Jess Gagne Shea '04

    Jess Gagne Shea ’04

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    2004

    Which part of your liberal arts education at SMC has been the most valuable to you?

    As a biochemistry major, I knew most of my classes would be related to science and math. I chose this school because of the liberal arts focus as I wanted to be a more rounded person instead of just a scientist. Some of my favorite classes were not related to science, including race relations and ancient and medieval civilization. My liberal arts education led me to appreciate travel, understanding inequality that exists, and the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community.

    Was there a particular lecture, course, book, professor, staff member or extracurricular activity that made an indelible impact on your career path or life, or shaped who you are now?

    The most important activity that made an impact on every part of my life is Fire and Rescue. I started with Rescue rookie class in my freshman year which quickly progressed to becoming a member and taking the EMT class. As a junior, I became captain of Rescue which added responsibilities, including working with heads of external departments. There are so many life lessons I learned during my time on Fire and Rescue, including (but not limited to) time management, collaboration and management skills, decision making and negotiating skills. These experiences significantly helped my career, especially as a manager and now in a global role the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.