14: How to Thrive If You’re Rejected From Your Top College Choices With Corie Walsh, Mercy Corps [Main T4C Episode]

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Corie Walsh decided she wanted to become an aid worker at 11 years old. Working hard in her freshman year at Colorado State, she got a 4.0 and transferred to the University of North Carolina (UNC) in Chapel Hill as a sophomore.  While at UNC Corie’s double majored in Peace, War and Defense, and Global Studies.  After she graduated in 2016 (not 2015, as I say in the recorded open) Corie sent out applications to 65 different organizations to secure an entry-level job or internship. Fortunately, she landed an unpaid internship at Mercy Corps, the global humanitarian and development organization, where I worked. Today Corie is an Assistant Program Officer (APO)* at Mercy Corps. In her job, Corie juggles program management, monitoring and evaluating data management, and ensuring a gender ‘lens’ is integrated into Mercy Corps’ programs around the world. Corie graduated from the University of North Caroline Chapel Hill. 

* Corie is now the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Procurement Advisor at Mercy Corps.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE:

• How speaking foreign languages can be your trump card to landing a “field” job in international development (7:38)
• What are the daily responsibilities of an APO on the Program, Performance and Quality team at Mercy Corps (13:50)
• Why failing to get into your top college choices can actually become the fuel for your future success (22:12)
• How to get comfortable with failure and why that’s so important (33:02)
• How to break into a leading international NGO through an internship or other entry-level position (33:46)
• How to tap into your anger to find your professional passion (40:39)

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