The Power of Seeing What's Possible

I've been in the middle of interviewing candidates for an open position at Purpose Driven Advocacy Center, and one interview question has stayed with me.

The candidate asked:

"You mentioned that you're rebuilding PDAC after a period of dormancy. What's the one program you're most excited to bring back—or create?"

Without hesitation, I had my answer.

For years, I've dreamed of creating a program that exposes middle and high school students to the many educational and career opportunities available right here in our own community.

We've all heard of college tours that travel across the country visiting major universities. Those experiences are valuable, but I believe we can also create something just as impactful by starting close to home.

Imagine taking students to visit our local community colleges and universities. Then imagine expanding beyond traditional higher education, touring HVAC training centers, cosmetology schools, apprenticeship programs, fire departments, healthcare training programs, skilled trades, and other career pathways that students may have never considered.

I believe opportunities become real through exposure.

If a young person has never heard of a career, visited a training facility, or met someone doing that work, how can they genuinely consider it as part of their future?

Even as an adult, I've continued investing in my own education through certifications and professional development. If there's a training opportunity that will help me grow, I'm usually the first person signing up.

But I often think about something else.

What if I had known about project management when I was in high school?

Much of the success I've experienced in my career has been because I became a trained project manager. That career path opened doors I never knew existed.

Did project managers exist when I was in high school? Absolutely.

Did I know it was even a career? Not at all.

I don't live with regrets. I'm grateful for the path that brought me here. But I do wonder how differently I might have navigated my early career if someone had simply introduced me to that possibility years earlier.

That's exactly why this dream matters so much to me.

I don't want students to feel like they have only one "right" path after graduation. College is an incredible option for many students, but it isn't the only option.

Some students will thrive at a university.

Others may find their passion through a skilled trade.

Some may pursue certifications, apprenticeships, military service, entrepreneurship, or enter the workforce while they discover what's next.

All of those paths deserve to be explored and respected.

My dream is to help students discover possibilities they didn't even know existed, and to connect them with the people and resources that can help them get there.

Will this become a PDAC program someday?

I certainly hope so.

I don't know what we'll call it yet, but I do know the heart behind it.

Because sometimes, changing a young person's future begins with something as simple as showing them what's possible.