10 Within 10 Recognition

Major: History and Social Science
His job: Chief strategist and communications director for Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph, Michigan), Washington, D.C.

What is your fondest memory of CMU? 
Meeting new people. Avoiding the library. Playing basketball with friends at the SAC. Participating in two Alternative Breaks. 

What has been your coolest moment since graduation? 
Being on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives when they passed my boss’s landmark legislation, the 21st Century Cures Act. It’s a bipartisan piece of legislation to safely speed the approval process for life-saving drugs and medical devices. It took us more than three years, but in December 2016, President Obama signed it into law. Seeing all of our hard work pay off was incredibly rewarding and yes — in a nerdy way — very cool.

What advice would you give to new graduates? 
Audit yourself. Be self-aware and understand what you’re good at and what you’re not. When it comes to finding a job or settling into a career: Triple down on whatever it is you’re passionate about. Ignore pretty much everything else.

What has your work life taught you?
Being a good communicator means being a good listener, first and foremost.

If you could do anything right now, what would you do? 
Travel more. The world is so big!