Drawing Young Blood to Radio: Caitlin Duffy

Caitlin Duffy, Class of 2011, Middletown, CT

What are you up to? I’m in the medical field where I am a licensed phlebotomist. I currently work in a gastroenterology practice (stomach & intestinal doctor) where I assist with blood draws, as well as medical records and billing. In addition, I am active in the Connecticut arts community and host my very own radio show on WMRD 1150AM, Middletown, Connecticut’s grassroots station. I play an eclectic mix in the same vein as I did on college radio. My hope is to use an old-school platform to elevate musical voices close to my community. I like to keep my ear to the floor by attending community jazz and classical concerts.

How'd you get here? I hold a Bachelor of Arts in French from Drew University from which I graduated in 2015. I was going to pursue a Master's in Teaching but gratefully discovered that public education isn’t my arena. For now, I am focused on developing a lucrative career with the skills I have. In the future, I will travel to France to work. The late Madame Mary Jane Miller was a huge influence on me. She was my favorite French teacher and helped shaped who I am in a critical time of my life. She inspired me to pursue my passions regardless of how others felt about them, or of how I come across. She helped me find confidence in being quirky which I have carried with me throughout adulthood.

What are your goals? I have plans to take classes in the fall for medical billing and coding so that I can further develop my skills and reach my financial goals. As for radio, WWUH and WESU are on my radio as potential platforms to share my taste for Northeastern, US music. My hope is to interview more local musicians and elevate their work to a broader audience, namely young people who wouldn't normally think to "tune in" to local radio. Please see any of my shows on demand on wliswmrd.net!

If you could tell your high school self one thing, what would it be? Forget about the haters, we all end up going off and doing our own thing anyway.

Life Throws You Curveballs: Shelby Iava

Shelby Iava, Class of 2013, Watertown, CT

What are you up to since the last time you shared your story? Well, my career path has taken a total 180, but I guess that happens! Currently I work in Human Resources at Waterbury Hospital.

How'd you get here since the last time you shared your story? Once I graduated from college I was on the immediate job hunt just like everyone else. That very same summer I was offered my first job as a sports reporter! It was amazing and I was on cloud 9. And, not to mention, I was the only female sports reporter for the entire company, which covered two daily newspapers. But unfortunately college doesn't prepare you as well as you would think. Although I loved what I did, the company was less than ideal. That being said, I stuck it out for a year and a half and got out! It just goes to show, even though you think you have your life planned out, it doesn't always work that way, but it's okay. I love where I'm at with life and couldn't be more happier.

What are your goals now? Have they changed? For right now my goals are just to try to strive to be the best that I can each and everyday. I hope I dabble back into reporting eventually, there are aspects of it that I miss, a lot! But for the time being I’m just going to let life happen.

Shelby Iava, Class of 2013, Keene, NH, June 21, 2016 A Senior and Sports Editor

What are you up to? I'm currently entering my senior year of college at Keene State College. I'm going into my senior year, but I have already finished my Bachelors of Arts in Journalism. 

How'd you get here? After driving through almost every state in New England to get to school, there's not a doubt in my mind that I would change anything. Over these past few years at Keene, I've managed to work with almost every single type of news outlet there is (from newspaper to TV). I have been involved in our award winning newspaper The Equinox, and this year, I will be the sports editor. I have also worked behind the scenes and anchored for KSC-TV.

What are your goals? My goals? Jeeze, I barely know what I'm going to have for dinner. I would love to be able to work in the sports industry for a little while, ESPN and all that jazz. Later on down the road, I would love to work for a magazine or maybe travel the world, get a glimpse at what is out there. I'd love to use my degree to show everyone that not all media is mainstream/untrue and that some of it is actually the truth.

Advice for WHS Students? My advice, time moves faster than you think, especially the older you get. Enjoy the time you have now and don't hold anything back. Cliché, I know, but it's the truth. Also, keep your true friends by your side, because no matter who you are, or where you go, people will come and go, but thats life and your true friends will be there by your side. When one door closes, another one is just about to open.

What is your favorite color? My favorite color is red.

Finally Sharing My Story: Colleen Murphy

Colleen Murphy, Class of 2009, WTN -> BOS -> FLO -> SF -> CLT

What are you up to? I recently made a dramatic change in my life and moved from San Francisco, California to Charlotte, North Carolina (I’m always down for an adventure) so that I could kick it with one of my favorite humans and my high-school sweetheart, Chad. After 5 years of being apart, we reconnected via e-mail. Soon enough, Chad flew out to visit SF last November and we’ve been back together since. 

When it comes to my career, I feel like I have a ton going on right now. I’m the lead creative on the marketing team for a tech company in San Francisco. My employer allowed me to work remotely from North Carolina. Since I work from home, a lot of my day is spent on the computer designing, meeting via Skype, or e-mailing. Working from home is a love/hate relationship; it can be so lonely that I talk to my plants but it also allows me to have a flexible schedule and to travel more often.

In addition to my full-time job, I run TOWN Mag. I started working on TOWN in January of 2016 but it’s been an idea long before that. I had been sitting on the idea since college and with the support from some creative Watertown friends, I started doing the work. I love being able to combine art, design, technology, and social impact. I want to give back to my roots and include everyone in the conversation; everyone’s story truly does matter. 

I’m also teaching graphic design and photography to amazing high schools students at Behailu Academy here in North Carolina. My main goal is to use my creativity to make positive change and inspire others. I’ve always been interested in social change and activism, and now more than ever I’m determined to create community, teach empathy, and use my skills to shed light on certain causes, whether it be through photography or graphic design.

How'd you get here? It’s a long story. I am so lucky, I feel as though I’ve lived a lifetime in my short 25 years on earth.

In 2014, I graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, MA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design and a minor in photography. My overall university experience was eye-opening, expensive, interesting, inspiring, and nomadic. Northeastern has a program called COOP and my career experience bleeds into my college experience. Throughout the past 5 years, I’ve lived in 4 different cities, 2 different countries, I’ve worked for 4+ companies, with so many different job titles. I worked for Reebok as a photography and graphic design intern. I worked in Florence, Italy as a European tour guide/intern for a travel company. I nannied, freelanced, and worked at a daycare. I pedicabbed my way through senior year, giving rides to people in and out of Fenway during Red Sox games.

After graduation, I applied for 150 jobs in San Francisco, my next destination. All rejected. I decided to move to SF anyway. I nannied until I landed a design job at a start-up electric bike company. Pretty soon I was riding around San Francisco photographing an electric bike. Then, all of a sudden - bam! The love of my young Watertown life shows up at my door in San Francisco after 5 years of being apart. My philosophies and values started to shift. Fast forward a year later and here I am, living under the Mason Dixon line, learning to love, with my career fully in-tact, figuring out what is coming next.

I think these past couple of years I’ve felt the most confused and rejected. It has been a crazy ride. There have been such high moments like launching TOWN, or learning to ski in Lake Tahoe, or riding an electric bike down the Las Vegas strip. I’ve met amazing people from all over the world; from Kazakstan to Colorado to Florence (shout out to all of the inspiring friends I’ve met). But I’d also be lying if I said that it’s all roses and rainbows all the time. There are low moments too, like feeling completely alone on a snowy Boston night, or having coworkers who are complete bullies, or having a crazy roommate constantly threatening you with lawsuits. Would I trade it? No way. This is what makes life so fantastic and interesting. I’m always learning so much about myself and the world and I’m extremely lucky to have these opportunities, even the "low" moments (I've been really lucky and haven't had "lows" like some people have).

Throughout it all, Watertown has been my roots and support system. My parents have helped me financially and emotionally, and for that I am grateful and privileged. My friends from home remain as important to me as they did 10 years ago and although we have followed extremely different paths, we still know we're townies at heart.

What are your goals? I want to do everything. It’s kind of scary because it’s hard for me to really decide what I really want to do. I’m confused! First and foremost, I’d like to find a city that I really want to live in for longer than 1 year. I am interested in activism and social impact, and I’m thinking about going back to school for education, political science, or art. I also want to be a photographer for the New York Times or National Geographic. I want to hike in every country and I want to live in Japan for at least 3 months. I also have a few business ideas that focus on art, social impact, and international travel. For now, I’m riding the wave. Since I don’t know exactly what I’m destined to do, I’m following my heart and standing up for what I believe in and trusting the universe will show me the way.

Advice for WHS Students?  There are no rules or limits in life, only consequences. You can do whatever you want. There are, of course, steps to be taken to get where you want to go, but as long as you have an end goal in sight, for years or decades, you can do it. If you are determined and focused, you can do whatever makes you happy. If you are confused about what makes you happy, be patient, it will come. If you feel like money limits you on doing what makes you happy - don’t let it. Save your money for your goals and only buy things that you need.  If you feel like nothing really matters, you are kind of right. We truly are just floating in space. But a great teacher and friend of mine once said, “Nothing really matters. But why not make it matter?” 

If you could have a superpower just for today, what would it be? TO FLY.