The Community of BeOnAir Professionals’ Post

It's that time of year again, when promotions and tenure decisions are made across universities and if you get on social media, you'll see all the wonderful posts full of pride and joy celebrating these career milestones. What's not commonly discussed especially on social media are painful career setbacks. So that's what I want to do today. I want to repost an article I wrote for Harvard Business Review that appeared in my LinkedIn feed this morning. If you are going through a setback at work, know that you aren't alone. A big storm is necessary to clear a big enough path for all the blessings coming your way. I know this may be hard to feel and believe if you are in the midst of dealing with a painful career setback but please read my article. I hope it helps you in some small way. You don’t have to face a career setback alone. You may not want to immediately share disappointing news with anyone, but when the time is right for you, know that there are people who will listen with compassion. The only person who has the power to define our worth is ourselves. Remember this and you'll come back stronger than ever and you'll find your happy place. For me, that happy place turned out to be Northwestern University an institution that had previously only lived in my dreams. My dream of being a professor at Northwestern is now my reality. Never give up on yourself. #YouWillBeOK #YouGotThis Northwestern University Medill School #Northwestern #Academia #HigherEducation #Professors #Academic #Promotion #Career #Failure #Setback #HarvardBusinessReview

Here's what I've been up to in the last year at the Chicago Sun-Times, including the progress we've made on our editorial strategy (and also how I've been getting to know Chicago, my new city)!

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the desire to achieve immediate results and quick success. The adage, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together," serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring strength found in collaboration. When we rush ahead alone, we might achieve short-term gains, but we risk missing out on the deeper, more meaningful achievements that come from shared effort and mutual support. Working together allows us to pool our diverse skills, perspectives, and energies, creating a synergy that can propel us further than any one of us could go alone. It’s in the spirit of teamwork that we find resilience, innovation, and the ability to tackle larger challenges. Whether in the workplace, in our communities, or in our personal lives, building strong, supportive networks enables us to overcome obstacles, celebrate victories, and grow in ways that solitary journeys simply cannot provide. As we strive towards our goals, let’s remember the value of community and cooperation. Embrace the strength of togetherness, and you’ll find that not only do you reach your destination, but you arrive enriched by the shared journey. Together, we can go further than we ever imagined, lifting each other up and creating lasting, positive change in the world around us.

Check out the spotlight below to learn a little bit about my role as a Program Officer. Showing up with and for a purpose!

Do you feel like your life lacks direction? That you’re not really giving your all to your work? Spiritual career coach and author Rebecca Kirk reveals how to change careers and find deeper purpose – whatever your age. Learn more here ⇣ https://lnkd.in/eMZg2FNm

For better or worse, career pivots happen. Hear Rochelle's perspective on finding new purpose after having to give up her dream career. Get the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gKweX6gt #perspectives #resilience #findingpurpose #purpose #dreamcareer #inspiration #shareyourstory #careerpivot #newbeginnings #framedvoices

Curious about what's been happening at Poor Bear Stories? Check out our latest blog post, as Madeline Muralles shares stories from current projects, challenges, and more! Read here: https://lnkd.in/eDyYBprB #poorbearstoriesteam  #videoproduction #blogpost

Bit belated but thrilled to have started my first job out of college as a Researcher for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. I’ve spent all my spare time, for as long as I can remember, dreaming up and choreographing conversations that don’t exist outside of my head. It’s a little surreal to now work for a team doing that professionally. So grateful to my wonderful bosses at TJSF for making this opportunity possible!! Some recent segments I’ve researched attached below: https://lnkd.in/ekjCRS6m https://lnkd.in/ecyK8pZU https://lnkd.in/ecW8WDBT https://lnkd.in/efMQ6pz8 Also excited to have graduated this last May from the University of Maryland with a B.A. in Government and Politics, summa cum laude, while doing 9 internships and spending a rigorous but rewarding final semester abroad at Oxford. It does feel a little incomplete to mention any accolades without acknowledging that I felt really lost during college. My school was filled with amazing professors and hard-working peers, but as an institution, it personally felt kind of disempowering. UMD said no to me — a lot. From honors classes I desperately wanted to take to an unconventional study abroad endeavor (to many, many things in between), I became incredibly skilled at the art of the persuasive email. I was convinced I had to constantly correct for the fear that if I didn’t go to a fancy school that *saw* me and challenged me, I’d never meaningfully write. And if I didn’t write, I’d like, die. In retrospect, it’s a flawed line of thinking I’d chalk up to a lack of teenage foresight (and excess of teenage urgency) but mostly, mostly to the level of elitism in our college culture — and this industry — that I think instilled that misguided line of thinking in a lot of us. But I didn’t have any connections, I didn’t really look like any of the people who did what I wanted to do and I didn’t go to their schools either, so I bought it. The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)/ NBC News Summer Fellowship program completely changed that for me, with my first break as an intern for Maddow, which I’m still so grateful for. To any current students reading this, the fellowship is accepting applications for Summer 2024 till February 23rd! Even if you’re unsure, try. I remember applying in my freshman dorm at 11:58pm the night it was due because it felt so outlandish. And I wouldn’t have had the hubris to apply to any opportunity that came after if it wasn’t for that first vote of confidence. The program is such an incredible equalizer for people from underrepresented backgrounds passionate about the media industry, seriously could not recommend it more. Apply here!!! https://lnkd.in/eNaY4yTV

A-not-so-fun fact: 75% of people say they can't articulate their purpose in life. That means only one of every four of us out there are waking up and charging forward with a sense of purpose. The rest of us? Well, we're walking forward, but without a direction, a path, or an answer in mind. Here's the good news: It doesn't have to be that way. Walking in your purpose isn't something reserved only for 25% of the people. Whether you are the CEO of the company confusing your purpose with your job description, the student overwhelmed with the continual question of what you're going to do with your life, the frontline employee working the register at a big-box retail store, the guy who just got laid off, the new mom struggling to balance your new routine, the fresh-out- of-college employee starting your first job, the person closing in on decades in a career you hate, the individual anticipating the retired life and what it will look like, the person with a strong sense of purpose that doesn't seem to line up with your job, anyone, anywhere struggling to know their purpose and live it in the season they're in. #purpose #growth #customerexperience #personalgrowth #professionaldevelopment #talent https://lnkd.in/gUGCHbti

What is life like at G&T? Nancy Elgarf-Weir, director, talks us through her working day, her experiences as a working parent and how she seizes opportunities to engage in diverse projects with a variety of clients. Hear all about why G&T is a place where you can realise your potential. Watch the video: https://hubs.la/Q029V7Jq0 #RealiseYourPotential