10 Within 10 Recognition
Jesi Parker Ekonen '10
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Majors: Interpersonal communication, organizational communication concentration
Current job title and employer: Associate Director of the Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute at CMU. I oversee a comprehensive four-year leadership development program and scholarship cohort.
Current city and state: Mount Pleasant, MI
What is your favorite memory of CMU?
I absolutely loved my time serving as an academic orientation mentor. Guiding a team of diverse student leaders made me a better person. My favorite part was assisting the new students during their transition to CMU.
What has been your coolest moment since graduation?
During graduate school, Dan Gaken asked me to serve as a facilitator for LeaderShape, a program offered through the Sarah R. Opperman Institute. For six days, I worked closely with college student leaders to develop their vision for a better world. LeaderShape was a powerful experience both personally and professionally. Not only did it fuel my commitment to student development, but I also reconnected with another CMU alumni facilitator, who I eventually married. LeaderShape was truly life-changing!
What advice would you give new graduates?
Keep yourself open to learning and unlearning. Education doesn't stop once you receive a degree. We have more access to information than any generation before us, and we have an obligation to use this information to make positive change in our communities.
What has your work life taught you?
Stress is not a badge of honor. Everyone you work with is handling major personal and professional challenges. Work life has taught me the importance of remembering we are all human beings, not human doings.
What about CMU helped you succeed?
I was drawn to CMU because of my older brother, but I love that we were able to pursue unique paths during our time on campus. CMU helps folks succeed because it is large enough for me to meet a new connection each day, yet small enough to feel like my voice matters.
10 years of 10 within 10 - 2023 update
Current city and state: Mount Pleasant, MI
Current job title and employer: Small Business Owner and Creative Director at Just Follow Your Art.
What is happening in your life today that you didn't expect when you were named one of the 10 within 10?
My stationery and gift products are on shop shelves of 150 independent retailers and nationally available at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source!
When you think of CMU today, what word comes to mind? Nostalgic.