UNCSA Faculty & Staff share their #FirstSevenJobs
It was the tweet heard around the world: a simple post listing someone’s first seven jobs. #FirstSevenJobs quickly became a trending topic on social media and everyone from actors to astronauts have weighed in to share the (often unglamorous) jobs that led them into their careers.
Take a look at some of the surprising jobs of UNCSA’s faculty, staff and administrators, and be sure to scroll to the end to read where you might have stumbled upon a young Chancellor Bierman on the job:
Brenda Daniels, Associate Dean of Contemporary Dance
- Gift box wrapper
- Accessories salesperson
- Office gopher
- Nanny
- Waitress
- Dancer
- Dance teacher
David English, Interim Provost
- Dishwasher/cook at Sallie's Mountain View Restaurant
- Dishwasher/prep cook at the Chalet Restaurant at Switzerland Inn
- Front Desk Attendant at Switzerland Inn
- T-Shirts and varied printing activities at ValuePrint
- Ice Cream Scooper/Billiards Attendant at Break Time Family Billiards
- Resident Assistant, Student Orientation Leader, Summer Conference Assistant and Residence Life Desk Assistant at Appalachian State University
- Dishwasher, prep cook, lead cook, bouncer (in that order) at Lonestar Steakhouse
- BONUS! Founder of D's T's Custom T-shirt design and printing
Holland Berson, Wig & Makeup, School of Design & Production
- Making flower arrangements at a garden store
- Host at M&S Grill
- Waiter at The Zodiac
- Bartender at Club Charles
- Bartender at Finnigan's Wake
- Freelance makeup artist
- Lead prosthetic technician at Human Analogue Applications
Brian Cole, Dean, School of Music
- Delivery person for a construction company
- Office worker for a college Continuing Education Department
- Cantor and soloist for a Church Choir
- Clerk for a classical CD store
- Receptionist for a college Admissions Office
- Assistant Conductor
- Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Amy Werner, Annual Fund Manager
- Server/Birthday Hostess at Chuck E. Cheese (Yes, I wore the mouse costume)
- Associate at a junior’s clothing store
- Marketing Co-Op intern
- Jewelry Associate at Service Merchandise
- Accounts receivable at a family-owned company
- Hostess
- Glorified Telemarketer (B2B telephone sales)
Bob Gosse, Producing, School of Filmmaking
- Busboy at Sea Haven Restaurant
- Sales
- Pizza maker at Roma Pizza
- Cashier at Jon's Stationary
- Iron worker with Local 40 NYC
- Waiter at Mr. Greenjeans Restaurant
- Production Assistant for “Gremlins 2: The New Batch”
Kim Whiteman, Spanish, High School Academics Program
- Babysitter
- Drug store clerk
- Drug store bookkeeper
- Office assistant
- Tobacco warehouse worker
- Tutor
- Teacher
Dale Girard, Director of Stage Combat, School of Drama
- Dishwasher
- Waiter
- Cook
- Fast Food (grill and counter)
- Barbarian (live action stunt show)
- Construction (cement foundations)
- Fencing Master/Stage Combat Instructor (Central City Opera)
Karen Beres, Interim Vice-Provost & Dean of Academic Affairs and Piano, School of Music
- Babysitter
- Accompanist
- Restaurant hostess
- Summer camp counselor for inner city kids
- Summer playground program director
- Community music school director/piano teacher
- Adjunct college faculty member at Bowling Green State University
Jason Romney, Sound Design, School of Design & Production
- Mobile DJ: provided music for parties, dances and weddings
- Scout Camp Staff: taught rowing, canoeing, crafts and lifeguarded
- Lifeguard and swim instructor: County public pool in Salt Lake City, Utah
- Actor: Played a big purple dragon that could sing and dance at Hale Center Theatre
- Sound designer, technician and accompanist: Provided sound effects and live piano accompaniment for plays and musicals at Unicorn Children's Theatre
- Lifeguard and swim instructor: Utah State University
- Sound designer and technician: Utah Festival Opera
Misha Tchoupakov, Ballet, School of Dance
- Ballet dancer
- Ballet teacher
Lindsay Bierman, Chancellor
- Sales Associate, Abercrombie & Fitch (in the 1980s, when it was super preppy, before the brand went all Bruce Weber and shirtless)
- Intern, Sotheby’s Georgetown
- Intern, National Gallery of Art, East Wing (I manned the front desk, and found myself explaining many of the works on exhibit)
- Intern, Capitol Hill (for a bipartisan congressional coalition, if you really want to know!)
- Waiter at a fancy Italian restaurant (power-lunching business women always left me the best tips!)
- Sales Associate, FAO Schwarz (perhaps my LEAST favorite job ever; studied for exams while listening to a talking bear all weekend)
- Paralegal, Proskauer Rose (processed mountains of paperwork for iconic law firm in NYC)
August 16, 2016