Alaina DeHart

A lot of my success has to do with my mom. She is probably one of the only people I've looked up to my whole life. I am the oldest child, so I don't really have that older sibling to lean on, so my mom has really been that person for me. And then also, my dad passing away a couple years ago was definitely something that shifted my perspective on life, and how I want to live it, so I guess living that out and what I now value in life has definitely shifted that for me.

The best career advice I've ever received is probably to take into account every opportunity you're given, because you never know where that could lead. I mean, I've had opportunities given to me that I was like, oh, I don't know how this will help my future specifically, but I've taken them, and they've given me some back tenfold. So I guess just making every opportunity you can and evaluating it the way you think you need to, and if something's telling you in your brain and in your heart to go and do it, then you need to do it.

I would definitely say take every opportunity you're given, especially if you're going into college. Join clubs, join groups, make those connections and make those friendships, because who knows? That older girl that you were really scared of in that group, or that you saw on campus, she could be your boss one day, and you guys could get an amazing opportunity to have a job. You never know what someone will be in the future, especially in college. Making those connections, getting that network early - I would definitely say networking is also a pretty big one. Networking early has definitely helped me so far in the long run.

As a college student, it's hard to have a consistent amount of money, especially when you're paying for things yourself, and trying to do that, and you don't really have many people to lean on for that stuff. Some things require payment, like some programs require you to pay to be into them, like into the professional program, so that's a hardship that just comes with college. But I would say it's definitely hard as a life-to-student balance. Trying to find that time to manage that balance between your fun and hanging out with your friends and stuff - I mean, you live with your friends, and it's definitely hard because you don't want to miss out on those fun things, because that's what college is about, like making those memories, getting your degree. But it's hard sometimes putting student before person.

Definitely personal growth is a big one, and my service aspect - I'm very big on giving back to people, which I think is a big thing as to why I'm becoming a teacher and possibly being a lawyer. Also, just loyalty with that. I'm very loyal to my friends, my family, and people I hold close to me, and people I look up to, people who inspire me. I just kind of expect that same type of loyalty back, and when I don't get that, it kind of rubs me the wrong way, so I guess that would probably be a pretty big value of mine.