With my internship ending last week and me moving back to Valpo next Tuesday I’ve spent some time thinking about what I want to do after graduation. I was blessed to be exposed to the world of entrepreneurship. I think being able to reflect on the past is one of the best ways to grow and move forward.
This summer was full of new experiences, places, and people. The CAPS fellows here in Chicago were great people to share the summer with. So many of us had the same questions about life and purpose. I also had the opportunity to go with Cindy to an MBA tour to look at grad schools. It seems weird to be looking at grad schools already when I still have two years at Valpo, but looking at options and new possibilities is always exciting.
However, looking to the more immediate future, I had the pleasure to meet with a Peace Corps recruiter. I think I’m drawn to the Peace Corps for the same reason I was drawn to the military, out of a sense of service. While the purpose of the Peace Corps and the military may seem different to be ideologically opposed, I think they’re rather well aligned. Being an exemplar of American values overseas.
The positions I’m looking to apply for are focused on economic development in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe, specifically the Balkan countries, have been in turmoil sense the collapse of the USSR. I’m talking genocide, civil war, political unrest, and more. I think the philosophy of turning swords to plowshares is important in these countries. While Humanitarian work is important in these countries, economic development is going to be a vital catalyst into the country having a chance at long term recovery.
When we think of business in America we often think of fortune 500 companies with CEOs that have houses in every time zone. However, when I think of business, I think of small business owners. Every dollar that goes in their pockets isn’t going to be a third house. It’s paying for a child’s guitar lessons and improving a family’s quality of life. Essentially: Individual, family, community, region, country, then world.
By helping these business owners develop their businesses and assisting entrepreneurs, it’s laying the foundations for a better tomorrow in their country. Better business will increase the quality of the communities they are in and can provide the financial means in taxes to improve the country’s infrastructure overall.
I want to spend the next couple years refining my skills and gaining new knowledge to best prepare myself for this role. Often times in the Peace Corps you are on your own and most of the projects you take on are taken on your own initiative. Think the best pathway I want to approach is focusing in on is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a skill that is universal, knowing how to use it will be critical in turning a former combat zone into a community.