A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away Steve Blank graduated from the University of Rochester in 2007 with a B.A. in Film and Media Studies with a concentration in post-production. During his time at Rochester, he also had the opportunity to study abroad in London! His career journey has taken him to Nickelodeon as a Coordinator and Manager in Marketing, working on shows like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Legend of Korra, some temp work, and eventually finding his passion at Lucasfilm where he is now the Director of Franchise Content and Strategy, working across teams and storylines. Steve shares how he's been able to find a community at Lucasfilm leading the Lucas Pride employee resource group, creating and supporting projects and initiatives he finds personally meaningful. He also explains how taking the time to discover his career path was full of important learning opportunities and the joy of finding a great place to work. We hope you enjoy this episode!

Careers Unfiltered

Sharing Your Story at Work, with Steve Blank '07

Professor Joanna Scott has been at the University of Rochester since 1987. She is the Roswell Burrows Smith Professor of English at the University of Rochester and the Director of the Literary Arts Program. In addition to teaching, she is also a critically acclaimed author of several novels and short stories. You may find her teaching courses in fiction writing and modern and contemporary literature. Tune in as Professor Scott discusses what it's like to have a career in writing, the importance of collaboration, and so much more.

Trusting the Process, with Professor Joanna Scott, English

Professor Danielle Presgraves is an Assistant Professor in the Biology department at the University of Rochester. You can find her teaching courses that she wish she could have taken in undergrad: Intro to Programming for Biologists and Biostatistics. Tune in as she shares her journey throughout her career as a first-generation college student hailing from Canada to finding her true passion at the intersection of math and biology. In addition, she shares how taking time before graduate school was helpful for her, gives advice on how to put your best application forward, and the power of saying "yes."

The Power of Saying "Yes", with Professor Danielle Presgraves, Biology

In this episode of our faculty series we have Professor Allen Topolski. Allen has been at the University of Rochester for over 25 years in the Art & Art History department. You can find him in courses like Markings, Methods, and Materials, Visual Production, and Senior Studio and Seminar. Tune in to hear how Allen found his passion of art and how he transformed it into a career to teach students to think creatively. He also shares his experience as a first-generation student, his favorite place in Rochester, and some advice you can apply to your own college experience.

Developing Creative and Critical Thinking Skills, with Professor Allen Topolski, Studio Art

Professor Pablo Sierra is an Associate Professor in the History Department and the Advisor for the Latin American Studies minor at the University of Rochester. You can find him teaching Colonial Latin America, Modern Latin America, History of Latin America through Soccer, and Captives: Past, Present, and Future. Tune in to hear how Professor Sierra discovered his love for history and how that became a source to explore Mexican history, culture, and language further. He shares his favorite part of being a professor (hint: the students!) and gives incredible advice on taking advantage of the different opportunities at the University of Rochester. He also dives into why students should attend office hours and a few of his favorite books!

Crafting Your Education at UR, with Professor Pablo Sierra, History

Professor Greg Gdowski has nearly 30 years of biomedical engineering experience and is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester. He is also the Executive Director of the Center for Medical Technology & Innovation which is a program designed for master's students to foster new ideas at the intersection of medicine, technology, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, Greg shares his experiences in both industry and academic settings and how choosing what do next is a difficult decision. He gives clear advice on how to negotiate for a higher salary and to set yourself up for success with the skills and knowledge made during your undergraduate career.

Know Your Value, with Professor Greg Gdowski, Biomedical Engineering

Welcome to the first episode of our special University of Rochester faculty series! We start with Professor Stephanie Ashenfelder who is currently the interim director of the Digital Media Studies program and the Program Advisor for Studio Art at the University of Rochester. Tune in to hear Stephanie share how she ended up in Rochester and how creativity can be applied across all fields. She also shares how when she was in college, a healthy dose of competition helped motivate and challenge her alongside her peers. Some of the courses that you can find her in are Introduction to Studio Art, Design Fundamentals, and the Digital Media Studies Senior Capstone.

The Benefits of a Competitive Cohort with Professor Stephanie Ashenfelder, Digital Media Studies and Studio Art

Aron Levine graduated from the University of Rochester in 1993 as a double major in Economics and History. After he left Rochester he went to Rhode Island to join Fleet Financial Group and has been in the banking industry ever since. He is currently the President of Preferred and Consumer Banking & Investments at Bank of America, helping meet clients' needs while also creating lasting impact. Take a listen to this episode to hear some of Aron’s advice for making the most of your college days, ways you can prepare for life post-graduation, and how the banking industry is an important force for social good.

Banking on Making an Impact, with Aron Levine '93

At the University of Rochester, Sarah was a college athlete in field hockey and graduated with a B.A. in Health Policy in 2013. She took time be a part of Americorps NCCC FEMA Corps Team in Mississippi for a year. She returned to Rochester to earn her Bachelors in Nursing in 2015 and is currently in the process of receiving her Masters in Public Health. She is also a Registered Nurse Care Manager at Accountable Health Partners in Rochester. Learn how Sarah stayed curious and connected her multiple past experiences and interests together to prepare her for a career in healthcare.

Curiosity Driven Healthcare, with Sarah Dixon '13 BSN'15 MPH '21

If you love learning about how people think and watching TV, then have you have ever considered a career that combines the two? Eric Steinberg graduated with a degree in psychology and a Certificate in Management in 1986 and made a career for himself in entertainment. He served as Senior Vice President of Research at CBS for 19 years and is currently an independent consultant in media research. Come find out how his psychology background served him in his entertainment roles, the behind the scenes data analysis to bring shows to life, and which major programs he was a part of while at CBS!

Behind the Scenes in TV, with Eric Steinberg '86

Are you interested in attending medical school, but don't have a traditional STEM background? Wonder how you can take advantage of your time at the University of Rochester? Take a listen to Danae and Casey's chat with Dr. Jeff Le, who graduated with a Bachelors in music and pursued a free fifth year of study in 2007. He attended medical school at the New York Institute of Technology in Long Island and is now a board certified physician and Cardiology Fellow at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. Learn how he discovered his passion in medicine, how music continues to be a source of joy in his life, and what advice he has for any and all pre-med students. Give him a follow at @drjeffle on Instagram!

Music, Medicine, and Meliora, with Dr. Jeff Le '07

Jesse Cramer graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 2012 and later on his Masters in Mechanical Engineering in 2014. He currently works as a Systems Engineer at L3 Harris Technologies while simultaneously producing content for his personal finance blog, The Best Interest. He shares how he ended up pursuing both of his passions and how there are more similarities between the two than meets the eye. The Best Interest: https://bestinterest.blog/

Career Best Interests, with Jesse Cramer '12 MS'14

Alice Fornari is one of the many people who takes care of a museum's artifacts. She is a Collections Program Technician at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History where her undergraduate degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Studies and Masters in Museology and Museum Studies blend together perfectly. Take a listen to learn how she discovered the museum field as a career, how STEM and humanities can converge, and some fun and interesting stories from her time working at museums.

A Day at the Museum, with Alice Fornari '16

Do you have a LinkedIn account? Have you made it to over 500 connections? Want to learn how to leverage the platform for career and networking success? Come join our Co-Hosts as they talk with Sidhant Ahluwalia who graduated with a degree in Computer Science in 2018. He has become an advocate of LinkedIn to share his story and connect with likeminded people and shares some of his tips to make it fit your career needs. He is currently a Manager at Silver Line and a Co-Host of his very own career education podcast, Careers Uncorked. Check it out! Careers Uncorked website: https://www.careers-uncorked.com

LinkedIn Life Lessons, with Sidhant Ahluwalia '18

To start off Season 4 of Careers Unfiltered, we are welcoming our new student Co-Host, Casey Ryu! Casey is currently in the Class of 2022 as an e5 student where she is learning about entrepreneurship and business. She is double majoring in Linguistics and Archaeology, Technology, and Historical Structures with a Certificate in Community-Engaged Learning. She shares her perspective on career building as a student and a wide variety of life experiences from archaeological digs, internships in museums, and study abroad to being the oldest daughter. So take a listen to welcome and meet our new student Co-Host!

Welcoming a New Voice, with Casey Ryu '22

Curious about careers? Join Danae King, Communications & Marketing Manager at the Greene Center for Career Education + Connections and co-host Bryce Davis, a Senior at the University of Rochester, as they tackle all-things career related with an unfiltered lens through conversations with Rochester students, staff, and alumni! Music: Acid Jazz - Kevin MacLeod