“Self-advocate.”
“Be nice.”
“Be brave. Take chances.”
“Effort and attitude.”
“Know your options.”
In four words or less, our alumni panelists from last night’s Adulting 101: Where Are They Now? event, shared advice with graduating seniors and upperclassmen. Five wonderfully-talented alums joined the Senior Class Council on the Owings Mills campus to talk about the unique trajectory of their professional careers.
From left to right: Angela Harris ’08, Veida McCampbell ’04, Steve Morrill ’99, Megan Lanasa ’08, and Brian Swing ’12.
Steve Morrill ’99, a former Stevenson employee and current Director of IT at Loyola Blakefield, emphasized the importance of identifying strong mentors who believe in you and motivate you. Steve also shared his unexpected passion for teaching both at the college and high school levels. Although he never anticipated teaching, it is one of the most rewarding parts of his job.
Veida McCampbell ’04 graduated with a degree in Business Communications and went on to get her J.D./M.B.A. She moved across the country to California to pursue a career in television. She became a Production Assistant for the Grammy’s and then a Producer on multiple E and Bravo shows. She is now back in Maryland working as a Client Experience Professional for a media company. Talk about a unique career path! “If you want it, you can have it. But you have to be willing to fight for it,” she told students in the audience.
Angela Harris ’08 moved to London just weeks after graduating from Stevenson. She went alone and knew no one. She took a risk and had an experience that she will carry with her for a lifetime. After returning to the states, she began working at the National Institute of Health in a position that allows her to work with individuals pursuing doctoral degrees while utilizing much of what she learned as a Business Communication student.
Megan Lanasa ’08 has worked in most positions the restaurant industry has to offer. She decided a few years after graduation that it was time to "do her own thing." She started her own business, a coal-fire pizza truck called BricknFire Pizza Co. As a result of her hard work, she will soon have a brick and mortar location in the Baltimore Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards.
During his senior year, Brian Swing ’12 accepted a position as a Stevenson Intern at Fuchs North America, a local seasoning manufacturer in Reisterstown. Upon earning his degree in Chemistry, Brian began his career working in a field he’d never expected to end up in, food science. He wanted to find a job that kept his interest and allowed him to be creative and he was successful.
The Adulting 101 series has concluded for the fall semester and will begin again in the spring. If you’re an alum interested in sharing your knowledge and experience with graduating seniors, please let us know! You can contact Allison Humphries '11, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations.
