June 30, 2026, will mark my last day as the Executive Director of Darden’s Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services. For nearly eleven years, I have had the privilege of serving the alumni community; it has been an honor and a joy. Who knew a decade could go this fast?!
Over the years, I have worked with many alumni who have reached the career stage I am now entering: a desire to continue making an impact in the world while redefining our relationship with work and creating a portfolio-style life filled with diverse activities and meaningful engagement. While I have developed an expertise in career transitions, going through one myself is a healthy reminder of the equal parts excitement and anxiety involved.
ACS has a large array of offerings and some critical new initiatives that will continue without disruption. I am delighted to announce that I will be handing over the proverbial keys to Gopika Spaenle. For over four years, Gopika has served as Managing Director, Professional Degree Programs for Darden’s student-facing Career Center. I am beyond excited for her to take ACS to new heights.
As I transition out of my role, I can’t help but reflect on the most important career lesson I have learned in the last thirty years. It is a lesson reinforced through both my own lived experience and my work coaching over 1,800 Darden alumni. A career is a marathon, not a sprint.
You’ve heard it before. There is nothing innovative about this expression, but it bears repeating, especially in early to mid-career stages. When I was training for long-course triathlons, a coach told me that throughout the 5-to-13-hour race, you will have moments when you feel great and moments when you feel like grim death, but neither feeling will last too long. She was right, and the same is true in one’s career.
There are periods when you are flying high – confident, secure, feeling on track. For most of us, there are also periods of overwhelming change, anxiety and self-doubt. The key is being able to manage through the highs and lows. Humility, patience and well-roundedness, in my experience, are the best tools.
- Humility: When things are great, stay measured. If you know this “high” won’t last forever, how can you hedge or protect yourself for the next cycle? Improve your network? Learn something new? A small, healthy dose of paranoia never hurts anyone.
- Patience: In early to mid-career stages, it is easy to be consumed by advancement. We are anxious for rapid promotion, steep pay increases and more responsibility. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious, but we need to be patient and take the long view. Very few career trajectories are a straight line up, and that shouldn’t be scary. Sometimes a lateral move is the best way to build a stronger foundation or more optionality. Sometimes an exciting career pivot could involve what feels like a backward step. Think of having a north star and a compass for your career. The path will wind in unexpected ways and at times you’ll get lost, but as long as you’re heading in a general direction that brings you fulfillment, you’re winning.
- Well-Roundedness: To the best of your ability, diversify your life. We all know that big returns require big bets. Many of us go all-in on our careers to achieve those outsized returns. But by investing in other areas of our lives, such as relationships, health and wellbeing and activities, we protect ourselves from feeling like all is lost when work isn’t working.
I know that Darden alumni possess humility, patience and well-roundedness in spades. Every day that I have been at Darden, I have been inspired by and have learned from the amazing individuals that make up this community, which will hold a very special place in my heart.
Jen
