Mehreen Tejani
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Mehreen’s Career Stories
Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?
I don't remember the time frame of when this happened but I remember the words which were said to me. And I remember how that moment motivated me not to give up on what I wanted to be. I wanted to prove to that person that I could do it. My mom said to me, "You're so small, how are you going to teach?" I am 5 feet tall - so yes physically I have a small stature. But I knew teaching history in high school was the path for me. And at my graduation, one of my professors personally told my mom, "Mehreen has been one of the finest teacher candidates we've had graduate." And that was my "I told you so" moment. My small stature didn't compare to my take-charge voice, presence in the classroom and creative lesson plans.
What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?
I wish someone would've showed me how to explore career options and that within the field of education there is more than one profession.
In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?
I am an academic advisor at a community college. I help students select courses they should take each semester - I ask them if they have any restrictions (i.e.: jobs, family obligations) - and build a schedule that is balanced. I ask students if they know where they want to transfer to and what they will study - if they know I help them create a semester-by-semester plan of classes they should take. If they don't know what they want to major in or which career path to take - I help them sort it out through informal questions about their preferences and also by directing them to our free career assessment tool.