Leavey Ambassadors Program Blogs

While many of us feel the pressure to have a detailed plan for the next four years (and even beyond), the reality is that life is full of unexpected twists. Even the most carefully crafted plans can shift based on new experiences, challenges, and opportunities. It’s hard to expect the unexpected, and the best way that you can stay prepared for your journey in college is to keep an open mind. 

Here’s a professional anecdote. When I came into college, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do. My personality and my strengths geared me towards business, but I also knew that coding languages like Python and SQL were starting to become new standards of literacy. As such, majoring in Management Information Systems seemed like the perfect fit, and, thinking forward, I locked myself in to applying for consulting, IT, and analyst positions. However, as I entered the Community Fellows program at the end of my sophomore year, I found myself in a Marketing & Communications internship placed at Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, something that I had no professional experience in at that point. Over the course of the school year, my work was dedicated to promoting the programs and services that CCSCC offered to combat socioeconomic issues within San Jose and Santa Clara. I ended up falling in love with marketing as a whole and decided to pivot career paths into Marketing. This pivot, combined with my existing MIS skill sets, earned me a marketing internship at L'Oréal for Summer 2025! I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity, and I’m extremely glad that I wasn’t stubborn about only applying to internships and programs that were specific to MIS.

Keeping in open mind enables an infinite network of people. To make the most of your college experience, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is to try new things. Sometimes we hesitate to join a club, attend a workshop, or apply for a program just because it doesn’t perfectly match our major or interests. But the truth is, you never know where the most meaningful connections will come from. Even if something doesn’t seem relevant in the moment, it could lead to relationships or opportunities that support you in unexpected ways. For example, while I don’t know much about Vietnamese culture, I joined the Vietnamese Student Association in my first year, meeting many people who eventually became my best friends and mentors. Outside of campus, I’ve networked and had meetings with industry professionals outside of my own professional interests, whether it be partners at the Big Four or chief officers of tech start-ups. I wasn’t aiming to get a referral or job opportunity from them, I simply wanted to learn from their journeys. Even when our professional paths differ, the perspectives and advice I’ve gained from those conversations have been incredibly valuable.

No matter where you are in your life, never forget to keep an open mind. We can try our best to prepare for what may come, but sometimes the greatest things in life happen out of nowhere. Take the chance!