Emma Flowers (’13)

Sociology/Anthropology Major – Sociology

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What co-curricular or extracurricular activities were you involved in?

I was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha as well as GlobeMed – I did a lot of different events/activities with both organizations and loved participating in IM’s! I worked off campus at a local bank and worked at the University Career Center when I wasn’t in class.

 What are you doing now?

I currently supervise a youth/young adult employment program in Chicago. I’ve been with my company, JVS, for 4 years and love being in workforce development. I get to work with job seekers, connecting them to employment and training opportunities as well as working with employers to learn more about their hiring needs. I do a lot of outreach and program management but I still do some one on one case management with our job seekers. It’s very rewarding to work with a client at the beginning of the program, unsure of what types of jobs they are interested in or even qualify for and see them grow in confidence and finally start their career!

How did you get to this place in your life/ career?

I worked at the University Career Center at Truman and kind of just fell into this work. I was always really interested in career assessments and building resumes so when I learned you could do this for a job, I focused on that! After I graduated, I joined an AmeriCorps program and worked at a daycare. While there, I worked with the parents to connect them to education and employment opportunities within the community. After my two years of service, I found employment with JVS.

Have you been to graduate school? If so, where did you go? Did you go right after graduating from Truman?

I haven’t been to graduate school…yet 🙂

How has the education you’ve received from Truman helped you?

Having a liberal arts education from Truman helped prepare me for the real world! I was exposed to so many different topics and ways of learning. I also learned to always ask questions and never stop learning – I always take advantage of different trainings and webinars and I’m constantly researching ways to be more effective in the work that do.

Is/are there any particular class(es) you’re glad you took? Did you like it/them at that the time?

Structured Inequalities was my favorite. It really helped me understand some of the challenges that we face in society and how they can be addressed. It can feel overwhelming to hear all of the things that are wrong in the world but understanding what they stem from is the first step in moving towards a solution.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Truman?

Too many memories to count! Honestly, all of the adventures I had with my friends in and around Kirksville are some of my most vivid memories.  I also met some of my most dearest and truest friends at Truman and for that I am extremely grateful to have ended up there.

Why is Truman a good school at which to study?

I was able to really thrive academically at Truman because of the small class sizes and the relationships I was able to develop with my professors.  I knew I could always check in with any of my professors with whatever questions I had – I wasn’t just another name on an attendance list and they were always more than happy to help me!

Do you have any advice for someone wanting to go into the same line of work as you?

I really like the work that I do because it’s truly valuable and needed in any community.  There is a social work aspect to it but you also need to have a business mentality.  If you want to get into this line of work you have to balance both of those worlds.  Get out there and network, work on your “sales pitch” when you’re talking with an employer and then help coach your client on job search skills and purchase some interview clothes for them! Don’t stick yourself into a “nonprofit” corner – I take pride in my own transferable skills and feel lucky that I can switch between the nonprofit and for profit world so easily.

What do you miss most about campus life/ living in Kirksville?

Having all of my friends within a few blocks of each other! Now we’re all over the country, but it just makes the times that we do get to see each other even better.

If you could teach current students one thing, what would it be?

I work with college students now and it’s amazing how many resources their schools have that they’re not even aware of!   Once you’re an “adult”, the free, cool, and fun events are very limited. Take advantage of all of the different classes and learning opportunities at Truman. Four years can really fly by but I am so glad that I was able to experience all of the things that I did while I was at Truman.

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