Recent Grads
Sally Storch '14
One of the first things that attracted me to HWS was the opportunity to study abroad. I didn't know where I wanted to go, or what I wanted to study, but I knew that the importance the Colleges place on having "worlds of experience" is unique. In my first two years as a student, I spent time and took classes that I thought would help me discover the part of the world I wanted to experience. I was connected with a few professors during my first year, which helped to solidify my confidence in certain trajectories. As a student in Associate Professor of Political Science Vikash Yadav's “Introduction to International Relations,” I realized my passion for studying politics, history, economics, and language - all of which make up the interdisciplinary major. Talking with Professor Yadav outside of class about my understanding of the readings and my interests and goals helped shape my decision to major in international relations and Asian studies, as well as study Mandarin through a semester in Taiwan.
I wanted my time in Taiwan to focus on improving my language skills. That ended up being only a part of what studying abroad was all about for me. During my time in Taiwan I realized the significance of a liberal arts education. I couldn’t be successful with the language if I didn't grasp a cultural understanding. From an academic perspective, this included history and art classes. However, the experiences I gained outside of class, when ordering a meal, riding on the subway, exploring the metropolitan city of Taipei, was where I did the most learning. These experiences helped solidify my desire to align myself with a career path that would encourage, even require, continuous learning.
My time on the William Smith swimming and diving team holds some of my best memories of HWS. The network of friends and support were invaluable to me and gave me a new sense of community. I learned about my motivations. By setting and chasing goals, I received an education in time management, organization, and learned how hard work and commitment add up. I found myself extremely driven by my goals and I discovered I wanted to work in a high-paced, goals-oriented environment after graduation.
My summer internships in the mission-based, nonprofit sector were satisfying. I realized I wanted to be an individual contributor, with a goal for myself, but remain part of a team, moving toward something I could believe in - echoing my time on the swim team. Bob Murphy and Jackie Doyle at Career Services helped to define what that would look like. With their guidance, a role in sales seemed to be the right fit—but what to sell?
Exploring options, I came across a role at a software company that sells analytics software. After a senior year studying statistics and econometrics, I was able to hit the ground running with an appreciation for the importance of data and analytics in any organization. The role gave me my first taste of a sales environment and a good foundational understanding of the market. In December, I applied to Tableau, the world's leader in analytics and business intelligence software. What attracted me most was the mission - to help people see and understand their data. The proposition is simple yet powerful, and something I've had a lot of fun selling. Along with the mission, I knew that Tableau would be able to provide the career development I was craving. I have been able to learn in both formal and informal settings about sales, our product as well as myself. With no sign of this learning slowing down soon, I'm so appreciative of my time at HWS to prepare me for a lifetime of loving to learn.