Growing up, my family upheld the saying to be “men and women for and with others” as the gold standard of how to live. As a child I interpreted this saying, coined by social justice- advocate Father Pedro Arrupe, to mean that I should approach each aspect of my life according to my moral compass, defined by humble service and selfless love. This looked like running a lemonade stand to raise money for my Lenten Rice Bowl donations, shopping for Christmas gifts to support an angel tree family, and pausing to help up a fallen opponent on the soccer field instead of running to the goal. Living according to these values felt meaningful and gave me purpose. As I matured into adulthood, though, my career focus shifted away from those foundational values of service and compassion. While I may have strayed on my path, my compass was always there, working to pull me back in the right direction. My journey to pursuing a Master of Social Work has been recalibrating my career to be more in line with these personal values, listening to those internal compass-nudges calling me to live with purpose and meaning, and getting back to being a woman for and with others through my work. The catalyst that propelled me into action to live out this motto was a personality assessment that my business class was required to take. I enthusiastically agreed with my result of being an “amiable” personality; I was great with people and was often celebrated as a culture carrier for our department. That feeling of pride was short lived, however, when the facilitator began to share how these people were often perceived as weak within the corporate world - that they are too focused on relationships, slow to make decisions, and overly empathetic. What were perceived as weaknesses in my corporate life were actually valuable assets to me - I am relational, intentional, and compassionate. I began to consider that maybe my personality wasn’t the problem, but rather that my current work did not align with my purpose. This internal reckoning prompted me to begin researching a career that would best fit my talents, reflect my desire to be an advocate for the vulnerable and marginalized, and empower me to walk with them on their journey through life. When I discovered Social Work, I was drawn in by its promotion of the holistic care of a person through focusing on one’s individual needs while breaking down systemic barriers that may prevent them from achieving well-being. It felt like something clicked in my head - that by pursuing Social Work, I could make actionable changes in my community and connect with others on a human level through my daily work. Currently in HR at KeyBank, I live out my amiable personality each day: successfully advocating to increase employee starting wages using fact-based research, taking a thoughtful approach to how compensation is awarded to maintain equity, being a peer mentor to new hires to make them feel welcomed and supported, and being discerning and discreet in order to protect confidential pay information. I will use these skills as a social worker in order to handle sensitive situations with discretion and respect, develop trust with a client, and pursue social justice and equity by advocating for the best interest of an individual and the greater community. Through volunteering, I live out my values in a way I cannot in my professional life. In college, I was part of Advocates for Women of the World’s “Banner Up” campaign, advocating for Greek Life to hang banners that raise awareness on consent and sexual violence prevention. I also ran tennis clinics for children with Down Syndrome through Buddy Up Tennis; teaching my “buddy” to hit the ball over the net for the first time and seeing the pure joy on her face as she succeeded will stick with me forever. I recently facilitated my church’s program for teens converting to Catholicism, where I introduced Catholic Social Teaching. As I taught concepts such as caring for the poor and vulnerable and the dignity of an individual, it felt like a full-circle moment to be instilling these values to the next generation like my parents had done for me. Transitioning into a new career after already building a successful one can seem daunting for many, though I remain undaunted and instead am emboldened by my values that guide me to this path. I feel deeply that I have a purpose to care for others, to walk with them, and to accompany them through this unpredictable life. As I seek my own fulfillment, I continue to work toward bringing those around me to a life of meaning, purpose, and love.