Our Graduates: Career Profile
Job Title: Assistant Associate Director
Employer: FAST National Training and Evaluation Center
Position Description: My job responsibilities include the following: Assist in the development of grants; Assist in the writing, creation of marketing materials; Edit written materials; Editor and producer of the newsletter (from concept to delivery); FAST National webmaster; Prepare conference materials; Coordinate special projects and events; Review all evaluation reports; Provide technical assistance about evaluation, budget, and training; Assist in marketing and respond to all inquiries (including follow-up); and Assure that deliverables on special projects are met.
Salary Range : $35,000-$40,000
Previously Held Positions: This is my first “real job” because I went to graduate school directly after graduating from Messiah. I held a couple different Project Assistantships during grad school, which were working for the “Policy Institute for Family Impact Seminars” and the “Families, Schools, and Communities: United from Students Project.”
Courses Found Most Helpful: The theory course was extremely beneficial for graduate studies. The developmental courses (child, adolescent, aging) were also helpful.
How HDFS Helped to Prepare Her: My office focuses on quality assurance for a specific program called Families and Schools Together (FAST). This program is value-based, theory-based, and evidence-based, so having a broader knowledge of the filed helps me understand the various program components and why they work. IN my position, I review all of the evaluation reports that go to sites that have implemented FAST. The background I gained through HDFS helps me to think critically about how program implementation connects to program outcomes.
In addition to my current position, I was very well prepared for graduate studies when I left Messiah College. I entered the MS programs at UW-Madison with a solid background in core theories. Many of my fellow students didn’t have a background in HDFS when they entered the program, so a lot of information was new to them. Fortunately, I was able to take a closer look at specific topics because I already had the background in place.
How Her Faith Interfaces with Her Work: No matter what your job is, your faith will likely be a challenge because it’s hard to live out Christianity with integrity all the time. For me, I feel this struggle more acutely during the crunch times when my day is completely saturated with work. With my specific work, my faith encourages me to do my work to the best of my ability.
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