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Name:
Jenifer Vargo
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Residence:
Chicago, Illinois
Graduation Year:
1993
Major:
Communication/Theatre Arts
Minor:
Psychology
Why did you choose SJC?
I chose Saint Joseph's College because of the impression
I received on one of my first visits to campus. I was impressed with having
the opportunity to meet with current students, and it was a good mix of
people from a variety of backgrounds, and some of them had even transferred
to SJC from other schools. I visited larger universities, and eventually
came to the conclusion that SJC would provide me with a more focused educational
experience. I also wanted to continue playing soccer after high school,
and the College allowed me to do that. As a student, what were you involved in?
I was a member of the women's soccer team, D.J.
for WPUM, the College's campus radio station, Resident Assistant, participant
in some of the theatre productions, and acted in two of SJC's television
sitcoms. I was also a member of the Peace and Justice group, and had the
opportunity to travel with nine other students and a faculty member to Guatemala,
a country that I had studied closely in the Core Program. Instead of staying
at hotels and visiting museums, we stayed at a seminary, shared meals with
different families in small villages, and interacted with the common lay
people. It was definitely a life-changing experience. What are you doing now?
I'm the Director of Development for the Erikson
Institute in Chicago, which is an independent institution of higher education
that prepares child development professionals for leadership roles. My primary
responsibility is to help raise funds for the organization, and my tasks
include writing proposals for foundations, working with lobbyists to secure
funds from the government, planning and executing special events, and serving
as operations management for the Development Department. I like my job because
from day to day, it's never the same. There is never a dull moment. How did SJC prepare you for the "real world"?
I was taught to express my thoughts and ideas and
build true relationships, which is what the "real world" is about, whether
you're with friends, family, employers, business colleagues, or local politicians.
Without them, you can't succeed, and at SJC, the faculty cared about what
happened to their students during their time on campus and post graduation.
I could approach them and ask them to read my papers before their due dates,
simply to determine if I was on the right track, and when I was a graduate
student, one of my former professors would allow me to type my papers in
one of the computer labs because my graduate school's lab didn't hold late
hours. The Core Program also opened my mind to so many other topics and experiences that weren't covered in my major. I even had the opportunity to present a paper that I co-wrote with another student at a conference held at Butler University, an opportunity that was encouraged by one of my professors. My experience at SJC of course provided me with a great education, but most of all I learned how to build a foundation for life, and I'm proud to say some of those professors who touched me more than a decade ago are still my friends today.
