"My biggest take-away from my time as a Public Service major is that service can not and should not ever be only something you DO; it has to be a way of life and part of who you are. That may sound daunting but I think it's actually very helpful to me in my daily life when it feels like I'm trapped at my desk and things aren't moving as fast as I wish they were and I remember that service to me is not just encompassed in a job or extracurricular activities, but in the way I choose to live and how well I can reflect that choice and that purposeful lifestyle to those around me."
-Mary Rose Conroy '06

Here are what some of our alumni have been up to since graduation...

Name: Mary Rose Conroy

Graduating Year: 2006

First Job out of College: After graduating from PC, I moved down to Washington , DC and started a full-time graduate program at American University in the fall of 2006. During my first semester I interned part-time in the office of Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA-13) and in the spring I had a Policy & Research Internship with Innovations in Civic Participation, a small NGO working with youth service and service-learning initiatives in the US and abroad. During that time I was also working as a research assistant at the American Council on Renewable Energy.

Where They Are Now: After I finished up the spring semester, I found a wonderful organization -El Nahual - in Quetzaltenango , Guatemala . El Nahual was founded a few years ago by a group of local teachers. They operate a Spanish language school for international students and the proceeds from that project are used to fund various community programs, where the students also serve as volunteers.

The Feinstein Factor: As far as what role Feinstein has played in all of this, my work with the Institute really taught me to step back and consider the "big picture" in every situation - not to just blindly assume that what I was doing was good, or was needed or wanted, to learn more than I taught, and to continuously evaluate my own motivations, strengths, and weaknesses and how they impact my work. My biggest take-away from my time as a Public Service major is that service can not and should not ever be only something you DO; it has to be a way of life and part of who you are.

Where They Are Headed: Since returning to the US , I've been working at a children's advocacy organization called Every Child Matters where I do fundraising and development work. I graduated from AU this May with a Master of Public Policy degree, with a focus on social policy & international development. I'm leaving DC in a few weeks and moving to Managua , Nicaragua to serve for the next 13 months as a volunteer Program Director with Manna International. There, I'll be working with a team of other Program Directors on a variety of community development projects ranging from literacy to health to microfinance.

Name: Carrie Spiros

Graduating Year: 2000

First Job out of College: Prior to law school, I dedicated 5 plus years to broadcast news. I loved it... but in the end, I felt I wasn't giving enough to the world around me. This was the single biggest factor in my decision to go to law school.

Where They Are Now: This year, I spent 4 1/2 months interning for a U.N. tribunal in the Hague . I served in the Office of the Prosecutor where I was assigned to a war crimes prosecution team, which is working to bring justice to the victims of the Balkans war. While in Europe, I was lucky to travel to a number of different countries- such as France , Belgium , and Norway .

Where They Are Headed: I graduated law school this spring (May 2008) and will be working for the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office in Massachusetts , as a prosecutor, starting in September. Personally, I am getting married in October of 2008 to an amazing man. He is a broadcast meteorologist in
Boston , MA .

Name:   Alyssa Neubecker

Graduating Year:  2003

First Job out of College/Where Are They Now:   After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Providence College , I worked as a Lower School Teaching Assistant at Lincoln School (Providence , RI ).  I reside in Seekonk , MA and currently work for the Vice President for Academic Affairs at Providence College .  My job in the VPAA office involves monitoring office budgets, administering faculty research grants, authorizing all faculty/departmental travel and discretionary fund activity and event planning, including large scale orientations and receptions.  I have also initiated and developed community service activities for the office and College.  For example, members of our office volunteer at St. Patrick's meal kitchen every Monday.  I also coordinate annual collection drives, Harvest of Hope and April Showers, which benefit Mary House. 

The Feinstein Factor:   As a Public and Community major, I learned the value of critical thinking, strong oral and written communication skills and the importance of collaboration and teamwork.  Though my current positions do not appear to be directly related to my major, it is through the transfer of these skills that I am successful at what I do.  In addition to incorporating community service in our office, I also volunteer with Girl Scouts.  I definitely believe that the service learning approach in my college years has led to my continued desire to incorporate community service into my life.

Where Are They Headed:I will complete my Masters in Business Administration from Providence  College  in December 2008.   In 2004, I began working as a Professional Organizer with my small business, simplify.  I enjoy helping clients in Rhode Island and Massachusetts to simplify and organize their lives! 

Name: Helena Qvicklund

Graduating Year: 2006

First Job out of College: Over the past two years I have been working in Washington , D.C. for Quadel Consulting, a private consulting corporation which specializes in affordable housing. I work as one of their associate consultants working on a variety of projects in the affordable housing industry. Most of our work is with public housing authorities, helping them solve problems, train their staff, and improve the necessary skills to run their programs more efficiently and thus better serve their communities. I personally spend a majority of my time traveling to various parts of the country working with our clients on a variety of projects. I spent approximately five months in Louisiana on a federally funded program helping homeowners rebuild after the hurricanes of 2005. I have also spent significant time in Los Angeles , Detroit , Memphis and Newark working at housing authorities. It’s been particularly interesting for me to be working for a private company that also serves the common good, teaching me that the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

Where They Are Headed: My job has been an incredible learning experience and despite the hectic travel schedule, I have absolutely loved it. However, I have found that it is time for me to take the next step. In the fall I will be starting my Masters in Community Development & Planning at Clark University in Worcester , MA . I'm really excited about the program and much of it reminds me of my favorite parts of PSP.

Public and Community Service majors and minors have started an Alumni Association to network, share information, socialize, mentor current students, and continue the conversations about public service that started while at Providence College. If you are interested in joining the Public Service Alumni Association, please contact  Colleen Rost-Banik , Service Learning Coordinator, at 401-865-1256.