Category Archives: Uncategorized

Welcome to Summer 2015!

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The Elms are standing tall, (most of) the students are gone, and Seal Court is enjoying a moment of peace before summer events kick off around campus. We’re still here in CP&R over the summer (missing our Motley coffee) and the blog will still be here, too. Just like Scripps, it’ll look a little different over the summer. We will have some writers coming and going, writing about their summer internship experiences. We will have some posts going live in which students talk about their internships from previous summers. But we’d love for you to get in on the fun, too. Stay in touch with us here, at our Facebook page and over at our Instagram account. At Instragram, upload a picture of yourself at your summer job, internship or research lab using the hashtag #scrippsatwork and we’ll share it on our feed. We can’t wait to see you all over the world!
If you need us over the summer, just give us a call. If not, no worries. We’ll catch you in the fall.

Interview with Alumna Valerie C. Whitacre ’08, Art Advisor in Discreet Sales

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DSC_1969Alumna Valérie C. Whitacre ’08 graduated from Scripps with a self-designed major in Philosophy and Art History, never imagining that she would move to London and begin her own Art Advisory and Discreet Sales business, BLACK etc. Ltd. She credits her Claremont connections for getting her to where she is now, and now she wants to return the favor for current students.

How did you start in the art industry?

After getting my Masters in Contemporary Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art, London (thanks to a scholarship from Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler), I started out working on a private collection of photography that belongs to an ex-Mudder and an ex-Scrippsie who are based here in London. That patronage gave me the hands-on many people my age don’t get, which enabled me to later set up a photography department for a private gallery in the city.

How did you decide to start your own business?

I tried out a few different things and decided I wanted to give a shot to advise on photographs [hence the name BLACK, which is what first comes up onto the paper as you develop photographs] but also get paid to answer the questions I used to answer just as favors. After one reaches a certain level of experience and expertise, I believe that if you know how to advise people on strategy, contacts and the like, you should be compensated and this should help build your career as well as respect for your knowledge base.

What is your typical week like?

I spend 90% of my time advising one private collection called the Stellar International Art Foundation, organizing exhibitions and publications for them. My evenings and weekends are meeting with my more photography-based clients, before and after an auction, doing condition reports, and researching images to make suggestions that satisfy clients’ taste.

What has surprised you most about your job?

Working in London specifically, people are incredibly supportive and the market is not so saturated that you feel like you’re drowning. (In New York, for example, they are so saturated they actually have a TV show called Gallery Girls, which is horribly patronizing.) The dynamic is similar in that if you don’t come from wealth or have a patron it’s difficult to break through, but with perseverance and networking skills it is possible.

What is your number one piece of advice for current students?

There is always going to be someone from Scripps or the 5Cs that’s going to want to lift you up. If you look at the list of alumna that come from the 5Cs, why would you not tap into that resource? That’s not a shameful thing to do. At Scripps you’re encouraged to be independent, so networking within the community can sometimes feel like it might be looked down upon by peers: “Why does she need help? Does she not know what she wants to do? Has she not done well enough in her courses?” But no one does it alone and you shouldn’t have to. Where I am is absolutely dependent on that boost from the network that Scripps and the 5Cs gave me.

 

Valérie is one of over 1500 alumnae volunteers in Life Connections. Learn how to access the database and start building your network on InsideScripps.

CP&R Celebrates Gaypril – Interview with Alumna Berenice Villela ’12

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Editor’s Note: While we generally reserve the blog for student voices, as part of CP&R’s Gaypril celebration we interviewed alumna Berenice Villela ’12 and thought her advice was too good not to share. Enjoy this perspective from a former student, and check out the resources for LGBTQ+ job searchers at the bottom!

Berenice Villela ’12 is a 7th grade math teacher at the Oakland Unified School District. She is openly out at her workplace, and has some tips for how people can be an ally at work.

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“One of the perks of working in Oakland is having teachers and administrative staff that identify as LGBTQ,” Berenice said. “At my student teaching placement, the principal was an out lesbian with a child entering the kindergarten class at the school. At my current school, I am not the only out teacher. It makes such an impact to have that community, or at least to connect with people who are queer and working in your field.”

Berenice has actively sought to develop this community more herself, by marking her space as a safe space and involving allies.

“I started a GSA for the students, trained my staff on the protections LGBTQ students have, and have found support from my colleagues and students,” Berenice said. “One way to be an ally in the workplace is to have a visible marker that identifies your space (be it office or classroom) as a safe place for LGBTQ folks. Pink triangles or equality symbols are recognizable for many in the community as a symbol for supporting LGBTQ community. Those markers alone help colleagues or clients know that they are in a safe space.”

Thanks for sharing your story with us, Berenice!

Additional Resources

Blogger and Career Consultant AnnE dug up some great additional resources for anyone considering coming out in their workplace, or anyone who wants to be an ally.

The Breakup

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Have you ever noticed that this whole job/internship search process is a lot like dating? You express interest in someone, have a few extended conversations to see if personalities click, and there’s eventually a proposal. (Ok, maybe that’s a little quick, but you get the idea.) You get butterflies when there’s a company you’re particularly excited about; you get excited thinking about your future together; you look forward to the ways that you will help each other become better. Unfortunately this comparison extends to the bad things… and that includes The Breakup.

Today I broke up with the company that I thought I wanted to work for. In fact, about 6 months ago I was convinced that I was going to be working there. But like our dating lives, a lot can change in 6 months. Breakups aren’t fun, very few people actually enjoy them, but sometimes they are necessary. My (organizational) breakup was necessary, and I’d like to tell you why in hopes that it can help you at some point.

The Process
The application/interview/negotiation process can tell you a lot about an organization. Yes, you are doing what you can to impress them, but they should also be trying to impress you. You should follow all the networking rules and make them feel special, and they should treat you with respect and spend time showing you their best qualities. (See? Dating. Totally dating.) 

The Right Place
I might be a little idealistic, but go with me for a sec. I feel like there is a right place for me. There are certain qualities that I’m looking for in an organization, and while part of me wants to settle because I desperately want a job, I’m also trying to maintain some standards. I think this is an ok thing to do because a company wants to find candidates who fit with their organizational culture as well. So if you’re breaking up with the company because it doesn’t feel like the right place it might be best for everyone.

The People
I’m not the kind of person who wants to be best friends with everyone I work with; I have great friends, I don’t expect this relationship to provide for all my needs. (Hehe, see what I did there?) That said, I want to look forward to going to work, and that has a lot to do with the organizational culture, but also the people. If everyone I work with is heads down all day, eating lunch alone, leaving right at 5pm, and never telling me my hair looks good (or doesn’t look good, for that matter), I probably don’t want to work there. We don’t have to be besties, but I do want to have some fun! (Even if that means making fun of me…)

The Gut Feeling
Honestly, if it doesn’t feel right anymore, that says something. That was the biggest sign for me. You can trust your gut feelings; you have them for a reason. If you feel like the organization isn’t the place for you, you don’t need any excuses, rationalizations, or justifications. You are the only one who needs to be convinced.

Ultimately, my prospective organization did not come through for me in all of these ways, so I severed ties nicely; our friendship might be awkward for a few weeks, but our mutual friends won’t have to stress about inviting both of us to parties in the future. We might even introduce each other to new prospective partners; just because they weren’t right for me doesn’t mean they won’t work well for someone else.

So, in the wise words of Emma Stone (in Friends with Benefits):
**Organization Name Here**, it’s not you…

Startup Diversity, Part I: What’s (not) Happening?

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I love the tech industry. I fell in love with it around the beginning of my junior year and I can’t tell you exactly why, because there are so many things that frustrate me about it (enough to write a thesis on… literally). But there’s something incredibly exciting about how fast it moves, how quickly companies compete with each other, how determined designers and developers are to create the best product, and how dedicated every single person in the company is to the organization and the products. You live and die with the organization’s successes and failures, particularly in startups. I’m sure it’s beyond exhausting, but it’s also thrilling, and I can’t wait to officially be a part of it.

Instead of saving up to buy “business casual” pencil skirts that I hate and heels that will ensure that I’m limping by the end of the day, I get to roll up to the office in my jeans and sandals. Sure, I might be staring at my computer for most of the day, but I’ll probably be sitting on a yoga ball or laying on a couch while I do it. I’m not worried about missing my friend’s wedding, my cousin’s graduation, or quality time with my family because many tech companies have unlimited vacation time. I will be surrounded by intelligent people who are as eager to learn about my background in cognitive psych and feminist studies as they are to teach me about JavaScript syntax. I’ve loved college because I’m constantly pushed to be better, and I think I’ll find the same inspiration during my career in the tech industry.

I’m telling you all of this partially because I’m so excited to be part of this industry, but also because I know that not everyone gets to look forward to these perks after graduation. The tech industry could open up amazing opportunities for people who often experience oppression in the workplace. This oppression comes in many forms, such as lacking equal maternity and paternity leave, health care benefits for same-sex partners, disability accommodations, transportation and relocation assistance, and other seemingly basic policies that could ensure an inclusive and welcoming culture.

Part of why I love the tech industry is because it’s perfectly poised to alleviate and/or eradicate these workplace oppressions. There’s unlimited vacation which creates some accommodations for people with disabilities as well as provides both maternity and paternity leave. Most tech companies have health care plans that cover partners and families. Many tech companies provide transportation or financial assistance for commuters. Finally, tech companies often focus on having a fun and exciting company culture where everyone feels welcome.

The tech industry could represent an opportunity for a successful career to people who may not have that chance in other industries because of biases related to their race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability, etc. Nevertheless, despite having the potential to transform the future of businesses into a place for equal representation, the tech industry is anything but diverse. The tech industry tends to hire people that look like they “fit” in the industry, and that often means they look like the majority of people within the industry: straight, white men. We need to start actively working to change this because, frankly, it’s the right thing to do. I’m sick of having to say “It’s good for your business” or “You’ll make more money” or “You’ll have better products.” YOU WILL. But that’s not the reason to do it.

I expect a lot more from the industry that has inspired me for over a year and a half. I can’t be one of the only people who would be excited to wear jeans to work or doesn’t want to worry about traveling to see her family. So many people are being denied opportunities to be a part of this exciting industry because they don’t “look the part.” Consequently, the tech industry is missing out on amazing talent. It’s time to address this. It shouldn’t be a part of “Next Year’s Goals” or in a small, hidden subsection in companies’ mission statements. It needs to be big, audacious, and have some flashing lights. Also, it needs to happen now.

And I have some ideas…

(To be continued in Part II.)