1

CONTENTSThe first Santa Fe Pathways Fellowship winners

Interview with alumni Silas Peterson,Recruiter/Owner of The Hire Firm

The Five W’s for Spring break

The First Santa Fe Pathways WinnersPlease join the St. John’s College community in congratulating the first cohort of PathwaysFellows, who will be studying in the following programs during the summer of 2014.

Miranda Blas ‘15 Painting/Seminars, Marchutz School of Art, Aix-en-Provence, France

Ruochen Bo ‘14 French, Summer Language Institute, University of Virginia or Middlebury Summer Language School, Vermont

Hanbyul Cho ‘14 Film, USC Film Academy, Los Angeles, CA; NY Film Academy, NYC; or NYU Film School, NYC

Lysander Cramer ‘15 Digital Drawing Portfolio, Red Engine Studios, Los Angeles, CA

Omar Esparza ‘15 Summer Philosophy Seminar on Causation, University of Colorado-Boulder

Emma Goos ‘15 Studio Arts, Community College of Aurora, CO

Jackson Larson ‘16 Painting/Seminars, Marchutz School of Art, Aix-en-Provence, France

Luke Lea ‘14 Latin, Summer Language Institute, University of Virginia or University of California-Berkeley

Nina Medvinskaya ‘16 Acting Classes, William Esper Studio, NYC

Rebekah McLellan ‘16 Pre-Vet Chemistry Classes, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM

Vidya Ravilochan ‘15 Master Singing/Drama Classes, International Lyric Academy, Italy or Emerging Artists Program, OperaWorks, Northridge, CA

CAREER SERVICES AT ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE | SANTA FE | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

>>

>

Dedicatedstaff left toright: BarbaraLucero Sand,MargaretOdell, and Lise Lookman.

QUARTERLY

Part of the Pathways committee at the Pathways Town hall meeting in December 2013.

2

From The EditorOne time during winter break I opened the

gate to the house where I was helping friendsshovel dirt around, stood by the road, and staredat each oncoming car until it had passed. I followed it with my eyes until I had to look at another car going in the same or opposite direc-tion. I was reminded of my childhood when myfriends and I would each pick a color. Then, wewould sit a little ways from the road and claimevery car that was the color we had chosen. We

would then count who had more cars than the other. It felt nice to be doing nothing,to be thinking of nothing, to be gazing at cars passing, and smile back at people oncein a while. My winter break was definitely well spent. Life can be fun, but at the sametime it sure can be tough. But if you are tough with yourself it sometimes gets a littleeasier. Following one’s own advice is difficult at times and this winter break I took itupon myself to do just that.

To those who had a chance to look at the article on how to have a productive break,in the last Odyssey Bound issue, I do hope you followed some of that advice. I did andit worked for me. I started off by sleeping. I was afraid I might never stop sleeping allday and all night but I eventually got tired of it. I called friends, emailed, Skyped,Face-Timed and connected with people close to my heart. I read some spiritual booksand watched dozens of movies. I got my exercise from some manual labor which re-sulted in me falling in love with lunch. I have rediscovered my love for food by workinghard. That is a relationship that was on the rocks and I am glad it is back on track-LUNCH!!! During some of the lunches I would walk to the road and start looking atcars, following them with my gaze and enjoying myself.

I even found time to connect with alumni and search for internships and graduateschools. I talked about the St. John’s program, received advice and felt encouraged. In the midst of all this, Christmas came and went, New Year’s did the same, and soon Iwas getting myself psyched for school. It got a little lonely and I felt restless some-times. Then I took a whole day off, switched off all my gadgets, disconnected my computer, slept in and just enjoyed my own company. I am definitely looking forwardto another semester, to more work so I can have LUNCH, and the next break, whichwill be spring break.

Until then, take time to read Odyssey Bound, use Career Services resources toyour benefit and be practical about the philosophical. Hope your year began well andyou are living an examined life.

CHANGES! CHANGES! CHANGES!The new year brings with it new

things! Career Services’ publication

Odyssey Bound will now be split into

two publications. One will focus on

telling Johnny stories to encourage

and inspire you with the possibilities

that are around you. It will be people-

centric, giving you insights into

student and alumni activities.

We have dubbed this publication

Odyssey Bound Quarterly. It will be

produced every two months during

the school year. The other publication

will be called Odyssey Bound

Spotlight and will feature internships,

graduate school programs, and post-

baccalaureate courses. Most of these

will be located on the West Coast of

the United States and the rest will

be international. We have chosen

to focus on this region of the USA

because the Annapolis publications –

Horizons and Internships News –

focus more on the East Coast oppor-

tunities. Odyssey Bound Spotlightwill

be produced on alternate months so

we can get you as much information

as possible about these opportunities.

Look for these changes! To get a

fuller picture of the possibilities

available to you, read all publications

out of the Santa Fe and Annapolis

Career Services Offices.

3

Business, Life, and Happiness with Silas Peterson (SF02)By Allen Matsika

Silas Peterson (SF02) was a freshman at St. John’s College in Santa Fe (SJCSF), and then went home to Portland to finish his BA in French at Portland State University. Hereceived a Master of Arts in Eastern Classics from SJCSF and then followed his heartuntil it led him to owning a recruiting business in Santa Fe. On the first handshake Icould sense Silas’ confidence and passion for life. He prefers to talk while standing, as Ido, but we sat down for coffee and had a wonderful chat on business, life, and philosophy.Read on for more details:

Silas, you are a recruiter and owner of THE HIRE FIRM. What is your philosophyon career and jobs?

Having worked with a broad cross-section of the community, my philosophy is that thereis an ideal job for everyone. Almost like the one in The Republic, when Socrates talksabout identifying people’s strengths and steering them in the right direction. I am not abig fan of that, but you could also look at it in a sarcastic way. Plato could be saying thatthis is the way we construct a perfect society, and who would want to live in a place likethat? However, I do believe that there is something job or career-related that every individual has an affinity for and can do very well.

When undergraduates see alumni working in Santa Fe, they are sometimes quick toconclude that they are stuck in Santa Fe. What do you think about that?

I would like to point out that there are people who probably are stuck in Santa Fe. Peopleget stuck for various reasons: some fall in love with Northern New Mexico and the out-door lifestyle in the high desert. I’m from Oregon and I feel claustrophobic when I goback to the Northwest with so much cloud cover; I would miss the sun if I were not here.Yet, if you want to stay in Santa Fe it can be hard to make a living. There are certainlyJohnnies who are twenty years in Santa Fe who might be working in jobs that make other

4

Johnnies doubt the value of their education. However, I think basically people are inSanta Fe by choice.

I want to point out that being stuck in Santa Fe should not carry negative connotations.One of the wealthiest and most prominent business people in Santa Fe, Gerald Peters,is an alumnus of St. Johns. He is a good example of how far one can get, working hardand being ‘stuck’ in Santa Fe.

There are two schools of thought concerning career paths. One says, “Be focusedand stick to one thing,” and the other one says, “Explore your options and try thingsout.” What is your take on this Silas?

My perspective certainly varies and has changed as I have grown, matured and becomea little wiser. Part of my perspective became clear when I got married, had a child, andconfronted the realities of taking care of a family. I can see the benefit of the traditionalcareer path. I could have been like some of my friends and climbed the corporate ladderearlier on, and there is certainly some benefit to the security and the knowledge thatone has a job and can keep on climbing. What I think, at the end of the day, though, isthat was my friends’ path and not mine. I do think it is important, as an undergrad, to atsome point recognize the benefits of each path and choose one. If you choose your ownpath it opens other kinds of opportunities. Maybe it means having the chance to wakeup on a mountain with Montaigne by your sleeping bag, as opposed to a corner officewith a vice president title and a big cushy salary. The former could be arguably a lotricher and the latter a little more secure. The non-traditional path is arguably more involving as one is constantly aware of the responsibility to manage that career path. It is less linear, less clear and a lot riskier, but could be more rewarding. Ultimately, Ibelieve “different strokes for different folks.”

How do you see your liberal education applied today in your life and in everyday things?

Well, first I will point out how I brought up Plato’s Republic at the beginning of thisconversation as a reference point. I carry with me the experience of a liberal educationand so I can relate my life back to classical works like that. I think a lot of it has to dowith the mental exercise that the process of pursuing and participating in a liberal edu-cation gives you. It is like learning to ride a bicycle as a child. You carry the skill withyou for the rest of your life. The experience of a liberal arts education prepared mymind to approach challenges in a unique way. Every single day I face challenges: negoti-ations involving large amounts of money, diplomatic understanding of situations, andimportant career choices for clients and others. All of these are influenced by the exercise of reading and analyzing the classics.

On my bedside table the books that are a constant presence are Montaigne, Shakespeare,Herodotus, the Bible, Don Quixote, to mention but a few. They circulate, but I alwaysreturn to them because they are my center. On a daily basis, work, life, different chal-lenges, they are a form of meditation and grounding. However, as a business person Ialso read other immediately practical books and they are not as fun to read.

Silas, I am glad you mentioned reading practical books. What advice do you havefor undergraduates concerning jobs, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like?

One of the very practical things one could do is to sit down and consider: What am Igoing to do when I graduate from St. John’s? Think about this in a regimented sense

5

and jot down some ideas and possibilities. In a very practical sense, not necessarily traditional but practicable, one can manage one’s life. I did start thinking to myself in mythirties that eventually I would like to retire and when I retire I would like to be wealthy.Then I asked myself, how can I get there?

Furthermore, your LinkedIn profile is your virtual resume. Do a little research, find resumes you think are totally kick ass and incorporate the good you find. Don’t be sloppyabout this kind of stuff, use all of your resources, stay in touch with Career Services at St. John’s, capitalize on the Johnny network and reach out to alumni on Facebook andother forums. Contact alumni and let them know you are around, even if things may notbe clear for you yet. If what you want to do will require additional schooling, then go onand do that.

Silas, we are winding down and I have a question I feel is important. Would you sayyou are happy?

Yes, yes, yes definitely (with a smile). I am still passionate about life, about everything,and that is due to curiosity and constant learning; there are a lot of things to learn outthere. Yes, I am happy.

Happiness just might not be a myth after all. THE HIRE FIRM assists in job recruit-ments for positions ranging from janitorial to executive. Follow Silas’ advice, get in touchwith him – an alumnus – and get in touch with THE HIRE FIRM. You can find them athttp://thehirefirm.com/

“Doing Science” with Elliott ChenBy Allen Matsika

Elliott Chen spent the summer of 2012 working with the Los Alamos National Labora-tory, where he “learned the secrets of the universe”. He worked on the question in Cosmology known as the “cosmological constant problem.” Odyssey Bound caught upwith Elliott to ask him a few questions. We hope his answers will inspire other St. John’sstudents to prepare for their future. Elliott is now a senior and preparing for his life afterSt. John’s and he sounded ready.

Elliott, your relationship with science doesn’t feel like a new romance. Could youtell me more about what your specific interests are in the broad field of science?

I’ve always liked science, and, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve figured out where my interests inthe field lie. It’s usually in physics and biology, but primarily in the area of theoreticalphysics.

Why did you choose to spend your summer at the Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL)?

I wanted to do some research and I was glad to learn about the guest program at LANL.The guest program is an application process that allows you to get a spot at LANL with-out going through the regular application process. This is very convenient for St. John’sstudents who are qualified for the work, but not in the same sense as physics majors atother universities. I also chose LANL because the lab itself is really great. That’s wherethe atomic bomb was developed and a lot of other scientific discoveries have been madethere since then. One of the phenomenons I was studying was called the “Casimir Effect” and it involves vacuum energy. A physicist at LANL was studying this and he was

“The guest program opportunity at LANL came up in a conversation I had with the Career Services Internship Coordinator; at that time it was Terrance Manning.”

6

acknowledged for proving that it exists. TheLab is a really great place, it is also close tocampus, and accessible. These are some of themany reasons I chose LANL.

Sounds like you were methodical and practi-cal in your choice. So how did you hear aboutthe guest program opportunity at LANL?

It came up in a conversation I had with the Career Services Internship Coordinator; atthat time it was Terrance Manning. I asked himabout internship opportunities in science andhe said, “Check out LANL, great Lab and youcan get in.” Getting in is always the priority andthen after that passions can be set ablaze. I wasencouraged and uplifted by Terry’s words. Addthis aspect to the other practical considerationsI made and you have a pretty good picture ofwhy I was at LANL in 2012.

So what’s next for you Elliott?

I think I am going to go back this summer(2014), with Ariel funding I hope to receive. Iwas talking to my mentor recently—the one Ihad when I did my Ariel Internship at LANL –and he suggested that I get some funding forthe summer time. That way I can put my foot inthe door and LANL could fund me for the yearafter that. Some St. John’s graduates who nowwork there did the same thing. I hope that I getan Ariel and can make this happen. The gen-eral idea is that I go back to work there andcontinue working on the projects that the teamwas working on: muon-tomography. There aretwo things on which I want to focus; first I want to learn more basic physics. We learn asurprising amount of science at SJC, but wedon’t get some of the areas which tests look at.Learning more basic physics will assist mewhen I eventually take the physics GRE. I willtake this GRE exam as part of my preparationfor applications to graduate school for aphysics major. The second thing is I hope thisopportunity will allow me to work on otherskills such as program modelling. I have alwayswanted to do this, but before, I didn’t know theprograms, but I hope I can do it this timearound. From there I am hoping to apply for agraduate program in either philosophy of science or physics.

The Five W’s for Spring BreakBy Lise Lookman

Spring break is approaching – two weeks with nothing to do! Sure, you’ll sleep in, hang out with friends and family, and just goof off. But these two weeks would also be awonderful opportunity to decide what you will be doing on your next break—summer!Some have already done this and are getting ready to receive responses from potentialemployers. However, it can be tough for some people to decide on what they want to dofor the summer. If you are one of those people you can use some of your spring breaktime to brainstorm. To make it easy for you (after all, it is a break) I have broken it downinto five questions: What? Why? Where? When? Who? Answer these questions andyou will have a platform to launch from.

What do you want to do?Do you want to work, take classes, or volunteer? This might depend on your financial needs or your future career plans.

Why do you want to work/take classes/volunteer?Do you need experience in acertain field? Do you need money for tuition? Do you want to meet a certain groupof people? Write down the motivation behind your desire.

Where do you want to be?Do you want to go abroad, or spend the summer inyour hometown? Do you want to stay in Santa Fe?

When do you want to work?What’s the time frame? St. John’s students are offfrom the end of May until the end of August, but you still have to consider otherevents that may impact your summer, such as weddings to attend, wisdom teeth tobe removed, or family vacations.

Who do you want to work for/learn from? Is there a particular company orschool that you would like to work for or attend? Is there an alumnus or familyfriend who could become your mentor?

Now that you have narrowed down what you want to do, get to work and answer thequestion of how to get what you want or need. Research employers/schools, polish upyour resume, write letters of application, and mail/email them off. Don’t forget yourcontacts—previous employers, relatives, Agora, and Johnny Jobs. There are a lot of opportunities out there; you just have to give up a few hours of your spring break to find them.

Plaza Spring, Photo courtesy of the Socorro website.

7

RECRUITINGFebruary 19 Santa Fe Public Schools Recruiting EventJunior Common Room 12:10 – 1:15 p.m.Dr. Joel Boyd, Superintendent of the Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS), willbe introducing the new “Santa Fe Teaching Fellowship” program whichbegins in June, 2014. For this year, SFPS is particularly soliciting applica-tions from St. John’s graduating seniors and GIs, as well as recent alumniwho are still living in Santa Fe. This fellowship program will provide tuitionfor alumni to complete the Alternative Teaching Licensure programthrough the Santa Fe Community College, as well as paid positions as elementary, secondary, bilingual or special education teachers for 3 yearsin the local public schools. Come and learn how to obtain NM teachingcertification, while jump-starting your teaching career with actual jobs.

March 7 & 8 Great Hearts Academies Interviews (Seniors, Graduating GIs, and recent alumni, by appointment only) Fireside LoungeGreat Hearts Academies are a growing network of classical liberal artsacademies in Phoenix and San Antonio. They teach a classical, liberalarts, Great Books curriculum to K-12 students. If you are interested inteaching at Great Hearts Academies next year or in future years, you MUST schedule a preliminary interview with Jerilyn Olson(jolson@greatheartsaz.org).

WORKSHOPS & PRESENTATIONS

April 1 Careers with USAID and the Peace Corps Senior Common Room, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Foreign assistance is a highly rewarding career field. Peace Corps is oneof the best ways to accumulate the experience necessary for entry intothis highly competitive field, in addition to being tremendously fulfilling inits own right. John Heard and Bob Huddleston (both of USAID) will givefirsthand information about careers with USAID and the Peace Corps

April 12 LSAT Strategy SeminarJunior Common Room, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

This Saturday seminar is presented FREE by Aprendia Learning, a localSanta Fe company that assists students who are preparing to take graduate school entrance exams. Learn about LSAT structure and question types, especially strategy for learning to complete the “logicgame” questions within a limited amount of time. Learn techniques tomaximize your LSAT score so you can get into a top law school.

April 15 Resume Workshop Part ISenior Common Room, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Put your best foot forward. This workshop will offer discussion and examples of good and bad resumes, and an opportunity to work with Career Services staff on your resume.

April 22 Resume Workshop Part IISenior Common Room, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Bring your resume that you worked on in Part I of this workshop to have itreviewed. Make sure that your resume impresses the interviewer and getsyou that job or internship.

DEADLINESFebruary 21 Ariel Internship application deadline

5:00 p.m. in Career Services Office.

Events

8

Disclaimer:The St. John’s College Career Services office produces Odyssey Bound as a service to St. John’s College students andcommunity members for their career development and educational and life planning. Any jobs or other opportunities listedherein do not indicate an endorsement or recommendation from St. John’s College or the Career Services office. Studentsand individuals from the St. John’s College community are responsible for all necessary precautions when interviewing foror accepting these positions or awards. They are also responsible for checking the credentials and integrity of all employ-ers or organizations.

St. John’s College and the Career Services office assume no liability for acts or omissions by third parties or for materialsupplied by them. The St. John’s College Career Services office is not responsible for anything that happens at a given jobsite. The presence of an employment listing in Odyssey Bound does not guarantee any given employer’s compliance withlegal behavior. If a student or individual experiences discrimination or sexual harassment on the job or in a job interview,he or she is encouraged to call the Department of Fair Employment in the state in which the violation occurred. CareerServices makes every effort to publish the most current information, but unforeseen publishing problems may render someevents obsolete. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause the reader.

CONTACT:Career Services 505-984-6066

Fax 505-984-6167

Web address: www.stjohnscollege.

edu/admin/SF/career.shtml

AGORA:www.myinterfase.com/sjcsf/student

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sjcsf

careerservices

Email: careerservices@sjcsf.edu

Office located in the basement of Weigle Hall, Room 13

Office Hours:Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

or by appointment

Career Services Staff:Margaret Odell

Director

Barbara Lucero Sand Assistant Director and Internship Coordinator

Lise Lookman Administrative Assistant

Allen MatsikaPublication Editor

Pari SitaulaResearch Assistant

Melissa Latham-StevensArt Director

Career Services Office

ENDNOTESWe’re on Facebook! Look us up – www.facebook.com/sjcsfcareerservices — and stay updated onimportant dates and opportunities.

Check us out online!www.stjohnscollege.edu/admin/SF/career_newsletter.shtml or in the AgoraResource Library