An “Ah Ha!” Moment Will Come

As a recent college graduate, we are told to grab our future by the reins, and go out into the “real world’, pursuing our dream job and making big money for ourselves, building the career we were destined to have. Career counselors stress to us the importance of setting goals, creating a plan, vision, and a clear destination for what one’s career will look like 20 years from now. Peers and colleagues embrace their romanticized story of their “Ah ha!’ moment, the earth shattering experience where they realized who they want to be when they grow up. My friends talk about their future careers as art curators, speech pathologists, middle school teachers, and nurses, ready to begin their clearly defined careers.

Me on the other hand? I’m in a post-graduate limbo stage, using my experience at the Bravo Group to learn exactly what direction I want to take. I’m still waiting on my “Ah ha!” moment. I am not sure what I want my career to look like 20 years from now, and I am perfectly okay with that. This is my chance to explore, experiment, and ultimately discover what opportunities may be available to me – and my 12 week internship with Bravo Group is going to push me forward in the search for who I want to be when I grow up.

My name is Cassie Reed, and I graduated from Penn State Harrisburg three weeks ago, with a degree in communications. I am an adventurous explorer – I do not sit still easily because I am always trying to go to new places, meet people with stories to tell, and have new experiences. I’ve gone white water rafting, climbed mountains in Montana, ate Lebanese cuisine in Germany, embarked on a 3,000 mile road trip to Key West and back, and won slip and slide competitions against co-counselors at a summer camp. Some of my past jobs have included caring for pets at a dog kennel, serving popcorn in a movie theater concessions stand, dressing brides up at David’s Bridal, conducting nonpartisan political research on a remote Montana ranch, and assisting in the scheduling for hundreds of Hershey Park employees.

While I have a wide variety of interests, I have always enjoyed connecting with people, reading stories, and asking questions. On any given day I might be kayaking on the lake by my house, reading Game of Thrones, listening to a history documentary, going for a night hike, or creating an obscure meal in my kitchen. I am a klutz and have a ridiculous sense of humor, and you will find me laughing and enjoying myself in anything that I do.

Standing 7487 ft above sea level atop of the Mt. Brown look out in Glacier National Park, MT.

During my 12 week internship with Bravo Group, I am excited to use all of the knowledge I have gained in the classroom and my past internships and apply it in an agency setting. Throughout my internship with The Arc of PA, I learned how advocacy and legislative actions can improve the lives of people with disability. During a leadership studies class with Senator Argall, I was able to learn about the inner workings of Pennsylvania’s state government. At my internship with Vote Smart, I worked in the Development and Communications department, learning the platforms and tools that I need to work in public relations. Finally, my education at Penn State has taught me how to think strategically and communicate well with others.

So, here I am in my post-graduate limbo stage, interning at Bravo Group – one of the most renown public affairs firms in PA – looking to combine my experiences with their staff and resources to better myself, and do meaningful work for clients. I am excited to see what I can accomplish during my time here, and what direction my new experience and knowledge will lead me in. Who knows, it may even lead me to my “ah ha” moment.

“When we’re connected to others, we become better people.”  – Randy Pausch

Cassie Reed, Harrisburg Office