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THE QUESTION I GOT ASKED AT EVERY JOB INTERVIEW
I have four degrees from three different schools, one of which grants me the right and privilege to be addressed as “Dr. Perera”, yet every time I have ever interviewed for a job the first question I get asked is “Northern Michigan University, huh?” or sometimes the more elegant “what drew you to Northern Michigan University?” with a heavy emphasis on “Northern.” I smile every time at the memory of landing in Marquette just after midnight on a January night.
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I have four degrees from three different schools, one of which grants me the right and privilege to be addressed as “Dr. Perera”, yet every time I have ever interviewed for a job the first question I get asked is “Northern Michigan University, huh?” or sometimes the more elegant “what drew you to Northern Michigan University?” with a heavy emphasis on “Northern.” I smile every time at the memory of landing in Marquette just after midnight on a January night.
I transferred to NMU from Caracas, Venezuela. At the time of application, I had lived almost my entire life in the South American country. I didn’t have SAT scores and didn’t need a student visa because I’m a U.S. citizen. My application was not typical, but at NMU Mr. John Weting, then Director of International Student Services, for some reason took an interest in me. He saw my application through and met me at the airport when I arrived that very cold night. I also applied to Michigan State University and am still waiting to find out if I was accepted.
Marquette, Michigan does not resemble Caracas, Venezuela in any way whatsoever. For starters, in Venezuela there is no winter. I stood out against the snowy campus and was constantly fielding questions about where I had come from while listening patiently as people pointed to their hand to explain where they’re from. Negaunee. Sault Ste. Marie (Zoo Saint Marie?). Traverse City. Outside of Detroit. Sometimes Detroit. Illinois. Wisconsin. All these places were as foreign to me as Caracas was to them.
Over the two years I spent at NMU I learned where all those places are. I also learned how to adapt to limited daylight, how to dress for cold weather, how to snowshoe, what a power play means in hockey, and that the Upper Peninsula is better than the Lower Peninsula, no question. I also learned how to adapt to and succeed in new environments. By the end of my time at NMU had worked in the residence halls, written for The North Wind, served on ASNMU, traveled to Arizona and Washington, D.C., and interned in upstate New York.
Years after I graduated I visited campus on Homecoming Weekend and saw some posters that appeared geared at attracting new faculty. It showed an adult against a snowy backdrop and underneath it said “Fearless in the Face of Adversity.” I think about that poster all the time because that’s what NMU taught me about myself: I am fearless in the face of a new place, a new language, and some of the harshest weather in the country. I am fearless in the face of adversity. This is what my NMU degree says about me when I apply to jobs: not that I have an undergraduate degree in Public Relations or a minor in History (trust me, that never comes up) but that I am fearless.
I talk to high school and college students all the time because I enjoy mentoring and feel that I have much to give back. Without fail I urge them to consider NMU, and (so far also without fail) they balk. “It’s so far.” “It’s so cold.” Both are true, but it is also true that it’s an affordable place to get a good education, and the remoteness and harsh weather will be a great conversation starter for years to come. If you’re already at NMU- good for you! Get out. Find opportunities to study abroad or to intern out of state. Having experience working and collaborating with people from different backgrounds is critical to be successful in many fields today.
The first week I was at NMU I walked to the Wildcat Den to buy dinner because the other places were closed. On my way back to Hunt Hall I got lost because while I had looked at campus pictures and maps for hours, few of them depicted the campus in its natural state- covered in snow. One person approached me and told me I was walking in the middle of the road. I explained that I was lost. “Where did you come from?” he asked because Midwesterners are nothing if not nice. “Venezuela,” I said. “Hmmm… no, I mean now?” “Oh. Hunt Hall.” With the help of someone I just met (and never saw again) I made it back and then through hard work, the unconditional support of my parents and family, and of John Weting I made it through NMU and earned my undergraduate degree. I also earned the right to look down on people that complain about the cold when it’s over 32F outside. The end.
I transferred to NMU from Caracas, Venezuela. At the time of application, I had lived almost my entire life in the South American country. I didn’t have SAT scores and didn’t need a student visa because I’m a U.S. citizen. My application was not typical, but at NMU Mr. John Weting, then Director of International Student Services, for some reason took an interest in me. He saw my application through and met me at the airport when I arrived that very cold night. I also applied to Michigan State University and am still waiting to find out if I was accepted.
Marquette, Michigan does not resemble Caracas, Venezuela in any way whatsoever. For starters, in Venezuela there is no winter. I stood out against the snowy campus and was constantly fielding questions about where I had come from while listening patiently as people pointed to their hand to explain where they’re from. Negaunee. Sault Ste. Marie (Zoo Saint Marie?). Traverse City. Outside of Detroit. Sometimes Detroit. Illinois. Wisconsin. All these places were as foreign to me as Caracas was to them.
Over the two years I spent at NMU I learned where all those places are. I also learned how to adapt to limited daylight, how to dress for cold weather, how to snowshoe, what a power play means in hockey, and that the Upper Peninsula is better than the Lower Peninsula, no question. I also learned how to adapt to and succeed in new environments. By the end of my time at NMU had worked in the residence halls, written for The North Wind, served on ASNMU, traveled to Arizona and Washington, D.C., and interned in upstate New York.
Out of all the schools I attended, Northern Michigan University is not ranked the highest or the most prestigious, but it is the one that taught me the most about what I can do and the type of person I am.
Years after I graduated I visited campus on Homecoming Weekend and saw some posters that appeared geared at attracting new faculty. It showed an adult against a snowy backdrop and underneath it said “Fearless in the Face of Adversity.” I think about that poster all the time because that’s what NMU taught me about myself: I am fearless in the face of a new place, a new language, and some of the harshest weather in the country. I am fearless in the face of adversity. This is what my NMU degree says about me when I apply to jobs: not that I have an undergraduate degree in Public Relations or a minor in History (trust me, that never comes up) but that I am fearless.
I talk to high school and college students all the time because I enjoy mentoring and feel that I have much to give back. Without fail I urge them to consider NMU, and (so far also without fail) they balk. “It’s so far.” “It’s so cold.” Both are true, but it is also true that it’s an affordable place to get a good education, and the remoteness and harsh weather will be a great conversation starter for years to come. If you’re already at NMU- good for you! Get out. Find opportunities to study abroad or to intern out of state. Having experience working and collaborating with people from different backgrounds is critical to be successful in many fields today.
The first week I was at NMU I walked to the Wildcat Den to buy dinner because the other places were closed. On my way back to Hunt Hall I got lost because while I had looked at campus pictures and maps for hours, few of them depicted the campus in its natural state- covered in snow. One person approached me and told me I was walking in the middle of the road. I explained that I was lost. “Where did you come from?” he asked because Midwesterners are nothing if not nice. “Venezuela,” I said. “Hmmm… no, I mean now?” “Oh. Hunt Hall.” With the help of someone I just met (and never saw again) I made it back and then through hard work, the unconditional support of my parents and family, and of John Weting I made it through NMU and earned my undergraduate degree. I also earned the right to look down on people that complain about the cold when it’s over 32F outside.
