July 26, 2007

Changing Course Midstream

Five years ago, childhood friends Grace Paik and Amy Kong graduated from Crescenta Valley High school with clear career plans. By the time they reached their senior year in college, those paths had taken a different turn. Grace and Amy came over to visit with me a couple weeks ago to share their stories.

"I remember you left for UC Irvine as a pre-med student. Why did you graduate with an art history major?" I asked Amy.

"Competition to get into the college was fierce, and continued as we were graded on a bell curve in my science classes," Amy explained. Recognizing that she'd compete again at the same intense level for a place in medical school, Amy began to research other medical careers.

"I found it so stressful at the undergrad level, I wondered how I could live a balanced life as a physician. It is my dream to open a free medical clinic. After I did the research, I discovered you can do that as a family nurse practitioner," she said. "I love art and had an art history minor. It wasn't too difficult to take a few more classes for a major."

After graduation last September, Amy enrolled in Glendale Community College to take the prerequisite science courses she will need to apply for a spot in graduate school to pursue her new goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.

"When I volunteered at Hogue Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, I realized how much I liked patient care. With a less stressful life style, I feel I can balance a career with marriage and children," Amy explained.

Grace had always imagined herself as an elementary school teacher. She liked her classes in child and adolescent studies and development at California State University at Fullerton. It wasn't until she was close to completing her college education that Grace discovered how much life in the classroom differed from cases studies in her textbooks.

"I was helping a fifth grade boy as an aide in the classroom. He was supposed to finish a math problem before the noon bell," she recalled. Grace tried every technique she'd learned to motivate a difficult student, with no success. As lunchtime neared, the boy began to cry. Grace called upon the classroom teacher for help. For Grace, that experience signaled the end of her commitment to a teaching career.

This spring, after graduating from Fullerton, Grace, too, enrolled at Glendale College.

She recognizes her education will be helpful to her as a future mom, but she has found new interests by experimenting with other options at the junior college.

"I like baking, so I thought about becoming a pastry chef, but working in the kitchen is hot, heavy labor," Grace said about her food preparations class. "My professor is really well connected and respected by local hotels. I see him as a potential mentor."

Grace took a short stint as a hostess for the Glendale Hilton restaurant through the college's internship program. "The Hilton people are like a big family, they treated me like a another member of the family. I loved seeing the customers' smiles. It made me feel warm and tingly inside," Grace recalled. Grace feels her first step toward making a career change into hotel and hospitality management has been positive and encouraging.

In April, Amy took her art talent to South Glendale to give private art lessons to a young pediatric outpatient and two siblings at their home. Her lessons are part of a volunteer outreach program using art to normalize life for the chronically ill.

"I feel the children are learning a lot. They've been asking lately to explore other forms of art besides drawing and painting. We're doing some print making and tossing paint on canvas, being a bit unconventional, not using brush or pencils," Amy said.

"Who is the best cook?" I asked. Grace pointed to Amy. "She's made me some great birthday cakes. I call her the party planner, because she makes all the arrangements, cooks the food and keeps everyone happy." Amy bowed her head and blushed, admitting that she enjoys organizing special occasions for friends and family.

Next week I'll continue reporting on my conversation with Grace and Amy. Always well organized, Amy brought a favorite recipe for Sun readers to our interview. Amy says that all-purpose flour can be substituted for the Korean pancake mix ingredient, but recommends the mix, which is available locally in Asian markets.