Recent Grads
Michelle Poulin '15
When I matriculated at HWS, I probably would have described myself as directionless. Years later while working as an HWS admissions representative, I learned that this is common for college applicants, and extremely common for students attracted to liberal arts colleges. I was growing increasingly anxious about figuring out what I would "do" for a living, and I thought college was the way I would find my one career path. Four years at HWS helped me understand that I was the opposite of directionless; I was never meant to follow just one career path.
Music has always been my passion, and during my first semester at HWS I was considering transferring to pursue an audio engineering degree. I shared this with my adviser, Professor Lara Blanchard, and she encouraged me to evaluate the opportunities I would be giving up by leaving HWS. She helped me realize that HWS was exactly where I needed to be. I continued making music in my band, Call Security, completed two majors and two minors, served as a teaching fellow and tour guide, and studied abroad. Most liberal arts colleges allow students to explore multiple disciplines, but faculty and staff at HWS actively encouraged me to do so, which allowed me to grow immensely as an individual.
During my semester abroad in Taiwan in 2014, I studied the way (current president) Tsai Ing-Wen’s mayoral campaign co-opted the messaging of student-led protests against Chinese encroachment, including Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement, Hong Kong’s Umbrella Revolution, and the Taiwanese movement to legalize same-sex marriage. Watching social movements and political campaigns feed off one another in this way ignited my interest in studying regional nonviolent movements and international public policy. My Chinese language coursework and study abroad experience also prepared me for a role in the Hobart and William Smith Office of Admissions, where I worked as an international recruiter from 2015-2018. This position allowed me to meet with incredible applicants in 20 countries. Liberal arts colleges are a uniquely American creation, so I enjoyed sharing my interdisciplinary HWS experience with international students, many of whom did not realize that liberal arts colleges were an option. The American university application process is extremely confusing for many non-American applicants, and it was a privilege to play a small part in helping these students navigate the process.
Although I loved traveling and working one-on-one with applicants, I wanted to transition to a job that engaged more deeply with the political concepts I had encountered in Taiwan and China, but I wasn't quite sure what that job would look like. I spent a year working at a health policy think-tank while applying to masters-level graduate programs in international affairs and public policy. This brought me to the Harvard Kennedy School, where I am currently in the first year of my Master in Public Policy degree program. In addition to my graduate studies, I've also been able to apply my audio engineering skills to my position as producer on Flame Bearers, a Harvard-sponsored podcast about women-identifying Paralympians and Olympians.
The position I currently find myself in is somewhat similar to my first year at HWS: trying to figure out my next career move. The difference is that I've learned to trust my own judgment. I pay close attention to people and concepts I find most engaging, and I deliberately connect and reflect on what feels right. Rather than doing what I think I'm supposed to do, I follow the paths that resonate with my interests, as they nearly always lead somewhere exciting. My dream job will combine my love of international travel with my passion for social justice, including climate justice, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ protections.
In retrospect, I've created a clear narrative of my experiences, but we're really all figuring it out as we go. I encourage any HWS students or graduates to connect with me (via the alumni handbook or LinkedIn) about your career, applying to graduate schools, or anything else that's on your mind. It can feel awkward to reach out to somebody you've never met before, but I've found it's one of the best ways to quell the early-to-mid-twenties panic.