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Amanda Grant '91
Pace wanted Amanda Grant before she wanted Pace. Grant, a champion of the Lincoln Douglas Debate Tournament, was recruited with a full scholarship by the debate team before she knew anything about the university. Grant was also a perfect candidate for the (now-shuttered) Freshman Thinking Project at Dyson, led by Prof. Harold Brown, who remains Grant男女操逼视频软件檚 mentor. She is passionate to this day about the creative, supportive surprise Pace turned out to be for her.
Freshman year was a first year of grown-up life for Grant. She had the room to think differently, to work hard and to connect. 男女操逼视频软件淚 fell in love with everything at Pace: the diversity of the remarkable students, the professors男女操逼视频软件 engagement with the students, the intellectual stimulation.男女操逼视频软件
Grant had graduated from an innovative and competitive high school program in Ridgewood, New Jersey, which developed critical thinking through an interdisciplinary program. She felt that most of her high school classmates were headed for the Ivy League, but the American college process overwhelmed Grant男女操逼视频软件檚 British parents. Neither had studied in the States, and neither had gone to university in Britain. 男女操逼视频软件淢y parents were so creative and supportive, but we had little ability to navigate the information, especially with limited financial resources, 男女操逼视频软件 she says. As a result, Pace男女操逼视频软件檚 scholarship offer was life changing and critical for this debate geek.
男女操逼视频软件淎t Pace, I learned that my ideas were as worthy as anyone男女操逼视频软件檚 in the room. I developed the confidence to explore without fear, to pursue ideas and to cultivate an irreverence for authority in my career.男女操逼视频软件
Unfortunately the debate team was disbanded at the end of her freshman year, so Grant男女操逼视频软件檚 college experience needed to change. She took a summer job on Wall Street, which culminated in an offer of a full-time position. She moved to Hoboken, where she still lives, and finished her BA in English Language and Literature at Pace New York with a full-time course load and a full day at work. 男女操逼视频软件淵es, it was hard and exhausting,男女操逼视频软件 she says, 男女操逼视频软件 but evening students were so driven and motivated for both personal and professional development.男女操逼视频软件 Grant returns again and again to the endless influence her undergraduate studies had on her life, and the pivotal experiences and invaluable skills she learned then. 男女操逼视频软件淎t Pace, I learned that my ideas were as worthy as anyone男女操逼视频软件檚 in the room. I developed the confidence to explore without fear, to pursue ideas and to cultivate an irreverence for authority in my career.男女操逼视频软件
男女操逼视频软件淎t first I thought I男女操逼视频软件檇 study business, but I was also sure I男女操逼视频软件檇 become an English professor,男女操逼视频软件 she says. 男女操逼视频软件淚 finished a masters at Hunter in English Literature, but then it was time to commit and make a choice.男女操逼视频软件 She felt a pull to other careers and as a result of her Pace experience, she was confident that she could learn the business world on the job going forward. 男女操逼视频软件淎t 29, I was managing a team of 10 people in their forties and fifties in client services and asset management. I counted on my debate skills because I was often presenting to corporations and pension funds.男女操逼视频软件
In hiring today, Grant values people who have 男女操逼视频软件渄one for themselves男女操逼视频软件 through their own creativity and hard work. 男女操逼视频软件淚男女操逼视频软件檓 looking for people who have interests in life outside of the numbers, and problem solvers who see opportunity in challenges, candidates who are fearless, resourceful and have ideas to share.男女操逼视频软件 The communications and thinking skills developed by a liberal arts degree remain important to her too. 男女操逼视频软件淐ommunication skills and global, historical awareness are sorely lacking today, and they are so useful in a shrinking world. It often all comes down to relationships and a holistic view of the world and the issues.男女操逼视频软件
Grant feels young people live with information overload. She acknowledges that because this generation has grown up with exploding technology, it男女操逼视频软件檚 男女操逼视频软件渁ll they know,男女操逼视频软件 but she wonders about their depth of knowledge and about the possible paralysis caused by so many choices. 男女操逼视频软件淵oung people have energy, but not a lot of patience. It can be hard to develop expertise with the lack of stability of today男女操逼视频软件檚 job market.男女操逼视频软件 She advises that young people might 男女操逼视频软件渓ook for opportunities to re-purpose their abilities within an organization, to build tenure, but still grow. Get comfortable getting outside your comfort zone, someone once told me, 男女操逼视频软件 she quoted.
男女操逼视频软件淵oung people have energy, but not a lot of patience. It can be hard to develop expertise with the lack of stability of today男女操逼视频软件檚 job market.男女操逼视频软件 She advises that young people might 男女操逼视频软件渓ook for opportunities to re-purpose their abilities within an organization, to build tenure, but still grow. Get comfortable getting outside your comfort zone, someone once told me, 男女操逼视频软件
And how does Grant balance her work life and her personal life? 男女操逼视频软件淚 don男女操逼视频软件檛,男女操逼视频软件 she says. 男女操逼视频软件淚t男女操逼视频软件檚 all one life with lots of give and take. I男女操逼视频软件檝e learned when to shuffle and be flexible in order to spend time with my son. I男女操逼视频软件檓 proud that I男女操逼视频软件檝e never missed a game or a school concert, but I may have to continue working after he goes to sleep at night.男女操逼视频软件
Choosing to be a single parent through an open adoption taught Grant lessons she couldn男女操逼视频软件檛 have expected. In an open adoption, the biological and adoptive families know more about each other and can stay in contact. 男女操逼视频软件淥f course, I was anxious about the process, but my son男女操逼视频软件檚 birth mother is so grounded, self-less and good-hearted. She男女操逼视频软件檚 half my age, but her resilience and maturity are amazing. She男女操逼视频软件檚 genuinely joyful that my son and I are a family. Adopting my son is the best decision I ever made.男女操逼视频软件 Grant has also learned plenty from her eight-year old. 男女操逼视频软件淏ecause of my athletic son, I now know all about football, soccer and wrestling! I don男女操逼视频软件檛 have an athletic bone in my body, but my son and I wrestle together as our favorite WWF stars. I remind him that not all moms would do that!男女操逼视频软件
The experience of adopting also led to a fascinating side step in Grant男女操逼视频软件檚 career. In 2011 she bravely left a senior position as managing director of global institutional services at what is now Columbia Threadneedle to start USAdopt, a central resource for domestic adoption information that she had discovered was not previously available. 男女操逼视频软件淎doptive parents have to make decisions that biological parents don男女操逼视频软件檛.男女操逼视频软件 USAdopt closed as a business in 2015, but Grant continues to provide services to families pro bono. Grant then returned to the business world in 2015 as a principal at Third Street Partners, an executive recruiting firm. This new path 男女操逼视频软件渁ggregates all my career skills,男女操逼视频软件 she says.
男女操逼视频软件淭hen about three years ago I was first approached about the advisory board. I received a call from Jeanne Hayes, who said that my background had come to the school男女操逼视频软件檚 attention, and they thought that I could bring an interesting perspective to the board. While I had not been an active alumna, Pace was so instrumental in who I am today.男女操逼视频软件 Grant wants to be helpful to students going out into the world; to help these 男女操逼视频软件渞emarkable, accomplished and innovative男女操逼视频软件 young people survive and thrive. She also enjoys connecting more alumni back to Pace, who may not be aware that the college is 男女操逼视频软件渆ven more magnificent today!男女操逼视频软件
What does she do in her free time? 男女操逼视频软件淲ell, there男女操逼视频软件檚 not much of it. I help people to adopt, and I男女操逼视频软件檓 on the refugee committee of my synagogue.男女操逼视频软件
Grant男女操逼视频软件檚 next travel destination: 男女操逼视频软件淢y son and I go to the family camp, Quisisana, in Maine every summer, but I男女操逼视频软件檝e always wanted to see the gorgeous scenery around St. John in New Brunswick. I男女操逼视频软件檓 hoping to get there for my 50th birthday.男女操逼视频软件 (There男女操逼视频软件檚 a Pace Performing Arts connection at Quisisana too. Acting faculty Susan Aston directs the camp drama program and often brings Pace students with her to perform.)
What男女操逼视频软件檚 on her Kindle? Non-fiction: Grit by Angela Duckworth. All about persevering. Fiction: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin, an unlikely love story.
The opposite of a collector: 男女操逼视频软件淚男女操逼视频软件檓 utilitarian. I 男女操逼视频软件榞et rid of男女操逼视频软件 instead of collecting.男女操逼视频软件
What does she do to spoil or reward herself? 男女操逼视频软件淢aybe a manicure for 30 minutes of 男女操逼视频软件榤e男女操逼视频软件 time, and Latin dancing with a group of friends at SOBs in the city.男女操逼视频软件
Students can reach out to Amanda Grant at agrant5@verizon.net or amanda@thirdstreetpartners.com.