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The dual enrollment program I participated in while in high school completely changed the trajectory of my education journey. I was a sophomore in high school when I started taking general education college courses, and it was the first time that the idea of going to college seemed attainable to me. I don’t think I had given the idea of going to college much thought prior to that. When I graduated high school a few years later, in 2015, I knew I didn’t want to stop with a four-year degree.

One way the dual enrollment experience affects me today is through my ability to be extremely resourceful and independent — for example, in finding scholarships and learning to navigate complex admissions processes. These skills only further developed when I was in college and graduate school.

There were many difficult decisions I had to make during my college journey, but one that sticks out at the moment — perhaps because I was just on the academic job market and the experiences were surprisingly similar in many ways — was figuring out where I wanted to go for my graduate training.

I am originally from California, and I really wanted to go to a graduate school in my home state. However, when I received news that I was accepted to the University of Iowa’s (UI) prestigious Measurement and Statistics program and was awarded the ACT Scholars Fellowship, I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

The decision to attend UI was the best decision I could have made for my education journey. At UI, I had the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research, attend and present my research at several national conferences, pursue additional educational experiences like a second master’s degree, and I got to work with the best mentors and colleagues, all of which undoubtedly helped me land a tenure-track faculty job. It’s hard to tell if I could have experienced all these things had I gone to school somewhere else.

The fee waiver made it possible for me to take the ACT test and share my scores with as many colleges as I could. This helped me become a competitive college applicant and win scholarships, which I’m sure played a role when I was applying for graduate school.

While at UI, I became increasingly interested in developing statistical and psychometric methods that could be used to address questions about human behavior and psychological processes and phenomena beyond those primarily of interest in educational testing. As a result, I work on a variety of diverse projects, some of which were technical in nature, such as my dissertation, and others that were more substantive in focus.

I also really enjoy teaching and working with students, and I wanted a career where I could also be an advisor to students pursuing a career in quantitative methods.

All these interests made it increasingly clear that an academic career, specifically as a faculty member, was what I wanted to do upon graduation from my doctoral program.

One aspect of becoming a faculty member I am very excited about is establishing my own independent research program on Bayesian latent variable modeling and working with students on a variety of topics related to this research area. I hope to inspire my students to pursue their postsecondary endeavors by making mentorship a priority at Fordham University and taking what I have learned about mentorship through my experiences as both a mentor and mentee through programs I participated in while at UI.

In particular, I plan to actively reach out and encourage students to join my research lab, provide personalized mentorship to students as they establish their own professional goals and agendas, provide a platform for students to explore topics they find interesting, and verbally express my confidence in my students’ abilities in very much the same way my mentors did to me during pivotal moments of my education journey.

I really value the networks and relationships I built during my academic journey. Many of my closest friends are individuals I met through such networks, and it opened up many possibilities I did not think were possible. For example, a few years ago, I was an intern at the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Center for Measurement Justice. I learned about these opportunities through the networks I built and nurtured over the years.

I was extremely fortunate not to experience some of the challenges commonly faced by first-generation students, and a big part of the reason is my participation in the dual enrollment program, which mitigated many of the challenges I would have likely faced otherwise.

One major challenge I did face, however, was difficulty seeking help and advice from professors, counselors, and others when I needed it because I always felt that it was something that I needed to figure out on my own. It’s something that I still struggle with from time to time, but I’ve gotten much better at it.

I would strongly encourage ACT Scholars to leverage all the resources provided through the ACT Scholars program, to pursue the research they are passionate about, and to make a concerted effort to form lasting relationships and connections with people in industry and academia. One of the greatest gifts the ACT Scholars program provided me was the opportunity to do all of these things, and I don’t think I would have gotten to where I am today if it weren’t for the support I received as an ACT Scholar.

The biggest lesson is that everything is local. The national data on in-demand jobs, job vacancies, and talent needs give us widespread trends, but the true information comes at the local and regional levels. That is why partnerships are critical. Workforce and economic development have blurred lines. When existing businesses are looking to grow, or new businesses are looking to move in, the strength and vitality of the relationships among business, education, and workforce development will determine success.

When businesses can clearly articulate their talent needs, educators know how to create or revise curriculum. In the past, we spoke about job titles and we are making real progress toward clear language on specific skills. We have work to do to clarify which industry-recognized credentials have legitimate power in the hiring process. Some sectors are clear  for example, truck drivers need a commercial driver’s license  but most are vague, which has caused confusion and the creation of credentials that do not add any value at all when applying for a job. Educational programs legitimately try to respond to the open jobs that they see, but without specificity from the employers, they are working in a vacuum and may miss the mark.

Digital skills and technological skills are at the top of the list for many jobs. Each employer may have different technology, but having familiarity with digital tools will enable you to transition from Excel to Slack or Google Docs.

Data analytics is used in every sector, so understanding how to interpret and communicate patterns and trends in raw data has become an important task. This blending of digital skills and communications skills is becoming common; it is no longer enough to input the data; you need to be able to communicate data findings to others. That blending requires a new preparation where technology meets expressive language and communication skills. Historically, training programs have not integrated academic and vocational skills.

And, of course, we need to continue to embed uniquely human skills into all programs. Teamwork, critical thinking, adaptability, and creativity should be encouraged throughout education and evidence of these skills should be included in resumes and cover letters.

Students and incumbent workers should take every opportunity to engage in activities that demonstrate their human skills. While in school, participating in competitions in robotics, poetry, and other content areas individually or in a team can effectively demonstrate creativity, leadership, and teamwork.

As an incumbent worker, you can use the professional development or the longer-term education benefits that your employer offers. Many employers offer opportunities through their community service office to volunteer in your community during the workday. Not only is this a terrific way to give back, but it also offers opportunities to demonstrate leadership and adaptability. Lifelong learning has been a term that has been used for decades but in 2024 it is the way the world of work operates. You need to refresh your skills often to stay relevant.

I have repeatedly used the word demonstrate because when it comes to uniquely human skills, it is hard to assess, and you really do need to show someone specific examples. No one can deny you have skills when you have authentic projects on the job as your proof.

Despite the growing number of job openings, many people still struggle to navigate their career paths. What advice would you offer them, and why is it important to stay inspired and motivated during this process?

First, know that you are not alone. Even in a robust economy, many people struggle to find a quality job with a real career path. If you are happy with your current employer, you should work with human resources or a supervisor to map out the possibilities, remembering that a career path does not have to be a straight line. In those discussions, you should examine the skills that you have, where those skills could take you, and what additional skills you need to acquire to get where you’d like to be. Let’s say you are working for a manufacturer on the production line. You like your employer, but you see that the traditional growth is to be a supervisor, and it doesn’t look like there will be an opportunity there any time soon. Could you go into marketing or sales? Could you join the team that does customer care? Your employer does not want to lose you, so these ‘lattice’ moves are becoming more common.

The nirvana of the work world is working for an employer who values you, and doing work that gives you fulfillment and purpose. Do not walk away from an employer who values you until you have explored jobs that might give you that sense of purpose. There is dignity in every job, but because 40 hours is a significant portion of your week, don’t stop looking for a job that keeps you motivated. But remember, stay employed until you have that dream job in hand!