Street: What’s your dream job? Helen Cheung: I want to make running shoes for Brooks. Kelly Cleary: I think life is too short to have a job you don’t enjoy (or one that you know will put you on the path toward your dream job), and I can honestly say I love my job at Penn Career Services. But my answer to this question at the Career Services’ holiday party last year was art historian at the Tate Gallery in London.
Street: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? HC: I wanted to be a Marine Biologist, but then I saw Jaws. So, I switched to archaeology to become an Indiana Jones. KC: The family joke was that when I was three or four I said I wanted to be a belly dancer…
Street: What’s your favorite food truck at Penn? HC: Magic Carpet. KC: The fruit truck at Spruce & 37th.
Street: If you were a Kardashian, which would you be? HC: I guess I’m Kourtney, the big sister with cooler younger sisters. KC: I have no idea. In addition to working at Penn full–time, I’m working on a doctorate part–time and I have a three–year–old, so the last few years are kind of a blur. I’m not sure if I should be embarrassed or proud of my answer to this question.
Street: There are two types of people at Penn... HC: Those who speedwalk down Locust dodging flyers, and those who just take Walnut. KC: If you spend much time in Career Services in September and October it might seem like the two types of people at Penn are those who want to do consulting and those who just realized they want to do consulting. Of course, Penn students are brilliant and make great consultants, but they also go on to do countless other interesting and wonderful things.
Street: What non–job related advice do you have for Penn students? HC: Vote in the election. KC: For most students my advice is don’t worry so much about the future. Today is pretty great. Appreciate and enjoy it. The fact that you’re here at Penn means the odds are in your favor that you’ll do what it takes to make tomorrow great too.
Street: What are some of your extracurricular hobbies? HC: Running, babysitting, biking, playing tennis, following Philly sports, learning Chinese. KC: Exploring Philly, running along the river and visiting Philly museums with my daughter and husband.
Street: If you could go back and relive college, what about your experience would you change? HC: I would live off campus for at least one year and share a house with a bunch of people. KC: I would have taken dance classes in hopes of being in a performance. I played field hockey in college so much of my time was spent focusing on athletics. Being a student–athlete was important to me, but it would be been fun to put some of my energies into the arts.
Street: What does your PennCard picture say about you? HC: I still have the PennCard picture from when I was in graduate school 9 years ago. So, I think that picture says that I’m in denial about my aging. KC: I had fewer wrinkles and gray hair when I started working at Penn five years ago.
Street: What’s your favorite thing to do on a weekend in Philly? HC: Go for a long run in the Wissahickon trails. KC: Hanging out on my stoop with my neighbors and their kids.
