pushed to get it like renovated with like better furniture, better tables. It has like this like half

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countertop bar thing you can like plug in and like study. Um, oh, that's great. That was one of your projects. I love it also when Senate has projects that we can then actually complete relatively quickly. So then you really feel like wow I had that idea I got did the research I presented it and now it's done like it comes full circle you know >> definitely yes >> yeah that's such a cool and I think students really enjoy the nest I know it's always there's always people in

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there doing stuff so I think that's a really really good project um when you were a student so obviously so you got an associates in 21 was your plan then to like turn around and continue being a student or did you were you working at the time kind of what was that like? >> Uh I planned on being a student. Um I had to over overcome some personal obstacles but I managed to get back in and graduate again and um yeah it was a good time. >> That's great. Was there anyone at the college whether it's a professor or a

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staff member or a coach or someone who like you felt really left like a lasting impact on you and was just really um like in your corner when you were a student? >> Absolutely. Professor Sims was a fantastic professor. Uh she definitely gave me a life skills and professional skills uh that will eventually help me go to law school. And uh she's just so well educated. She's great at what she does and um she really knows how to work with you one-on-one and with individualized learning.

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>> Yeah, Professor Mary Sims, she she's a longtime professor here. She's been here for I think almost 30 years. Um, she just retired this past spring and we had a retirement party for her in our library and it was obviously very well attended um by not only all of us who work here but some former students came, some of her family came, all of her um her siblings came and um there was a part where it was a kind of like an open mic where people just started going up and like sharing stories about Professor

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Sims and it was so sweet to hear. Different stories, but like they all kind of had the same theme of like she goes above and beyond. She is caring. She is there anytime, any day that you need her, whether it's, you know, like in working hours or not. And just like I think like her level of care for others was kind of in I took away as kind of like an overall theme of her as a person and how that threads throughout whether it's a student she's working with or a colleague or another professor or like

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her own brother. She cares and um she shows that in how she treats people. So I'm so glad you had to experience kind of the joy and like the you know you got to experience Professor Sims in that way. I think that's really neat. Um, and I know that we are certainly going to miss her. Um, but also very happy that she's gets to enjoy retirement. So, so Victoria, talk to me about kind of like your career path and the work that you're doing now and like what is um what is the work you're doing now?

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What's the role that you're in at committee of 70? And kind of if you had to tell people who didn't know what it was, kind of what would you say? Uh so the committee of 70 is a nonpartisan nonprofit. Uh we're aimed at increasing voter and civic engagement. Uh so part of my responsibilities of the committee of 70 was I was a policy and program coordinator. Um basically I was able to help coordinate events uh with local communities and stakeholders. Uh I even had the opportunity to do

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fundraisers uh meet important people of the community at the pillar of our community and um I also had the opportunity uh fantastic opportunity uh to go out and encourage more voters to uh vote for the election. >> That's great. How did you how did you get this job and um did you intern with them and then it turned into a job? Kind of explain because a lot of our students they want jobs and they want to be able to be successful. So, how did you go about getting this role?

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>> Uh, definitely uh my degree at Manor College with the public policy uh degree definitely did help. Um, it is great to be educated uh before you get there. I will also say that demonstrating your leadership skills and taking initiative outside the classroom is also very important. Uh, I did uh complete an internship uh with Jack Stollsteimer for district attorney uh which eventually helped me get that job as well. So a combination of like a degree, extracurricular leadership, and then also a little bit of a internship kind

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of who you know sounds like a combination of those things kind of led you to have this this role. So how would you say your work's going? Are you seeing a change in voters or more people getting registered? Kind of how would you assess how it's going? uh based upon our data that we had our recent data um we definitely did increase I believe it was by 60%. Um many of the voters did turn up and I hopefully uh maybe by next election cycle we eventually plan to be more than that. So >> well that's good. I mean for the for the

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face value that you're sharing that is really really good. We had um we had on campus last week. I don't know what day it is. That time of year, you're like, "What day is it? What week is it?" Um two weeks ago, we have we had a welcome back day here on campus. And welcome back day is a day where like all faculty and staff, everyone's back from like summer break and that kind of thing. And you're all back for one day. And um we hear from Dr. Perry and he kind of talks

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about kind of like the college and what's going on. And then we have some professional development things that we do. And one of the things that we did was we welcomed um our local state senator, Senator Art Haywood to campus and he was sharing about a little bit about voting and how if like there are so many young people particularly um college age. We're talking about how how important it is for college age people just to register to vote and that's something that obviously we want to

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support and and we have um some voter registration events on campus every year and we try to find the opportunities but he shared a stat and I I don't want to say it because I don't remember it fully and I always hate it when people share like kind of faulty stats but it was impressive about like if everyone under the age of 35 in Philadelphia registered and voted like they could control the vote because there's such a large population of them. And that to me was striking. And that to me when I was

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reading about you and preparing for today's interview, I thought to myself like that is such an important work that you're doing. Um, and it might feel like it's such a a big job like ah we're not going to move the needle, but I just wanted to encourage you and say like thank you for doing this work. I think it's really important. Um, and if there's any way that Manor College can work with you or work with your organization and try to get our students registered, um, I please definitely

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connect with me and I'll get you in touch with the right folks around here. But I just want to say thank you and I can see how important this work is. So I think it's really cool that you're in the role that you're doing right now. >> Oh, absolutely. We appreciate any time. More than willing. >> Yeah. So, Victoria, what do you see as kind of um your like career maybe next steps or career goals? What are some things that kind of on the horizon for you that you're looking forward to?

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>> Well, as of right now, I am enrolled at John's Hopkins University uh for public policy and data science. Um I hope to be complete that and do some more policy work uh more in the public sector and then I hope to go to law school. >> Wow. Oh, so you're in a master's program right now, >> correct? >> Right. And then law school. Wow. Okay. Well, you have some pretty incredible career goals that I have absolutely no doubt you're going to just crush. So, um I can't wait to keep

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following your journey and and that's really really exciting. So, what kind of law do you want to go into? >> Um I love tort law, uh car accidents, negligence, uh personal injury, uh things of that sort. Gotcha. You know, we I have to send you the link. We interviewed um a a lawyer on the show, an alumni of Manor. Um few weeks ago, I'm not sure when this show aired. Um but she is wonderful and she is a lawyer. I don't know if it's in personal injury or not. Um but I'm going

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to I'm going to find the link and I'll send it to you. We've had quite a few actually um students who have gone on to law school particularly through like the public policy or paralegal routes. Um so I think that's something that we definitely could get you connected to other Manor started but then turned into Manor lawyers. Um Helen Brooks she also graduated I don't know your paths went across. She graduated in 22 from Manor with a bachelor's degree, but she graduated in

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'09 from with paralegal. Um, so I don't know if your paths would have crossed in the in the more recent years, but I think she does work in personal injury actually as well. Um, so Victoria, what would be some advice that you would give to Manor students who are currently, you know, their students are coming back for classes next week? um college is hard and you know you just need a little bit of encouragement to get you along. What would you say for some advice for them? >> Uh don't be afraid to take initiative.

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Um if it's a matter of studying an extra hour or getting out there and getting yourself involved in a club, do it. Never be afraid. And uh don't shy away uh from something that you think you can do but you're not sure that you can do. Just try and do it. >> Okay? Have confidence. Just do it. Don't shy away from it. That that's great. Um, you know, we had new student orientation last week where all the freshmen come in and um I had the opportunity to moderate a panel and the panel was all students

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and I asked the students that same question. What advice would you give to these, you know, all freshman students and several of the student who were on the panel? you know, they're they're ambassadors, they're involved, they're people who like like you were when you were a student, and almost all of them said something almost identical to what you just said, like get involved. Even if you're shy and nervous, trust, you know, trust that it's going to be okay. Um kind of kind of fake it till you make

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it a little bit, which I think is great. I'm a big believer in that. So, um I think what you're saying totally rings true and I really hope that our students follow that advice. and and have a great Manor experience just like you did because it sounds like it it truly has paid off. Um, you know, not many of our graduates have two degrees from us that it's a growing population, but it's still, I would say, the minority population that has two degrees. So, kudos to you. um you're in

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a really special elite group and um it certainly takes a lot of hard work and dedication to to achieve that and um we wish you nothing but the best Victoria. Good luck in all of your uh career goals, your academic goals and we're here cheering you every step along the way. Thank you so much for being with us today. >> Absolutely. And you have a good one, Kelly. >> Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. And stay up-to-date with all new episodes by

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following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest. Stories about life after Manor College. Remember, Blue Jays, you belong here always.

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seeing like how things work, especially with um the the people that uh work here at um it to understand how they uh go around about things and being able to figure things out. It's really really interesting and I always try to like uh you know take notes and kind of like uh watch what they do so that I can like you know use that in the future. Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I am your host Kelly Peiffer vice president of marketing communications

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and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you. Making you feel like at Manor College you belong here always. Today's episode is sponsored by the Blue J Challenge Golf Outing. Hit the links for a cause. Join us for the Manor College Blue Jay Golf Challenge outing on October 13th at the Philmont Country Club. Support student athletes and enjoy a day of golf dinner and fun with special guest Philadelphia's favorite comedian Joe Conklin. Register now at manor.edu/golf.

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That's manor.edu/golf. We have a great show for you today. It is a pleasure to welcome to the show a Philadelphia native, a graduate of Northeast High School. Go Vikings. This guest is the youngest alumni we have had on the show to date. While studying at Manor College, he was not only a dedicated student, making the deans list multiple times, but also an accomplished athlete on our men's soccer team. He was a member of the ESAC all academic team in 2021. He also received the highly prestigious Brian Barry

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award. Currently working with the Manor College IT department and also being a team member at Target. It is my pleasure to welcome Wayne Nembhard to the nest. Hi Wayne. Hi. Hey. Thanks for joining us today. Thank you for having me. So Wayne, can you start us off by sharing with us how did you first hear about Manor College and why did you choose to attend? Um so I first heard Manor College I remember back in high school. I went to my um counselor and I saw that she had like a Manor flag in there. So I was

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like, "Oh, that seems like a pretty cool school." And plus there was a college fair that also had like you know the Manor stand. So I went over there checked out some of the programs and I was like oh I'm you know seeing a lot of uh options. And then I also did uh did a tour here and uh it's not and I that's when I realized that it's a lot closer to my house so it's not as far so it's really local and did the tour saw that they have a nice soccer field and I was like oh that's

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that's cool too. So and I was kind of like sold. I was sold. I was like yeah this is a school that I would uh like to attend. Well that's great. Wayne, your story that you just shared, that's like every admissions counselor's dream. Like, you saw our flag in the counselor office, you saw us at a college fair, you came for a tour, you were sold. That is like if every student could do that, we would be so so happy. Um, but I'm really glad that you were able to kind of put all those pieces together and obviously

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attend. Now, Wayne, you are our youngest um guest that we've had on the nest so far. We've had about 25 guests since launching the podcast earlier this year. You just graduated in May 2025. So, congratulations to you on graduating. That's such a huge milestone. Um, but what was your Manor experience like for you? What were you involved with? What were classes like? And kind of it wasn't that long ago obviously, but take us back. What was it like for you as a student? Um it was it was kind of nerve-wracking

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a little bit because definitely the um the switch into being college like when I first started uh my class I was like wow like I was really excited because just to be in that college feel and um and it was just and I liked how like the class sizes because with me being at Northeast a lot of the class sizes were kind of big. So, for it to be at like the smaller, it was it was really like good for me because then I can at least um I feel like I can um pay attention a lot better. So, and I can uh

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communicate with my teachers a lot easier. And uh yeah, and so some of the clubs I did um as you mentioned, I did play soccer and it was really fun like uh JD was amazing coach. So yeah, pretty much that's cool. That's cool. Um yeah, so it sounds like having that switch from maybe a larger high school where what was the average class size do you know in at Northeast? Was it like 40 50 kids in a class or was it bigger? Yeah, like I think around that like 40, right? So our average class size is

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around 12 to 13. So that's certainly a lot um more personalized. You can't really hide in that kind of setting. You know, the professors are going to know if you're there, if you're not, if you're paying attention and if you're struggling. Um and also you talked about the accessibility to faculty, being able to go up to them, chat with them, tell them what's going on in your life, and kind of just get that relationship. That's such a huge part, I think, of Manor's culture. Um, I

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like to say that like we we not only know your name, but we know something about pretty much every student on campus. We know part of their story, if not the whole story. Um, but we know certainly way more than just your name. So, that's something that I think makes Manor really unique and special. Um, so what was it like being a student athlete um on a collegiate level? That's a big deal and that's kind of like some a lot of people's dream is to play at that kind of level. What was that like

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for you? Um it was it was pretty fun like definitely and it definitely taught me scheduling when it came to um my school and plan cuz it was a little bit hard. But once I manage to build a schedule of okay, I'll do my assignments at this time and then so that I don't have to worry about it later when I go to uh practice and then I can just have after practice my time to rest and then the next day just kind of like rinse rinse and repeat. So definitely it helped when it came to building my schedule and um

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but yeah, it was fun like the the team it was it was fun. We had a blast, especially going to uh ESAC. So, yeah. Yeah. Were you a part of any of those ESAC championship teams? Yeah. Right. Yeah. That's awesome. You went to Virginia one year, right? Went to Pittsburgh this last year, I think. Um, right. Those kind of trips are always good bonding trips. That's awesome. Um, so, so Wayne, I do know that part of your academic journey, I mean, you were a bachelor degree student, so you were here for four

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years. Yes. Um, which, which is great. You know, every year we're seeing more and more bachelor degree students and it's really cool to see that growth because for us being a bachelor degree institution is still relatively new. We started those degrees in 2018, so it hasn't even been 10 years yet, but it's so cool to see that more and more students are staying for the four the four-year degree. Um, but in in those four years, um, you had a semester where grades were slipping, grades were not maybe what you wanted it

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to be. Um, but then you were able to kind of persist and work through it and get your grades up. Can you kind of tell me what was going on and kind of what made you like turn things around because that's hard to do? Yeah, definitely. Uh, I think the main thing was um family. My mom definitely told uh kept me focused and she told me she uh gave me a I can't remember but it was like a really good message but I can't remember it at this moment but it was she gave me a message and pretty

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much ever since then I always kind of like stuck to it. So and that helped me to um fix up uh my grades and whatnot. So yeah, and a lot of it was also communicating with my teachers. It was a big help and the tutoring as well. So yeah, a lot of that stuff was really helpful. That's great. I love that. I feel like you being able to turn it around. I mean, for a semester, you were getting D's and Fs, and then for the rest of your time at Manor, it was all A's and B's. That's pretty incredible. I

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mean, major kudos to you for doing that and and to your mom for being the encouragement that um you know that you needed, but I love how you shout you shouted out tutoring. I think tutoring is something that um everyone can utilize at Manor and I'm always encouraging others to go seek tutoring. Go get the help you need. There there should be no shame in that. There should be no stigma. You know what I mean? Like we're all here to succeed. Um, and whether you're going from a D to a C or

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you're trying to go from a B to an A or an A to like a better A, tutoring is here for you. So, certainly get the help you need. Um, because we have those services. It always pains me when I see students not doing well and you ask them like, well, did you go see tutoring? And they're like, no. It's like, well, come on, use the resources we have because we want to help you. So, that's amazing. I think that part of your journey really can will resonate with people. Um because not everything is

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always like cookie cutter picture perfect, right? Life is life is this up and down and there's es and flows. So um major kudos to you for persisting. A lot of people probably would have said, "All right, I'm just going to stop college and I'm going to go work and I'll figure it out later." But no, you persisted. So that's really impressive. Thank you. Um, so Wayne, talk us about talk to us about what you're doing in your career and kind of where your passion for computer science came from.

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What made you want to study computer science? So, um, growing up I was really like my dad, he had a uh business and it involves like technology and working with computers. So, I saw that and I remember just watching him fool around with like computers and I was like, "Oh, that seems pretty cool." And plus, like I'm like a movie fanatic, so I like watching uh movies. There was this uh one movie, I forgot the name of it, but it was where they um took a Xbox and made like a time machine out of it.

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So, I saw that and I was like, and it was, it's funny enough, it was like a bunch of college students. And I saw that and I was like, "Yo, that's like really cool." And you know, and ever since then, I kind of was just like had uh my uh like focus on when it came to like technology and whatnot. So, and plus I do play like a lot of uh video games during my downtime. So, Gotcha. Yeah. Okay. So, video games, movies, kind of having a natural bend for computer science and technology. That's That's

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cool. So, you're you're working right now in the Manor College IT department and um I know obviously you probably get a lot of password resets and those kind of things, the mail room copers jammed, you know, those kind of normal things that all of us who work here kind of deal with. Um what has been something interesting that you've learned so far from kind of working, you know, from going from being a student to working for the college? What's kind of been something interesting that you've kind

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of figured out? probably like how uh things work around here and I pretty much like everything because I didn't you know attending here I didn't really know much when it came to that stuff but seeing like how things work especially with um the the people that uh work here at um it to understand how they uh go around about things and being able to figure things out. It's really really interesting and I always try to like uh you know take notes and kind of like uh watch what they do so that I can

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like you know use that in the future. Yeah. Yeah. That's great. I always equate IT departments or IT people to like problem solvers. I feel like you guys are problem solving all day cuz no one comes to IT with not a problem. You know, everyone's always like this doesn't work. I'm struggling like it's never oh just hi you know what I mean it's always a problem to fix so you are professional problem solvers and that is a great skill to learn and that will translate into anywhere that you go

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um so talk to me about Target you're currently working for Target obviously Target is a huge corporation that many of us know um I personally love Target so much I'm a mom of three so Target is like a second home for me the drive up particularly is where I find myself most um week at least once on a weekend picking up diapers, milk, groceries, that kind of thing. Um but what is it like working for Target and kind of where do you see yourself growing in the future with your career? Um working at Target it's pretty it's

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pretty cool. um they have me like everywhere. So, it's definitely um definitely very interesting and I'm I am learning a lot and also um I'm I feel like I'm improving with my um de uh customer service skills. So, it's just a lot of stuff that um I'm like taking like small things and being like, "Okay, I could see how I could use this at like another like at another job." So, and it's pretty fun. It's pretty fun. Yeah, that's cool. Um, any I like asking this question about

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like busting any kind of myths or any debunking something that maybe we all have a misconception about. Any interesting myths that we could debunk about working at Target that maybe people think like I would think working at Target is pretty fun and cool, but maybe any myths that you feel like actually it's really this that you want to debunk for us? Um, I'll probably say like, so I've had some people come up to me and say like, "Oh, Target seems like a hard job to get into." I I don't think

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so because like I feel like there's definitely something that uh especially at the Target that I'm working at, I feel like it's definitely some room for people that can um definitely also grow and um be able to be able to uh work there as well. So that's just like that's just I think that uh is something. Yeah, that's cool. Well, Wayne, it certainly sounds like you are busy between the two jobs. Um where do you see your career going or what's like a goal that you have in mind for what you

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would like to see yourself do maybe in the next 5 years? um definitely try to find um a solid uh IT spot somewhere and be able to show some of the skills that I am learning from e from both pretty much from both jobs. So definitely yeah def I feel like that's definitely will be something. Yeah sure that's great. Well, make sure you're utilizing um the people that you're meeting at Manor in our IT department to maybe help leverage those further opportunities, but also our career services office. Um I know that's

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in a bit of transition right now, but once that office is fully staffed, you know, make that connection. Career services is an um is a service that's open to our alumni as well. So, you know, make sure that you meet the person and you tell them what what what you want to do, where you want to go, and they can also help you make those connections because a lot of kind of those first jobs is really getting your foot in the door. Um, and it is a little bit of like maybe who you know or who your boss knows and

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those kind of things. So, it's good that you are already getting yourself connected at several places. That's really good. So, so Wayne, thank you so much for spending time with us today. It's been really, really lovely chatting with you. One last question. What advice would you give to current Manor students? You were just in their spots. Um, but what advice would you give for them that kind of you're able to kind of maybe reflect upon now that you're a graduate? Um, I would say my

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advice is definitely stay focused on um stay focused on school definitely and time management. As soon as you get in, start um start to plan out things. Especially the one useful thing that I did was to take notes on my phone. like definitely take notes and have a a schedule up so that it's easier to um plan out your day and um that's pretty much it. Yeah, I mean that's great advice. Stay focused, time management, know how to manage your time. that's great advice. You can't go wrong

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with that. So, thank you Wayne so much. It was wonderful talking to you and I wish you nothing but the best. Thank you. Thank you for having me. You're welcome. Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. Stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest Stories about life after Manor College. Remember Blue Jays, you belong here always.

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I think that for current matter students pursuing their education is vital especially in this day and age. We need to excel educationally. We need to learn. We have to remember that throughout life you don't stop learning. >> Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I am your host, Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications, and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College

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you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call, did you know? Where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that Manor College has two advertisements right now on the ever so famous Wildwood boardwalk in New Jersey? Wildwood is the place where it seems Philly people gravitate towards during the summer months and it is where we at Manor College have been advertising since 2021 on the boardwalk as a poster

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in their sun shelters. This year we have two really great ads. One featuring two of our Manor College alumni, Marta and Vera Penkalskyj. They are Ukrainian sisters who are also graduates of our sister school, St. Basil's Academy. And in the ad, it says, "You belong here in English and also translated in Ukrainian." Wildwood attracts many Ukrainians every summer for its very popular Ukrainian week, which is later in the year in August. Our other Sun Shelter poster features Manor College

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student athlete and a recent graduate Ronise Exile who was a middle distance runner on our track and field team. She was a pre- N nursing student and she came from Samuel Fels High School. We love seeing selfies with these ads all summer long. Our president, Dr. Perry, has made his way to Wildwood and has taken a selfie or two with the posters as well. making sure that vacation goers are always keeping Manor in mind. Today's episode is sponsored by Manor College's bird feed. Did you know that

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some Manor College students struggle with food insecurity? Manor College is proud to be an official PA hunger-free campus. Our bird feed food pantry provides a vital lifeline offering non-p perishable food and toiletries to those in need. But we can't do it without you. Your donation of canned goods, dry goods, or financial contributions help us stock the shelves and ensure that no one on campus goes hungry. Learn how you can help by visiting manor.edu/birdfeed. That's manor.edu/birdfeed.

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We have a very special guest joining us today. A true northeast Philly native. She's a proud graduate of Archbishop Ryan for the girls. Go Rag dolls. After high school, she earned her associates degree in administrative secretarial from Manor College in 1986. While at Manor, she was an active student serving as the treasurer of Alpha Beta Gamma. She was also a first generation college student, making her achievements all the more impressive. After graduating from Manor, she continued her education, later earning

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her bachelor's from Holy Family University and a master's degree from LaSalle University. She's retaught here now and her new full-time job is being a caretaker for her beloved children. Her dedication to Manor College has continued to grow for years and we are so happy to announce that she is a current board member on our Manor College Board of Trustees. She was also the recipient of the 2023 Evening with Manor Gala Award. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Stasia Mento Maloney. Welcome Stasia.

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>> Hi, Kelly. How are you? >> I'm doing great. Thank you for joining us today and talking to me. It is always a pleasure anytime we get to spend time together. >> Oh, thank you for asking. >> So, can let's start off with why how did you hear about Manor and why did you choose to attend? >> I heard about Manor through ads. I did not want to go to a four-year college. I wanted to go into secretarial. Manor was the best fit for me >> because there weren't many schools that

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were two years and there weren't many schools that would go into the secretarial field. >> Mhm. >> So, and also my parents really wanted me to go to college. >> So, I decided that this it was either this or it was no college at all. >> Gotcha. Why do you think your parents really wanted you to go? Was it because they didn't have the same opportunity? >> Yes. Because neither one of them graduated from college. My father didn't graduate from high school. He went into

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the military >> um when he was 17. >> Wow. >> So, it was very important for him. >> Yeah. >> To see his children go off to college. >> Of course. Of course. And that makes perfect sense. Um, being first generation is so incredible because not only is it really meaningful for the person, but it's also for the entire family. You're setting a new trend in the family, a new standard. Um, so I could see how that would really be important and and you as the as the

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student or as the child or the daughter feels some kind of pressure like I gotta I gotta do this for my mom and dad, not just for me, you know. >> That's right. which is really impressive. Um 65% of our Manor students today are first generation college students. So that's still a really big population that we serve on campus. Um and I I just love that so much. I'm always so proud of our first gen students. Um, something that they do at graduation, which is fairly new, but it's really really cool, is

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that if you're a first generation college graduate, they wear these white like stools and they really pop against like the um black regalia that they wear. And it's just so cool to see, you know, students are processing in and you just see these white stoalls, you know, filtering through and you just think about like the people behind them, cheering them on, helping them pay for college, and just all the things that go into a family. And I often find that the first gen graduates as they walk across

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the stage, they get the loudest cheers. I feel like their parents, their families, there's a lot of them. They're loud. They're excited. And I I just love it. That's one of my favorite like times and days of um the entire year for us as like staff who kind of see these students day in and day out. >> Yes. And you saw them grow. >> Yeah. Oh gosh. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Saw them grow and you just see what it means for their families. It's really cool. >> Um so what was your Manor experience

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like and uh kind of take us back to what it was like to be a student when you were here? When I went to Manor, it was it was one of my best times in my life actually. It was I did my best in school. I got the best grades even from high school. Um the atmosphere was wonderful. The teachers, they could do nothing less than help you. Um there's two teachers in particular that really stand out which was Esther Goldman. She was my stenography teacher >> and my typing teacher and then Joe

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Stenberger and he was the um religion teacher and they just it was a great experience. >> Oh that's great. Um, I love it when when when alumni say that like they like thrived at Manor and they saw a difference between like their high school selves to their their Manor College selves and um why do you think that was? Why do you think it was your one of your best times and you really um just excelled academically? What do you attribute that to? >> It was a smaller school and you could be

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a little bit more yourself. you weren't in uni. I went to Archbishop Ryan and you had uniforms on and it was large when I went. Um I think our graduating class had over 500 kids at least >> and it was just smaller and you could have a better conversation with the teachers. I think there's a different level when you're in college than high school. You can have different conversations with teachers. >> Right. Right. The level of maturity, professionalism, but also that smaller atmosphere that

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really helps you get to know people and for them to know you. >> Um, that's great. It really kind of let you open up and kind of have that adult experience in a college setting, which is really cool to hear. I love that so much. >> So, tell us about your career. you um you went on and got a couple other degrees, but then you went into a career in in counseling. Kind of tell us why was that your path and what made you passionate about counseling? >> Well, I started out as a secretary for

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several years. Um I started out at a little firm and then I worked my way into general instrument as a secretary and then eventually worked my way up a little bit in general instrument and Motorola took them over. Um, then I just felt like I wanted to help people. And I guess one of those reasons was because everybody would come to my cube and sit down and tell me their problems. That was one of the reasons. And I'm like, >> I I guess I have that face. >> And they would just tell me all their

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problems and I would help them. And I'm like, I really think I want to go into psychology >> and be more of a helper to people. >> That's awesome. >> So, I guess it was several years after I graduated from Manor because I graduated from Holy Family in 2005. >> Mhm. >> And then in 2012, I graduated from Lel. >> Right. But you were working, you know, that whole time. >> I worked the whole time. >> Yeah. You know, and I find that um a lot of people are doing that. They're

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they're working and they're getting degrees and it's not really just like you're just doing one thing at a time. You're juggling wearing many hats, right? But I love that you said people were coming and telling me their problems and I was trying to help them and um kind of had a natural knack for that. So, >> I think that's really cool that you're able to kind of fulfill that in a in a career sense. That's wonderful. Um, so I mean today I know that you are a board member um for

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our trustees which is which is really special and wonderful and you are the alumni representative on the trustees which is I think extra extra special um kind of because you have that like 360 experience of like I was a student and now I'm I'm kind of on the other side of it which is pretty neat. Why did you decide to join the board? Um, and what has it been like being a board member? >> I decided to join the board after I spoke to President Perry uh several times and I felt that I could help the students. I could help

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the other board members. I could offer a perspective that was different from some of the typical board members that are in business. I come with a counseling background. I come with um an alumni background. >> And I can speak to more of the students. >> Yeah, >> definitely. I in knowing you for a number of years now, when I think of when I think of Stasia as a board member, the word advocate comes to mind, like you are certainly an advocate for um support services here at the college,

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whether that be counseling, whether that be mental health, whether that be um LGBTQ services, um our food pantry, and like the list goes on and on and on and like all the things that like we want to surround our students with um so it's not just like academics but we want to support them holistically. I think of you as like the advocate on the board to making sure that we're offering it, we're doing it properly and we're getting the support that we need and the resources to kind of pay it forward, you

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know. >> Yes. And I think that's important and I think that Manor offers that to their students. Mhm. >> You know, just when we receive emails from President Perry, I think to myself, what president does this? >> He's a very connected individual with the students and I see how they respect him >> and I'm proud to be a part of an institution like that. >> Yeah, that's great. Well, thank you so much for serving in that way. I know it's um it's a dedication. It's a

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service for sure. It takes time. It takes energy. You guys have long board meetings and discussions and you're on subcommittees and um it is work in a sense but I'm really grateful that you um are have chosen to give of yourself in that way to us because it's really it's really wonderful for us to have your support in in that. >> Yeah. Um so a question that I like to ask is um about like busting a myth about your career. So, you were a counselor. Um, what's something that

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maybe people assume about counseling or about um that profession that you're like, "No, that's not right. I want to I want to, you know, set the record straight." What's a myth that we can bust about counseling? >> I think a myth is the counselors give advice and we don't give advice. We try to help the client work out what they need to do to get to where they want to be because giving advice is not the right thing. >> It's it's you could lead them down the

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wrong path. >> Yeah. They need to come to their own conclusions and it's a balancing act of not giving them advice but having them find the advice inside themselves. >> Right. That's a good one for sure. Um that's really good. And helping people find the solutions like guiding them to solutions and opportunity as opposed to you just saying this is what you should do. Um, I have to admit I think I I had that wrong as well. I thought that counselors just

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like gave advice and told them what they should do opposed to what you're saying. So, thank you for straightening that out for me. Um, so, so Stacia, what would be some advice that you would give to current Manor students? Why um why is Manor a good option for them? But also if they're a current student, like why should they continue pursuing their education? >> I think that for current matter students, pursuing their education is vital, especially in this day and age. We need to excel

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educationally. We need to learn. We have to remember that throughout life, you don't stop learning. You know, I'm learning what my parents knew. My parents learned what their parents knew. So, it's a constant it's a revolving door. Mhm. >> And just if you decide that you want to go four years to Manor, look into going to another four years or two years at getting a master's degree. >> Mhm. >> And it will help you as a person, >> better yourself, and gain more knowledge

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>> because I think that's what we need to do. >> Yeah. I like what you said how education is vital. Um particularly in today's day and age, but you know even you know 30 40 years ago the education is vital. It's still changing family trees. Um >> you know and it's really it's powerful education something that people can't take away from you. Um you know you always will have it with you and it's something that really can can change

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your life. So I think that's really important. something that I I want to kind of ask as kind of a final question is um you you were honored from Manor College with um we have every year evening with Manor gala and every year we have a a recipient who's made a really large impact on our community and in 2023 you were the honored. Um what did that mean for you and kind of maybe take us back to what that what that kind of was for you? Honestly, I was blown away because I had no clue that I was going to be asked to

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be the the honored because I thought I don't I I think we don't think we do what we do >> and it was a wonderful experience and it brought me closer to wanting to do more for Manor. It was a very nice experience. >> Yeah, it was it was a beautiful it was a beautiful time. Um it was a um like a in-person event. There was, you know, food, drinks, music, speeches. Um what I remember the most and I was um the person who kind of produced most of the the event along with our marketing team

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and our advancement team, but uh was your family. We um we made this video of tributes of all of Stasia's kind of close family and friends and they shared a few words about Stasia and we went around filming them at their homes and at their workplaces. One of your friends was was going to on a flight somewhere and we grabbed her before she flew somewhere and um it was so cool to to see and meet all your friends kind of behind your back which was kind of kind of interesting. But then um we put

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together this big tribute video and to watch watch you and your husband Dan um watch this tribute to you and I mean like welling up with tears and it was so special to kind of like see the impact you've made not only on to Manor but to so many others. Um, that's something that I really remember well from that night and just how loving your family was and is. Um, and how much they admire and look up to you and um, it really shows what you do at Manor is not just in a silo here at Manor. It's it's

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spreading out to lots of other people, lots of other ways. Um, and I think that's important. You know, something that I I like to connect if and when I can is how our alumni and our graduates are really like embodying our mission and living out our mission. Um, and I think I I I know you stage certainly are. You know, the last line in our mission says that Manor graduates are prepared to serve society effectively and compassionately. And and I have no doubt in my mind that you are doing that and you will continue to do

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that. Um because that's just kind of who you are and I think that's a beautiful thing. >> Oh, thank you. I I had no clue that my family was going to say anything that they said >> that night. >> I just kind of get up and I do my thing every day, >> right? >> And that's it. >> Right. Well, little by little it has, you know, a big impact. You know, those little things every day kind of add up to a lot. So, um well, Stasia, thank you for joining us today. It's been

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wonderful to chat with you and hear more of your story. Um, and we wish you nothing but the best. >> Well, thank you so much for having me. I I enjoyed it. >> Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube and stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest, Stories about life after Manor College. Remember Blue Jays, you belong here always.

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being first gen. Uh they were very proud. So am I. Uh just proud of myself that I was able to, you know, achieve that. It's probably my biggest achievement to this day. Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I am your host Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications, and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College, you belong here always. Before we get to

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today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call Did You Know? Where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that Manor College's men's soccer team will travel more than,200 miles during the 2025 season? 1,276 to be exact. The Blue Jays have just released their 2025 schedule this week, starting their season on the road in Virginia to play Patrick Henry College. They then return to Jenkintown for their home opener on September 3rd against

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Penn State Lehigh Valley. The Blue Jays are coming off of a back-to back ES sack championship appearances and looking to return to the USCAA National Championship Tournament. So, what can you do with 1,276 miles? How about travel across Pennsylvania four and a half times? The distance our team will travel in 2025 is longer than Louis and Clark's first expedition from St. Lewis to North Dakota and Ponce de Leon's first voyage in search of the fountain of youth. Thankfully, you don't have to

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travel all 1,200 miles to see your Blue Jays as they will play 14 home games right here at 700 Fox Chase Road in Jenkintown this season. Go Blue Jays. Today's episode is sponsored by Manor College's Career Closet. Help Manor College students put their best foot forward. Donate your gently used professional attire to the career closet. Suits, blazers, blouses, dresses, accessories. Your contributions empower our students and alumni for internships and those important interviews. Visit the career

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center to donate or find your perfect professional look. Open 9 to 4:30 Monday through Friday. Email careercenter@manor.edu and schedule your donation drop off today. We have a great show for you today. Our guest is a Philadelphia native and a first generation college student coming from Abraham Lincoln High School just six minutes away from Manor College's campus. He went on to earn an associates degree in liberal arts from Manor in 2013. While at Manor, he was a student ambassador and a member of the men's

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soccer team. After graduating, he transferred to Brin Athen College to study business administration. He today is working in transportation operations management and logistics at Amazon. It is my pleasure to welcome Mike Redondo to the show. Hi Mike. >> Hey, thanks Kelly. Quite the intro. Um glad to be on. >> Thanks for having me. >> So happy to talk to you. So Mike, if you don't mind, start us off by um why did you choose Manor? How did you hear about it? And kind of take us back to that

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decision. >> Sure. So, um, as you mentioned, I attended a Ram Lincoln High School, uh, in Northeast Philly. And I would say Manor kind of chose me in a sense. Uh, Manor showed up at a college fair one day. And at that time, the admissions counselor was John Dempster. Um, and I was undecided, uh, and didn't know, uh, what to do or what I wanted to study coming out of college. Um, however, I did want to play soccer at the collegiate level. um saying that my friend was getting highly recruited um by John Dempster. He

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was a goaltender um at my uh at high school and I just shared to him that hey I don't have an idea. I kind of do want to play at the next level but I'm undecided in which career path I want to go on. And again JD made that entrance. He kind of told me what a Manor was all about, what uh, you know, the two-year programs they offered at the time, and how many students um, coming out of high school are actually undecided. Um, but that this is a good a good way to, you know, get your, you know, your foot in

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the door, um, knock out those general education courses, you know, that will that will be needed no matter which career uh, you want to go on. So, um, and I'm very fortunate and glad that I did that. Um it's definitely a big impact on my life on people that I've met. Um uh career after, you know, graduating and things like that. I'm sure we'll move on. Um but yeah, Manor has been a very very big uh part of my life. >> Oh, I love that. Um, growing up in the Northeast and going to Lincoln High

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School, which I know we get a lot of students from that particular high school, had you already been familiar with Manor to some level, maybe heard of it or families or any kind of like familiarity with it? >> None at all. So, it's actually just going to the guidance counselor's office one day and I said, "Hey, I heard this, you know, school through the grapevine, very small." Um, and she actually mentioned that I might like uh like Manor also. um because of my situation

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and how undecided I was um and how small knit it was. Um but before that, no prior knowledge uh of Manor. Um but then it's funny like once I go there, all of a sudden I meet all these alumni that I actually knew that went to Manor. Um that's kind of how it works out. >> That's so funny we hear that. I think um I feel like when you're on an alumni from over 10 years ago, so hopefully our our branding has done a little bit of a better job that where you don't have that as any much anymore, but I think

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it's common for people to like you're not aware of it, but then once you become aware of it, you're like aware of it because it's, you know what I mean? Um, so that's really cool to hear and it's great that you had a friend who was being recruited to play here as well and you kind of could could have someone that you know and >> definitely >> I think I think John Dempster who was he was a counselor then he's now an athletic director. He's still the head

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men's soccer coach. I believe he also was from Lincoln High School, right? >> Yes. Or similar stories. It's >> similar stories, right? Rail splitters, right? Is that what >> Lincoln rail splitters? That's it. I >> can hear him saying that um loudly in my head. So that that's so cool to hear. So once you became a student, um what was your Manor experience like? What were you involved with? Kind of what were your classes like? And kind of take us back to like what life was like for you

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as a student. >> Okay. So yeah, around like 2011 2013, the manor was uh again very small but very welcoming. Um very friendly place. whether you're, you know, taking a stroll in the neighborhood, Alvelthopre Park, across the street, the neighbors, um, you know, you know, they wave a hello, things like that. But, um, kind of the stranger not knowing what to expect, um, at Manor, um, being from the Philadelphia public school system. Also, um, I'm also, you know, first generation, so as I'm at Manor, I'm

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learning all these new things, um, with life on, you know, financial aid and and all the things. Um, but again, very welcoming. Uh, the soccer team definitely makes it easier. Uh, you know, you meet some familiar faces and some, uh, some rivals that you that were in high school, you know, now they're on your team, which is, uh, definitely, uh, a nice, but like rude awakening kind of because you got to get along now, you know, and you're on the same team to try to win. >> Yeah. >> But, um,

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>> very fortunate that happened. Again, smooth transition. My friend, uh, that was the goalkeeper ended up coming also. you know, we go in August, we do our routines. Uh we had John Dempster and Dan Campbell at the time, my first year. They were the coaches. Um and I just remember practicing in hot 90° weather uh at 9:00 a.m. Um but again, some of the best moments of my life. Um getting to know those rivals. Uh actually became very good friends with them. um the one went to Washington

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where we couldn't get past the hump in high school but now you know being a teammate now he's my best friend and uh I'm the godfather of his daughter this day so it's very cool and then another one as you see this prominent scar I had >> um I had an injury and he ended up coming to man and uh becoming my teammate also so um everything was for the first month I would say while season was soccer. Um, but then going on from that, >> uh, teachers were very helpful. Um, Annie Kop was my adviser and put me in

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everything that, uh, I should have been, but also think >> put me in what I needed at the time, >> um, to kind of help me, uh, find what kind of career path I wanted to do. And >> she was >> kind of more con uh, she was in psychology and then I kind of grew a liking to that and kind of dove towards that with the liberal arts degree. um >> classes again really really small so good. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That that's so great to hear that like you felt like your transition from

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high school to college was fairly smooth. Um and I I I always think that like freshmen in college do so much better when they are a part of a group like you came in and like your group was soccer and that was like a little built-in built-in connections built-in friends. Um even if some might have been rivals but now they're you know hopefully friends. on the same team. Yeah. >> You know that that's okay. And I also love what you said how like you're now the the godfather of one of your college

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friends daughters. Like that's college to me is really it's about making those lifelong connections with people that like these are going to be your people and they're going to be your people for life through marriages and births and deaths and buying homes and like going through the the hardships of life together. So, it's really important to kind of meet those people in college, and I'm so glad that it sounds like you were able to do that as well. Um, but I want to talk about being first gen

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because being first gen is a big deal. And, um, I I love celebrating our first gen students, our first gen graduates. Um, I'm not sure if you know this, but 65% of Manor students right now are first generation college students. So, it's a it's a large population of who our current students are, but it's also we have a long history of like we've always kind of had first gen students. Um, what did that mean to you? And and I guess when you graduated, what did that mean for

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your family? But also like was your family supportive of you going to college or were they like kind of like, well, I didn't go to college and I I I turned out okay, so like why do you need to go? Like what was the what was the feeling of Mike going to college? That's a big deal. >> Sure. I mean, they were definitely really excited for me. Um, they did want me to go to college and pretty much have my own path in life. Um, they didn't uh go to college as mentioned. Um, but uh they did support me uh on my decision to

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go um obviously housing um and any other ways you know cheering me on at the games and if you know asking me about my day, things of that sort. Um so I definitely had the support. Um the toughest part was of course you know learning uh you know the trying to get accepted and things like that. Um but now being first gen uh they were very proud so am I. Uh just proud of myself that I was able to you know achieve that. It's probably my biggest achievement to this day. And also um just where it's taken

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me in life. Uh you know I worked in admissions a little bit after Manor. So, I built those relationships, but I just stuff that I can take with me um in the work uh place have all been learned at Manor. >> Um >> Yeah. >> Well, that's that's awesome, Mike. And I mean, major kudos to you. It is not easy to go to college. It is not easy to like be the first of your family to do something that no one has done before. the process, all the higher ed like lingo and is, you know, certain

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isms that are just only in higher education. Um, so that's really cool that you've kind of paved a way for >> other people in your family, cousins that look up to you, just people are watching, you know what I mean? Um, and that's a cool thing that you've been able to set that stage for them. So, I I think it's amazing and I can't give you enough kudos. something that we do at graduation um which as you were talking made me think of this um they now students if you are graduate if you're a

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first gen graduate you have like a special stole that you can wear and they're white so they really pop against like the um black and gray regalia that they wear and it's so cool to see you know hundreds of kids walk by and you see so many white stolls and I feel like those cheers are the loudest cheers at graduation it's the first and graduates are up there and their whole family is just going crazy. >> Mine is pretty loud also. Yeah, >> I love that so much. >> I love that. So, let's get into your

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career a little bit. So, you graduated from Manor, you go to Bin Athen, you get a business degree. Um, and then I know you worked here actually in our admissions office for a few years, which is great. We love having alumni work in admissions and it's we have we have an alumni right now in admissions, Damian. Um, and it's just it's great. It's what's a great selling point to show that, you know, you know the school better because you you've been you've been a student. Um, but now you're at

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Amazon. Obviously, everyone knows Amazon for many reasons. Actually, today when I was driving in, there was a story about Amazon on um the radio and they said Amazon is an ecosystem. And I was like, that's a pretty large statement, but I don't I think I agree. It is really an ecosystem. It is not just like a retailer or a media company. It is a it is much more than that. But tell us kind of what is your role and um how is it working for Amazon and kind of what is it like?

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>> Sure. So Amazon has uh been good to me so far. Uh I've been there since 2020 around the co time and uh you know it's five years uh going in October. Um but I am part of the transportation operations management side of things. Um so Tom team for short uh it's mainly logistics um but we um do some computer work as associates and also have to be hands-on sometimes and um we call it customer facing which is you know it might impact certain delivery reaching our consumers. Um, so we'll receive a shipment from a

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vendor, whether they're selling through us, we'll prep it, you know, package it up the way they like, and once we have the orders, we'll load it into a trailer, and then we'll send it to a little delivery station where they'll sort it out, and then it'll reach the consumer. So, I don't um deal with, you know, direct consumers, but what we do definitely impacts the uh delivery or the logistics of it all pretty much. What has been like the craziest item you've seen? I'm assuming you've seen

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some crazy items. >> Um, in our facility, um, for the most part, everything has to fit in a gallon tote. Um, so we won't get like the big refrigerators or televisions or anything like that. >> Right. Right. >> Um, but we literally sell everything, >> I'm sure. >> Yeah. Everything. Even these new gadgets um that that come out and I don't even know what they do yet, but >> Right. Literally everything. >> Do you ever look at stuff and you're

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like, "What is this?" >> Yeah, exactly. All the time. Yep. It'll fall out the trailer, too. And you're just like, "Uh, okay. Put that back in there. Don't know what it is." But definitely. Yeah. It's everything. >> That's cool. What is like um like a a myth or maybe a misconception about like working for Amazon or working in your role that you're like people might think it's this, but actually I can set the story straight. It's actually this. was

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like a myth we can we can debunk. >> Uh maybe that I have something to do with uh their package or me knowing when their package comes but other than that uh yeah nothing comes to mind right now but uh I don't know maybe have you heard of any myths maybe and then >> I mean I think people are always assuming that like the people who are packaging stuff are like so careless and just like you know throwing it all together and that kind of stuff. No, they're definitely um definitely

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well trained uh employees. I'm sure one can have a bad day here and there. Um but we also have robots. There you go. It is a myth. So sometimes >> um the person that's packaging uh the box might not be a human. It's actually a robot. >> You robots? >> Yes. >> So would you say that some of your co-workers are robots? >> Um no, not my my co-workers to say I guess. Yeah. Right. If they're the ones packaging and giving us an easier >> Yeah. >> uh transition on getting things out of

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the warehouse, then Yeah. Yeah. >> Do you find that are Yeah, that's crazy. >> Do you find that are you using AI at all in in your role or or not yet? >> They're starting not yet. >> Um it is a little how I say weird. They're not used to it. >> Oh, you can say weird. the the uh the truck some of them like the cell sometimes we get the semi-truck and they pretty much you know assist you in driving at all times we have cameras everywhere things that

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>> so they're like self the self-driving trucks >> in a way not like not like full Tesla mode >> right right you're not like falling asleep because like the okay but that's wild >> but like it'll stay in the lane for you >> and things like that so yeah I mean the technology is advancing they are going electric also Um they're still working on it. Um you can see probably most of the delivery vans are electric now and things like that. So they are definitely

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uh investing in technology and uh more robotics. Um so it is the future. We'll see. >> Yeah, that's that's cool. Um, would you say that I guess what value do you feel that like your Manor education gave you that you can kind of relate to what you're doing in your career today? >> I would say just working together as a group, you know, when you're in a such a small classroom. Um, we're pretty much all there to help each other succeed and pass the course. Um, and that's

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something I think you do at Manor. A lot of sure, you know, a lot of uh people learn, you know, in different ways and want to do it on their own. Um but I felt like when my time uh at Manor, you know, being in a classroom with 16, we would uh you know, take notes for each other if someone was missing that day. Um and pretty much just fill you, you know, get you up to par, get you up to speed so that you can succeed. Um, and I think I bring that to Amazon. Um, because say co-worker missed a meeting last week

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and, uh, now we're running a new destination with a trailer. I'm like, "Hey, like this is a new destination that we're going to, um, we can work together. If you have, you know, any questions maybe on a route to take, uh, I can help you with those things." And it's basically just being more communicative, >> um, with my peers, um, in a work setting. um doing things like uh podcast, Zoom meetings also when we at work um and even working at Manor helped me um you know in admissions when I did

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those uh fancy presentations during open houses >> in front of a group of people um they definitely helped me be more comfortable where I am today um and being able to approach anyone in a room pretty much whether you're you know the general manager or um you know someone that's um making sure the boxes get to where they need to That's great. So, feeling like Manor gave you some really good skills that you could take really anywhere. Communication, teamwork, um service. A lot of what you're talking

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about is like helping and serving others. And that's something that's really core to our mission. Um our mission, the last line in it in it says we prepare graduates to serve society effectively and compassionately. And sometimes you think like, oh well that's going to be someone's like a teacher or who works for a nonprofit, you know, someone who's doing pastoral work or something that's kind of more um like service to the community. But >> working at Amazon certainly is a service

00:21:09
to the community. >> Um there are plenty of times where, you know, I I I maybe I just had a baby and I need something that next day for my baby to help her sleep or to help me as a new mom. and Amazon, you're like, "Thank God for Amazon." Um, you know what I mean? Like, so it is certainly it is a service. So, I I thank you, Mike, for kind of finding ways to keep um instilling those values in your work because I think that's really cool that you're doing that. Okay. >> So, my my last question for you is what

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advice would you give current college students who are they're in it, they're in their classes. Um maybe they took summer classes. We have, you know, the fall semester starts up in just a few weeks here. What advice would you have for them as a as an a proud alumni who's kind of been through it? >> Sure. So, my uh my biggest one looking back at it now would probably be um procrastination and prioritizing. Most definitely. Um, during my Manor time, I also worked full-time. Um, so sometimes

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I feel like my job got in the way of me, you know, getting my homework. Um, but what I can say is Manor has the facilities and the help uh, you know, to get you on track. Make a schedule, grab that planner, you have a little hour, two hour break. Definitely use the library, which is where I spend most of my time, if not there, the cafeteria. Um so prioritizing um also making sure um you know get out of your comfort zone a little bit. Um me I was a little bit more outgoing my time. So um

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just welcome others into the community. But that's what that's what Manor is all about. So whether um you kind of put yourself out there and you'll kind of you'll definitely gravitate towards it and feel it. But yeah, definitely procrastination for one. Um, and it will set you up a lot better in life like I'm talking about today, you know, with work and career-wise. >> Yeah, that's great. Well, Mike, thank you so much for sharing your story about

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your career with us. I know I found it really encouraging and inspiring. Um, and we wish you we wish you nothing but the best. >> Thank you, Kelly. >> You're welcome. Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. Stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest. Stories about life after Manor College. Remember Blue Jays, you belong here

00:23:40
always.

00:00:00
[Music] Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I am your host Kelly Peiffer vice president of marketing communications and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call did you know? where we will share some fun facts about Manor College that you may or may not know.

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Did you know that Mary Sims, a professor and longtime beloved faculty, has officially retired? After 33 years of dedicated teaching at Manor College, this past spring, we celebrated Professor Sims's legacy and had a retirement party for her. Mary's journey at Manor College began as an adjunct professor in 1992. Having after tragically lost her first husband, Manor College became a sanctuary, a place where she could pour her passion for law back into teaching, she found that something was missing

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from her work as a litigator. And it was in the classroom that she was rediscovered her true calling. Her impact on students is truly remarkable. Students have shared that Professor Sims would focus on we instead of I, helping them navigate college together. It's not just the students who will miss her. Her colleagues who hold her high in regard shared at her retirement party. Many, many stories and many, many lessons that they have learned over the years from Mary. Mary's dedication to her students,

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particularly those facing challenges, is a defining characteristics. Even in retirement, her commitment continues as she plans on to continue writing recommendation letters, empowering the next generation, helping her students and graduates find jobs while also spending time with her husband Rich, her dog, Sammy, and enjoying her home down at the Jersey Shore. We wish her all the best in her retirement. Congratulations, Professor Sims. Are you looking for affordable, high quality dental care? The dental

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health center at Manor College has you covered. Get the care that you need for up to 50% less than private practices. The dental health center at Manor College also offers Invisalign. You'll even help train the next generation of dental professionals. Visit manor.edu/dhc today and get your appointment scheduled. Today we are thrilled to welcome a proud graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. She's a true testament to dedication, having earned not one but two degrees from Manor College, an associates in paralegal

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studies in 2009 and a bachelor of science and public policy in 2022. As a first generation college student, her journey is particularly inspiring. She's currently making an impact as a structured settlement specialist at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath. Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Helene Brooks. Welcome, Helene. Hi, Kelly. Thank you for having me. Yes, thank you for joining us today on the nest. So, can you start us off by sharing how did you choose Manor College? How did you hear about Manor

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and kind of take us back to that time? So I graduated high school in 1982 and at that time a friend of mine who was a year older went was going to Manor and you know I knew of the school. I met her there a couple times. We went out afterward. She didn't live there but you know it would be a meeting place. I went to a different school and did not have a great experience my own doing. um always knew that one day I wanted to go back. Well, it took till I was 40 in 2004. I was looking for a school and I loved

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what Manor had to offer in the sense of courses, you know, degrees and that that at that time they really catered to their older students. And I like that cuz I was definitely afraid of failure. I didn't want to be a two-time dropout. Sure. So that's how I got to man. Oh, that's neat. Um so so many times we hear stories about um an influential friend or family member who kind of got a student to Manor because they, you know, showed it to them or encouraged them. So, I love that that's part of your journey as

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well. So, what was it like being a student in their 40s and what was it like for you um in your first degree experience here back in um you know the early 2000s? So, it was it again it was very scary at first um but I felt welcomed. It was from Diane Pevar was my advisor and she just made it so I wanted to continue to go and all of the instructors and forgive me I don't remember half of their names. That's okay. Uh it just it just was welcoming and then I sort of relaxed and then lost

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that feeling of failure. I knew I could do it once I got through the first semester. And I just, you know, my biggest fear was uh composition because I could not write or I did not feel I could write and I learned how to write and I not only loved the class, that's what made me go back for a second semester is English comp. And I wish I could remember who I had because she was amazing. She used to come dressed as Shakespearean characters and she would handle class from the perspective of that character

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if we were when we would read um Shakespeare. And for the first time in my life, I understood it. Right. So she was great. And then I ended up taking a summer class with for English comp 2 and I was like, "This is great." Yeah. So there were like moments um early on that convinced me that I could continue to go and I did and I feel like I did pretty well. Um and I when I graduated, I always knew I wanted to go on for my bachelors, but you know how that is. You know, I tripped over life. I tripped over

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myself. um had some personal issues and but it eventually happened. So, I'm grateful. Yeah. Oh, that's great. And you know what I mean? So so many people think that you have to follow this like straight little arrow that's going to be like point and it's just not true. That is just not life. Life is this curve hills and valleys. Um so I think that's great to hear and I loved that story about your English professor. Um, so you were a paralegal student. Why? And and how did

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you know you wanted to study paralegal? Um, and like what where does that passion come from? Okay. I can't really say there was a passion in 2000. I was a I had just left a job. Um, it was a a hostile work environment. That's all you know. So, I sold my house and I moved back home with my parents and I said, "I'll be out in six months. I just need to, you know, find another place." And that's when I decided to go to school. Mhm. So, I thought insurance, medicine, or law. There are three things

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that no matter what the economy is going through, if you need them, you need them. So, I felt it would be the safest way to go. Insurance seemed boring. Ironically, I'm in insurance now. Um, I'm too emotional for medicine, though. I did go back to Manor and get my medical coding certificate. Oh, you did? Interesting. Yeah. So, I settled on law and I thought I can do this, you know, I can I didn't want to be a lawyer, but I knew I there was there were there was a place for me. Sure. And that's how I got to paralegal. I

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like that strategic thinking you had like one, two, three. Okay, let's narrow it down and let's just stick with one of these. Um, and you're right. I mean, those are three things that are never going away, never going out of style, always going to be in business. So, that's really neat to hear. What is something about um being a paralegal that's like a myth that like everyone thinks this thing and you're like, "No, it is not true." What's like

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a something you could debunk about being a paralegal? So, I'm not a traditional paralegal. Most paralegals have to build their time, which is I can honestly tell you I did do it for a while. It is not pleasant. Having to keep time of your day in six minute increments. Oh gosh. With everything you do. And if you don't track something, it affects your billable hours. And there are requirements. So that as much as I do, as much as people I think have always thought that paralegals do all

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the work and the attorney just signs their name, part of that is true. Part of that, you know, absolutely is true, but we're nobody without the attorneys and they're a little lost without us. So I think that's, you know, it's we feed off each other, right? It's this symbiotic relationship between the two where maybe the myth is like, oh, paralegals, they do it all and the lawyer just gets the credit. Um, but you're saying it's not. It's really a relationship and like a team,

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right? So with like what I do, I deal directly with my clients. I manage uh attorneys all over the United States that I work with. So, it's not all I I don't do all the work, but I'm definitely a an important part of the team. Sure. That's great. That's good. That's a good myth to debunk. So, you um you came to Manor and you were kind of an adult student and then you went out in the workforce and then you you came back to get a bachelor's and you said you always

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kind of wanted a bachelor's. Was the motivation for that just like I always wanted this degree and I better get one now or was there other things in the background that kind of motivated you to go get that bachelor's? So I I met my wife in 2012 and she always said from the time I met you, you said you wanted to go back to school and get your bachelor's degree. But you know, I had stumbled after I graduated from Manor. My dad died while I was in Ma getting my associates. I graduated and a year later my brother

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died and my mother lived with me and I kind of cared for her. She was capable, but emotionally and mentally, you know, you lose a spouse and then you lose a even my brother was an adult, but still as a parent, um it's not the way it's supposed to be. So, I just kept tripping over life. And a friend of mine sent me an email in 2017, I guess it was, and said, "Hey, did you see the Manor went to a four-year added four-year um degrees to the school?" And I was like, "No, I hadn't seen that."

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So, I went online, checked it out, and that was it. It was like the stars aligned and it was time. Oh, how cool. Yeah. In um in 20 2018 we launched bachelor degrees and that was we had a bunch of alumni who kind of were like finally here I go I'm going to come you know and that was so cool to have you back and now you joined us as a as a student and then COVID hit. um what was it like being a student and and also being a working professional in COVID kind of what was that experience like? So it actually it actually helped me co

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because I didn't have you know I work full-time and I work in the city so I didn't I no longer had that hour and a half commute every day 45 minutes each way. Yeah. So I get a little bit more sleep in the morning. Yeah. Because I sort of roll out of bed and world with the desk. Sure. Um I didn't have the travel after work. Um and then coming home having dinner and Yeah. I have a home to take care of also. Sure. Um at the time my wife traveled for work. So when COVID hit stopped her traveling too.

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So I'm at one end of the dining room table and she's at the other. Right. So we worked and then her she works better at night. So it was sort of like support in that I'm sitting there after work continuing to work with school and she's still sitting there also working. So it was it was nice. It was it gave me that we were to be able to be together and still be productive in what we both needed to accomplish. Yeah, that's that that's great. That's such a good like you don't often hear

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people share like positive things about the COVID era, right? Usually it's pretty negative for and for good reason sometimes, but that was a really good um positive kind of take on that situation. Um I remember you specifically Helene at your graduation in 2022. you were one of the last ones to get called up for your diploma because you were getting a bachelor's degree and that's just the nature of the processional. And I remember you turned to like the audience or maybe our

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photographer Anthony or one of our photographers was there and you were so excited. You were like so excited and you just had this great big smile on your face and it was just pure joy. Um, and that's exactly what, you know, we who work on planning graduation and these big ceremonial days. Like we just, that's why we do it. We want to see students just have that moment of like, I'm so proud of myself and I'm just so joyous that it's over, but I did it. And you like encapsulated that perfectly in

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that day. And I still remember that so vividly. You were right there, right in front of me. And I was like, look how happy she is. That's awesome. So major kudos to you for pursuing because it's not easy. It's not easy working full-time, getting a degree, and just living life. It's hard. It really is hard. It was so worth every moment of, "Oh my goodness, I'm never going to get this assignment in on time. Oh my goodness, how am I going to get all this done?" I was really proud of I still am

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very proud of myself. Um I overcame a very big personal issue also. Um and I believe that I'm a recovering alcoholic. I overcame I am in recovery for 10 years now. So I did I you know I got my associates degree through my addiction. M I had a 36 and I thought look at that through my addiction I had a 36. Wow. In recovery I had a 40 for my bachelors and my reason for sharing that because I don't share it often. I I you know it has to have meaning when I share it outside of um my recovery group. Mhm.

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If I can overcome something like that, so can everybody else. And you can move forward. It's never too late to get an education. Mhm. I'm 61 and I am starting my master's program in two week in four weeks. Wow. Five weeks. I'm blown away first of all that I was accepted. Um, and that I'm doing it. It's I amaze myself on a daily basis. And I'm very fortunate. My wife is my biggest supporter. Here we are looking towards retirement, making sure we're doing everything right

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because we're getting close and here I am taking out loans so I can go to school. Um, but in her eyes, she said it's education. It's good debt. It's not. We don't not educate ourselves because we're afraid of money. If we want it bad enough, there are ways. Right. Right. Wow. Well, that's so encouraging. My goodness. Thank you for sharing. And congratulations on 10 years of recovery. I mean, that's amazing. And I love you said I had a 3.6, then I had a 4.0. So, um, sounds like you were

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just, you know, definitely someone who is certainly capable, but, you know, really excelling in in a higher education environment. Um, so talk to us a little bit about what you currently are doing in your career and in your role and at the firm that you're at. So, I am what is called a structured settlement specialist. I work um in our insurance group and I work with uh structured settlements and annuities. Anybody that's ever watched late night TV has seen the commercials for JG Wentworth. You want your money now

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called JG Wentworth. The difference being that JG Wentworth is what is called a factoring company. So they're not the owner of the annuity. They're just a middleman. They're a third party who's getting involved. I work directly for the insurance companies, the owners of the annuity who as a courtesy to their clients will buy back their payments. So, it's one two there. There's no third party in there. And I, as I shared earlier, I deal with attorneys all over the United States,

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which is one of my favorite parts of my job. Mhm. I have met so many people that today I honestly call them my friends. Drinker has 13 offices I believe. It might be more and I might have really messed that up but that's okay. I work with people in almost all of them. Wow. You know and I manage seven projects for seven different clients. I have three attorneys on the team that I work for or work with because we are a team and I'm busy all the time there. If there's downtime, I have work that I push to the

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side that doesn't have to be done right away that I catch up on. Um, but so that's what I do. I I and I am the only person in the firm that does what I do. So which is kind of special and right right specialized and um unique unique very much so and and stressful you know when I Yes. you know, it's not like I can say, "Well, you know, I'm going away for two weeks. Can somebody who's going to back me?" You know, so that's always a struggle when I go on vacation. How to

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handle it? Because the attorneys don't there's only one attorney that knows how my job, right? She's the only other person in the firm that knows my job start to finish. She's too busy to do it and her job. So, um, you know, I'm more than willing to take my laptop with me on vacation and when there's an emergency or something that somebody I can't talk somebody through. If I have to do it, I do it, right? I'm I'm willing to do that. I was taught at a very young age from my

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father, you never say no if you're asked to do something on your job. Period. Right. Well, that is that is great. It's cool to hear that. like you are essentially like irreplaceable at in what you do, but also that your um you know, your career has been pretty fulfilling. It sounds like it's been something that um really like fills you up. This position has. Um I've been doing this now for 10 years. Uh I've had many other jobs. I had other positions in the firm. I've had I

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managed a hearing aid um company. Um I worked in manufacturing. Uh I worked in banking. I've done a lot of different things. I have now been with the firm for uh I can't add uh since 2008. 2006 actually. So 19 years. Yeah. Almost 20 years. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. It's the longest I've ever been anywhere, any one place. So obviously it's it you know was the right decision for me back in 2005 to get a paralegal cert uh associates degree in paralegal studies. Yeah. Take take you back to your three options

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insurance medicine law. I think you picked the out of those three you know pathways you picked the right one for you. That that's so cool to hear and thank you again for sharing so much of your story with us. I mean, the goal of this podcast is to um encourage, inform, and inspire our audiences, particularly our students, and then any prospective students who are thinking about coming to Manor. And I I really I I hope that they resonate with your story and feel encouraged by it. I know I certainly do.

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As we kind of wrap up our episode here, um I always ask our guests for any advice that they have for current Manor students who are in it. and you know just um living the college life and it it's it's hard sometimes depending on what you're doing and whether you're working or taking care of a family or you know just taking classes. So what advice would you give them as someone who's been there done that and kind of can see it from another angle? Well, first and foremost, it's never too

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late to get an education. So if you have to take a break between high school and college, so be it. I want I wanted to work. So I did. Um and at any age we can be taught, we can learn every day. We should learn something. Um and do something you love. Just absolutely do something you love. And I will say the I guess the caveat to going later in life because every time I take a class I say I should have done this when I was younger and had the stamina. There's something to be said for going on my terms, not my parents' terms and

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not, oh, I'm right out of high school. I should go to college. Right. I went when it was time when I was ready and I'm still benefiting from it every day. my master's degree. I pro I'm not going to work in at my current job past the age of 70 probably. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But what it affords me to do is teach and I can continue to give back that way. So just never give up. Just keep going. And if you want more schooling, get it. It's if there's a will, there's a way.

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Yeah. No, that's great. I love um I I love all that you said, but particularly what stands out to me is like go when you're ready and that there's some really good benefits to to having that mindset and like you want it, like you're more motivated because like it's what I want. It's I'm mature enough to understand that I'm not doing this for someone else. I'm doing this for me. I think there's some really good um things that come out of that when you have that

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mindset for college. I I do want to point out, Helene, you know, I was as you're sharing your story and kind of talking through um your own perspective on things, so much of what you've shared aligns very very well with the Manor College mission. And I I I say this sometimes to guests who I just feel that they align really well. But in our mission, we talk about um how manner we believe when you're a manor student, graduation is just the beginning of a a a life of lifelong learning. And I feel

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like for you that's very true. Um but then also, you know, we want to prepare students to graduate to serve society effectively and compassionately. And those are the two words that we use, effectively and compassionately. And it just feels like that's something that you're definitely much aligned with. and even your future goals to give back and teach. Um, that's a service and I just want to thank you so much for being such a great testament to our mission at Manor College and really just being a

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really I'm really proud to call you an alumni. I'm really proud to call myself an alumni of Manor College. That's great. Well, thank you Helene so much for joining us today. It has been a true pleasure to talk to you and we wish you nothing but the best. Thank you Kelly. It was my pleasure to be here. Thank you. I am honored. Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. And stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram,

00:27:05
Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of the nest, stories about life after Manor College. Remember, Blue Jays, you belong here always. [Music]

00:00:00
[Music] Hello Blue Jays and welcome to the nest stories about life after Manor College. I'm your host Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications and this is the best part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College, you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call did you know? Did you know that for the for the past 20 years, Mayor College had a Civil War

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institute which offered individuals the chance to explore the complexities of the American Civil War through a series of engaging courses often taught by experts from the Delaware Valley Civil War Roundtable. It delved beyond basic facts, aiming to provide a new perspective on the error's pivotal events, key figures, societal impacts with topics ranging from specific campaigns, prominent generals to lesser known incidents and aspects like Civil War medicine or the horses of the Civil War. The institute has since expanded to

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the broader the history institute at Manor College and classes are taught all year long. You can see what is being offered right now by going to manor.edu/coned. Today's episode is sponsored by Manor College's certificate program in religious studies. The world is changing fast. Want to truly understand cultures and bring a fresh perspective to your career? Dive into Manor College's certificate in religious studies for less than $250 per credit for 12 credits. You too can explore world

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religions, bridge gap of neuroscience and religion, and unlock new insights. This is your moment. Register today with just a 10% deposit. Learn more at manorcol.edu/certificates. We have a truly special guest today. We are chatting with someone who's inspiring and proves that the path to success isn't always in a straight line. Our guest started their academic journey right here studying liberal arts, not only excelling but graduating as the valedictorian in 2005 with a unique connection to the

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institution. Her own mom was a beloved professor. That foundational experience helped her build a robust set of skills providing the clarity and confidence to transfer to the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. Now today they are applying that diverse expertise in a really fascinating role managing the brand advertising program at a Fortune 500 company Troric. Please join me in welcoming a Manor College alumni EJ McNiff. Hi EJ. Hi Kelly. Thanks for being with us today. Thanks so much for having me. This is

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really exciting. It is. So, can you start us off by sharing obviously I usually ask people like why did you choose Manor and how did you learn about it but for you um your mom worked at the institution so I'm assuming you heard about it maybe even too much at the dinner table at home every night. Yeah. Every night. So why then did you choose Manor? Because you could have gone somewhere else I assume. Um, and what made it for you like, okay, I'm gonna go to the school even though my mom works

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there. Kind of. What was that like for you? Yeah. Um, well, definitely I knew about Manor and I heard a lot about the offerings. I got I kind of got an inside scoop to see the teachers. I knew the teachers. I knew the programs. I knew what they were offering. So, I saw how much work went into the program and I knew the school had a lot of good offerings. But to be honest, when I was in high school, I did not have a clue what to do with my life after high school. Um, I knew I liked art, but I know that that's a challenging one to

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figure out how to pay the bills on. Um, and I didn't really know what to do with that. Uh, I had a few dabblings in I worked at a real estate company and I worked at a restaurant. um but didn't really have a clear direction on what do I want to do for my entire rest of my life. Um and I did apply to several different schools, but really at the end of the day knowing that Manor was somewhere that I was familiar with. I knew that they had the broad offerings of liberal art. So I could dabble. I

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could explore a lot of different things and try to make sense of that and make connections through the two years I was there. Um, it became a pretty clear decision that that would allow me to one live at home and save a lot of money um and also the benefits of uh the tuition and my mom working there. Um, but that gave me two years to be able to save up some money um before transitioning to a a four-year school with really stellar grades that allowed me to get in um once I had that time to make a more solid decision of where I

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wanted to go. I love that. I love um that you were like, "Yeah, I don't know what I want." And I that is so true. So many college students still they come in and they don't know um I think the the average college student changes their major two or three times in a in a normal like four to five years of their experience. So like it's hard it's hard to know what to do but I mean major kudos to you for being like I don't know what I want to do but this is a good opportunity I have

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to like be okay with that and like try to figure it out. Obviously, it's a good economic decision. Save some money, live at home, and and try to kind of get those steps into transferring, and then also like use that time to like get really good grades, go into that transfer opportunity as a top candidate. Um, I think that's awesome. We see so many students coming to Manor to either get their grades up because they didn't do too well in high school or because they want to come here. I see pre- N nursing

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a lot. students will come here for pre- n nursing because they're not ready to go right into a nursing program whether it's financial or grades or something else and then they they do really well in our pre- N nursing program and then they get they finally get to go to like Roxborough or Jefferson or wherever they wanted to go. So I think that's a really smart strategy for um students coming right from high school. It kind of gives them a bit of a you know like a lead way to like take time. It's okay. kind of also takes

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the pressure off a little bit. So, um I love that. I love that that's part of part of your story. And so, when you were a student, what was what was Manor like for you? Were you involved with different activities? Um any classes that you can recall or any professors that you can recall that kind of stood out to you? Yeah. So, um I at at the top of our call, we were talking about Mike Landis, um and Mattie Seltzer, and um that was my very first class coming into the school as a nerdy freshman, not knowing

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what to do or where to really really go, no friends. Um, but that that was a an English class, English literature, and I just remember, you know, we watched movies and then we dissected the heck out of them. And I had never thought about something as simple as just a movie that I was watching every day in those different ways. And it pushed me to write and learn how to write about things, you know, in a way that I hadn't done in high school. But just the challenge, like the fun of being in a class of people that had

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totally different backgrounds for me and pushing these different ways of thinking that I had never explored. That was definitely a theme while I was at Manor that I I loved so much. like being in a room of people and challenging each other and you know just being okay to say the wrong thing and and not knowing really what you're talking about but you know we had uh Mattie Seltzer and Mike Landis to kind of guide us and say hey did you think about this and I think that was that process through that class

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and also um Frank Frell my religion classes I I didn't really have a desire to go into the religion space, but it was a requirement for the course and that those classes were some of the ones I enjoyed the most just because of the you know the thought process of thinking through things different ways and you know world religions and um connecting dots I had never thought about before. The whole experience of a lot of the classes was kind of opening up this new curiosity of if there's something that

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is interesting, I don't have to memorize everything and just go through the motions. I can just be curious about it and go about learning it in my own way. And that's what I think the the real benefit of not knowing what I wanted to do coming out of high school and just being open to, you know, explore and try my best and realizing that as a fresh start. I think having those good teachers when I started was the right footing to get me motivated. But that in combination of realizing this is a clean slate. this is my

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opportunity. No one knows me. You know, the schools that I may want to go to in the future don't know me. The career opportunities, you know, don't know anything about me. Like, this is my clean slate. And when I got like those first A's, it suddenly became this like self-competition that I I wanted to know as much as I possibly could and keep it going, you know? Yeah, that's so cool. I love I love that clean slate perspective. And that's what college is for. You know,

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you can leave your baggage behind. We're going to going to be here to support you and help you um create, you know, what you want it to make out of. You know, you want it to be that that top tier student who kind of like takes it all in and like does all those things. And that's really I think that's really cool to hear. And I think a lot of students come in with that perspective that they're like, "Yeah, you know, I don't want to bring the high school baggage with me or the transfer baggage.

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I want this to be my new home. And I think that kind of is a testament to our tagline, you belong here, is kind of like that that is kind of what we try to do and make our students feel that way. So that's awesome to hear. What was it like um being a student and seeing your mom kind of around and what was that like? Uh we've had a few students whose parents work here. I one right now I can think of. Um, so it's it's fairly common year to year, but kind of what was that

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like for you? Yeah, it's funny thinking back. Um, I definitely did run into my mom. Um, sure. It's a small campus. No, I knew where the offices were, so I would go up and see my mom and I knew a lot of the other teachers because she was very close with them. Um, but I think that was the nice thing about that time in my life is she very much kind of let me go and figure it out on my own. And I had the benefit of if I was looking at something or I didn't understand how to to pick something or

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how the credits worked or, you know, that definitely was a huge perk that she knew it in and out and she could say, "You're really going to like this. you may struggle with this. Um, so that was a huge perk that I definitely owe her a debt of gratitude for helping me to navigate. But, um, she really let me let me explore on my own and participate in things like, um, Rotoak. She was very very involved in Roak and kind of showed me, um, the opportunities with that. We got to do a lot of uh community activity

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and um we even ended up going to my boss's house and painting his basement. He was a quadriplegic uh designer and we got all these activities that one looked good on our college resume, but also like we were meeting people, we were doing things as college students with these other students in our class and it really brought us together. There there's two students in particular, Marshall and Brian. You know who you are. They haven't been on the podcast. They've got incredible stories as well.

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Um but having that experience through Rotto but then also through school um you know really really helped us bond and I think I I was able to have the full college experience um without feeling you know too too sheltered or too overshadowed with my mom over my shoulder. She was really good about letting me figure out fall move forward however I I could. Yeah. What what good what good like boundaries because that's I think that'd be hard as I um and I'm thinking about like I'm a parent and I'm I'm far from

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the college years thankfully. like that would be hard to, you know, not want to kind of like keep your kids protected and but it sounds like she found a really good balance of like being there when you needed her for like advising and like the kind of advice part, but then also like let EJ do her thing and um I'll be a mom and not, you know, a college professor, but I'll be I'll be her mom. So really good for her doing that. That's that's really cool. Um, so EJ, kind of tell us about your career

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path and kind of what you um have have been working in and working on. Um, kind of obviously it's been a while since graduating from Manor, so you don't have to go go that whole journey, but kind of tell us about what are what are you doing today in your career? Yeah. Yeah. So, um, uh, today I'm working as an advertising manager for Tever Price. Um, and so what that means is Tier Price is an asset manager. People invest money and Tier Price manages that money to hopefully make you money. Um, and they they do a really

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good job at that. So, it's good working for a company that has a solid brand. Um, and I have the opportunity focusing on advertising and promoting to people to make people aware of that, but also managing our creative partners. We work with partners outside of Torric um to build the stories that will convince people um that what we have to offer is interesting and relevant to their lives. So, right now we have some spots on TV that uh we created. Uh I think it's the beginning of 2024. Can't believe it's been that long. Um

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got to go out to LA and shoot these ads at Universal. And um it's a whole story about how uh the power of curiosity can help deliver better outcomes and better insights. And through asking questions, you're able to uh get a better understanding of the right decisions to make in life instead of just freezing out of fear, you know, or jumping to conclusions. So it's a really fun job. I really love my job because we get to make these cool creative stories. Um, and then we get to bring forward the visuals that

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represent that and study audiences and understand what they um are interested in, what uh gets them motivated, what is likely to make them engage with our brand. Um, so it's a really fun job. Uh it has been a long process getting here. I started um uh in graphic design. I after Manor I went to graphic design school uh Rodan School of Design and you know that fully blew up my mind on the creative process and thinking outside of the box. Mhm. Um then spent three years as a designer in Baltimore and then when 2008 hit and

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the markets did terrible and we saw a lot of layoffs in our company, that's when I realized there's all these other sides of the business that I'm curious about. I'm really interested in like social media was suddenly becoming a big thing. Um business development and how do we get new people to want to use our services as a design firm? Um, there were all these other sides of the being a designer that I didn't formally have a degree for, but I did have this liberal arts experience for Manor

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that I was seeing being tapped for that. Um, basic business communications that was one of the courses that had a huge impact. Mhm. Um, so I realized there was sort of this niche of being a creative problem solver um that other people didn't have. So I had the creative context from going to Rhode Island School Design, but also being able to think about business and strategy and how we could engage with different audiences. And it's definitely been a unique angle that I've been able to craft through my experience

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moving on from being a designer to then becoming um a brand strategist for a university and then moving on to Tro Price to do brand advertising. Um like you said in the beginning, not a clear path. Um, but all these different experiences have been things that, you know, as I've been working, I've been seeing these things. I think I'm good at this. I think there's something there. I don't know what it is. I'm going to check it out. I'm going to explore it. And some of those explorations have been

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giant leaps that are terrifying. Um, but I've definitely embraced the feeling that you don't ever have to be decisive that this is the only path and you can explore those things. It's going to take a lot of work and you have to commit that you're going to put in the work to explore those things. But I remember when I applied for tier, I applied for like over 40 companies. I had a spreadsheet and it's a hard process figuring out where's the right place to apply your skills. But

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through that process, you know, I was really able to to refine what my story was and understand what I was really good at and where it could apply or not. And I think that's really paid off hugely because I absolutely love my job at Tro now. Oh, that's awesome. Well, thank you so much for kind of sharing that with us. And I think it's so cool how like a liberal arts degree can go so many different ways. No, like no two people who went and got a liberal arts degree are the same like ever. It's always

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unique. It's never this like cookie cutter career or cookie cutter journey. It's just not it's not the way it is. But it's so cool that you were able to like start piece mailing together almost like all cart like I have these skills. I have these skills, I have this passion, I have this interest. And then it's like you're building um kind of your own, you know, journey, your own career. Um as someone who studied design and and is a creative person, I'm just curious

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what's like what's like a brand that you really love their their design and their their brand right now? I'm just curious because I'm someone who also finds these things fascinating and um works in marketing and just looks at this kind of stuff a lot. Um design wise, I'm trying to think um I mean there there's a lot of different design brands. I've been more um interested in their like marketing tactics and um like the Barbie movie. That's the the big one that was just

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so blown out of the water with they hit the world with every possible thing you could think of. And it was just so smart how they, you know, were in every conversation. They were in every experience. Like anywhere that you were, Barbie was. And yeah, and their branding was so good. I mean, every red carpet appearance was a different version of Barbie through the years in Margot Robbie's outfits. Like that was like that's branding actually continuing the brand just in a different form. Like how that that's a great

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example. I love that. Yeah, we saw that in like Wicked. Wicked did the same formula where they took that pink and green and they've just blown it up and put it everywhere. Yep. And um not so much a brand example, but Yeah. No, but still. Yeah. But just like the smart approach of the strategy behind it. I think I've loved kind of learning about the different way of thinking about how to how to engage with people. And it's not always just about the design. I think when I started, I felt all this

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pressure that the design had to be the perfect thing and that's such a subjective thing. So I was so worried. Mhm. But as I've kind of moved beyond just design and added on this layer of business strategy and audience profiling, it's understanding, you know, different things resonate with different people. Y and you know, it's funny. I had a boss who worked for AOL and he would say he if you remember like those CDs you would get in the mail Mhm. all the time. Yep. He was the one sending those out.

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And he said what they learned is they could put any picture on that CD and it didn't matter. It was the message that they had to get the message right and the message had to go to the right houses. And I do think that the design does matter because if you put some ridiculous thing with a really good message, it might make people a little confused. But the power of a message is so important. It is. It's so important. I agree. you know, in 2016, I was part of the Manor team that redid our our branding, our

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logo, and and I was I was lucky enough to lead that. Um, and we spent so much time on the design of our logo, on the design of our shield, and on the design of our athletic uh blue J bird. And I stand by it, and it's I think it's great. almost 10 years later, it's still holding up well. Yeah. But the thing that people talk to me about and constantly tell me is the you belong here is what they take away from it. Like the logo, they're like, "Oh, I didn't even notice

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like all that symbolism and there's like all these little buildings like, oh, that looks cute." Like they that doesn't But it's so funny even doesn't matter if they're an 18-year-old or a 60-year-old or it doesn't matter what where they come from. It's like you belong here makes me feel something. Yeah. So that so it's like okay messaging and stories. Stories are what we find. Stories just every stories is everything. People want to connect with something or someone that makes

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them feel something. So stories are the thing. Yeah. I get hit by your social media ads a lot or your organic posts and I love it. Yeah. You're doing that so well at Banner. We are we are trying um to do it really well and we have a really great team here who kind of we all understand that like the stu our our our motto in the marketing team is that like the students are the hero of our story. We are not. We are just like the vessel that gets the students to where they need to go.

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But like we want to make sure the students are truly the ones that are being the hero being painted in the picture. And that's kind of our method. Um but EJ kind of one final question here for you. Like what advice would you give to current Manor College students um to kind of inspire them and encourage them to keep on their studies. Yeah. Uh you don't have to settle. This isn't the end all be all. Be curious. Um and you know be open to anything. Take in what you can. Not every class is

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going to be the most interesting. Um, but there are little nuggets of excitement and inspiration that you can take out of that that could have relevance in something else in your life. And I think looking for those things is really what kept me motivated and making those connections. Um, I have gone full hog on all things AI and I just love how, you know, I'm I'm using that as basically a consultant to say like, how should I think about this? You you guys have so much access to AI now and using AI as a tool to think

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through when you see something, how could I think about this? How could I do this differently? It's a great opportunity to just brainstorm all your possibilities and you know there's so much access today. Um so you know the options are limitless. Don't be afraid to feel locked into one thing. You can explore. Your path can change and you're fully in control of that if you're willing to put in the work. Oh, thank you so much. which I love. I love anytime people encourage others to

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like stay curious and to stay um kind of open to possibilities. I think that's really really important. Something that I like to end out our episodes with is just referring back to our mission. You know, our mission at the college here is to really prepare students to graduate to serve so society effectively and compassionately. And in that we want students to always be lifelong learners. We say that in our mission and I think um whether it's AI, whether it's other technology that we don't even know

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about, but like staying hungry to learn more is really important um to have like a human experience. So, I'm really glad that you said that because I think that's really true to what we're trying to do here with our students and I'm really I'm so proud of you as an alumni. You are certainly living out our mission. Um and I wish you nothing but the best, EJ. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Thank you so much. Thanks for doing this podcast. Thank you for tuning in today. If you

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like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. And stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of The Nest Stories about life after Manor College. Remember Blue Jays, you belong here always. [Music]