Author: Anne Ewbank
Peggy Park Bernal ‘61
English Literature
What do you do?
My first job was writing for Sunset Magazine, and then I was hired by the Huntington Library to be in charge of fundraising. Eventually, I became director of the Huntington Library Press. I’m retired now.
How did you manage academically with professors and the college workload?
I really struggled, and I had a B-minus average. I started as a music major, but then I took an Intro to English Literature class and decided to do English. In retrospect, I would have really liked to be a History major!
Did you work during your college years?
My parents did not want me to work, and maybe my grades would have been better if I wasn’t trying to juggle everything. I worked for the Economics department, stuffing envelopes.
What would you have done differently?
I would have taken advantage of more of the opportunities at Oxy. Looking through my yearbook, it seems like there was so much I missed!
Any advice for current students?
When I was a student, there was no such thing as internships. I think those are really interesting and provide a lot of valuable experience. David Gilmore at the Career Center got me my first job at Sunset as a writer. I hadn’t even learned how to write at Oxy! Internships are a great way to get an idea of what you are good at and want to do. It wasn’t so hard to get a job when I graduated. I was lucky, and ended up where I wanted to be.
Advice for the graduating class of 2012?
Ask alumni for advice, and get to know them. Join a professional organization in the field you are interested in. Networking is very important! If you don’t have to, don’t go to work right away. I would have loved to go to grad school, and there are so many wonderful things to do that you can’t after you’ve stated working, like the Peace Corp.
Carl Botterud ‘79
Political Science
What is your profession?
I’m presently serving as Oxy’s lawyer and the head of the Alumni Relations office. Before coming to Oxy I was a lawyer in Pasadena where my practice focused on civil rights, employment law and mediation. I’ve also done criminal defense trial and appellate work and taught at Whittier Law School. Before I went to law school I was in the health and fitness industry, management, marketing and the development of fitness centers.
How did you manage academically with professors and the college workload?
I managed poorly. I was immature and did not apply myself the way I could have (should have). I connected well with a few of my professors, but did not take advantage of the opportunities that were presented.
Did you have a job at Occidental?
I worked off campus at the Crescenta Canada YMCA as a lifeguard and swimming instructor for most of my Oxy career.
Would you have done anything differently during your time in college?
I would have taken advantage of the opportunities presented. Studied abroad. Gone to class, applied myself better.
Do you have any advice for current students?
Oxy presents great opportunities. Take advantage. “Suck the marrow from the bone” of your Oxy experience.
Any ‘real world’ advice for the 2012 graduating class?
Relax. There is no hurry. You will find your path. Working a few years before grad/professional school is a great thing.
Mark Harford ‘06
Kinesiology
What have you done since your graduation in 2006?
I went to P.T. (physical therapy) school at the University of Southern California and graduated in 2010. I am a physical therapist, I work part-time in acute care in a hospital and part-time in an outpatient, orthopedic clinic.
When you attended Occidental, did you hold a job?
I did not have a job on campus, but I did many things. I played trumpet in the jazz band and for the Caltech-Oxy symphony, I started the Oxy juggling club and was the president all four years. I captained and played on the Oxy men’s Ultimate Frisbee team all four years as well.
Looking back, what would you have done differently while at Occidental?
In college I would have not tried to maintain a long-distance relationship my freshman year. Big mistake. I would have studied abroad in a more exotic place. I studied abroad in England, which was great, but it wasn’t the Maldives. Out of college? Lots of things. Traveled more.
What advice do you have for students?
This is stolen from a quote somewhere, but I found it to be quite relevant so far in my life: “You don’t have to do what you love, but you should love what you do.” I like that. Don’t rush in to grad school unless you’re sure it’s what you want. Traveling is great. I recommend it.
Adam Greenhouse ‘10
Psychology
What do you currently do?
I am currently an admissions counselor at the Occidental Office of Admission. As an admission counselor, I travel a lot during the fall recruiting in various territories across the country. In the winter and spring I read applications and help usher in the first-year class. It is my second year here in this role.
How did you choose our major?
I majored in psych because after taking intro to psych my first year, I was hooked. I wanted to know more. Eventually I was able to do independent social psychological research on attitudes toward mental illness and got a Richter grant to run my study in the Netherlands.
Did you have an on-campus job?
I worked as an editor for the Oxy Weekly for two years, interned in Professor Elmer Griffin’s Clinical Psychology Lab, did a Richter in Amsterdam, and worked in the Office of Admission as a Senior Interviewer.
How has your Occidental education affected your post-graduate experiences?
There’s no doubt that Oxy’s liberal arts education has helped me develop skills to succeed in the working world. I use skills of communication, critical thinking, and analysis every day in my job.
Any advice to pass on?
My advice to current Oxy students: keep an open mind and try new things as often as you can. A friend almost randomly suggested I apply to be a senior interviewer, and now I’m working full-time for the Occidental Office of Admission in a position I really enjoy. You never know where opportunities may lead, even if it’s right on campus to Collins House.
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