Main Character Energy

Episode 5: Your Next Chapter: Grad School Words of Wisdom
Guest: Megan Pater, Academic Director of Physician Assistant Studies, Mount St. Joseph University
Thinking about graduate school? Before you start filling out applications, there are a few things worth considering. In this episode, Megan Pater, Academic Director of Mount St. Joseph University's Physician Assistant Studies program, joins Christin to talk about exploring graduate school, finding the right career path, and preparing for what comes next. Megan shares her own career path, from athletic training to becoming a physician assistant and faculty member, and explains how her experiences shaped her decisions along the way.
They talk about why it's important to get firsthand experience in a field, ask questions, and understand your reasons for pursuing an advanced degree. Megan also offers advice on managing the financial and lifestyle commitments of graduate school, approaching the application process authentically, and learning to handle mistakes and setbacks. Whether graduate school is already part of your plan or just something you're considering, this episode offers practical advice to help you think through your options.
Key Takeaways
Get some real-world experience first. Shadowing, informational interviews, and conversations with people in the field can help you understand what a career actually involves, beyond what you learn in a classroom or online.
Know your why. Graduate school is a significant commitment. Megan encourages students to think about their own reasons for pursuing a degree rather than doing it to meet someone else's expectations or simply to earn more money.
Think about the financial and lifestyle impact. Tuition is only part of the cost. Depending on the program, you may also need to account for travel, housing, transportation, and the reality that working while studying may not be possible.
You don't need to be a perfect applicant. Megan reminds students that programs want to understand who they are, not see a flawless checklist. Be genuine about your experiences and what you've learned from them.
Mistakes are part of learning. Graduate school can be intense, and students may need to adjust their study habits and learn to make decisions with incomplete information. What matters is how you respond, recover, and use the experience to grow.
Picture the life you want. Think beyond getting accepted. Consider where you want to be in ten years, what kind of work you want to do, and what you're willing to invest to get there.
You don't have to have your whole future mapped out. Megan encourages students to keep exploring, gain life experience, and ask others what strengths they see in them. Understanding yourself can make the next step feel less overwhelming.
This Week's Main Character Challenge
Spend 15 minutes exploring a graduate program or career you're curious about.
Look into the program's prerequisites, learn more about what the career actually involves, or find someone working in the field. If you're interested, consider reaching out to ask about an informational interview or shadowing opportunity.
You don't have to make a decision or start an application right now. Just take a little time to explore what's out there and see what you learn about yourself.
Keep the Story Going
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Main Character Energy so you don't miss the next conversation, and share it with a friend who's thinking about graduate school or figuring out what's next.
 
Main Character Energy
Own your story. Build your future.
 
A podcast from the MSJ Career Center, hosted and produced by Christin Reynolds. 

Episode 4: Your Classes, Your Campus, Your Future: Making It All Connect
Guest: Swati Chopra: Associate Professor of Creative Arts, Mount St. Joseph University
 
Ever sat in class, worked on a group project, or finished an assignment and thought, “When am I ever going to use this?” You're definitely not alone. In this episode, Swati Chopra, Associate Professor at Mount St. Joseph University, joins Christin to talk about why the things you do in college matter long after the semester ends. They talk about the skills students are building in class without always realizing it, what group projects can actually teach you, and why getting involved on campus can have a bigger impact than you might expect.
Swati also talks about the importance of building relationships with faculty and taking a more active role in your education. And if you don't have your entire future figured out yet, that's okay. College isn't necessarily about having every next step planned. It's about becoming someone who knows how to keep learning when the next step isn't so clear.
 
Key Takeaways
Your assignments are doing more than filling up your transcript. A deadline might be teaching you how to manage your time. A presentation gives you practice explaining your ideas. Even a paper can help you become a clearer communicator.
Group projects actually do have a point. They can be frustrating, but learning how to work with people who don't always approach things the way you do is pretty close to what happens in the workplace.
What you do outside of class matters. Getting involved on campus can help you find people you connect with, try things you haven't done before, and discover interests you didn't know you had.
Don't just go through the motions. Swati encourages students to take ownership of their learning. Ask questions. Go to office hours. Get help when you need it. Look for opportunities that interest you instead of doing only what's required.
Get to know your professors. Faculty can be a resource for more than your next assignment. They can offer advice about careers, internships, graduate school, and what it's actually like to work in your field.
You don't have to have it all figured out. Careers change. Technology changes. Sometimes your own plans change, too. Being able to learn something new and ask for help when you need it may be more useful than having a perfect five-year plan.
Stay curious. One of the best things you can take with you from college is a better understanding of what interests you and what kind of work feels meaningful to you.
 
This Week's Main Character Challenge
Pick one assignment you've completed this semester.
Think back to what it actually took to get it done. What were you trying to figure out? What part was difficult? What did you have to learn along the way? And if you had to do it again, what would you change?
You might find that the assignment taught you more than the subject matter. Maybe you had to work through a problem, communicate with other people, or figure something out when you didn't have all the answers.
That's experience, too.
 
Keep the Story Going
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Main Character Energy so you don't miss the next conversation, and share it with a friend who needs a reminder that college is about more than checking boxes on a transcript.
 
Main Character Energy
Own your story. Build your future.
Mount St. Joseph University Career Center
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Episode 3: Tell Me About Yourself: How to Talk About What You’ve DoneGuest: Katie Lake: Senior Talent Acquisition Recruiter, Premier Health 
Ever been asked, “Tell me about yourself,” and suddenly forgotten everything you’ve ever done? You’re not alone. In this episode, Katie Lake, Senior Talent Acquisition Recruiter at Premier Health, joins Christin for a conversation about how to talk about your experiences without sounding rehearsed or like you’re bragging. Together, they talk about what recruiters actually want to hear, why the impact of an experience matters more than having the “perfect” experience, and how a little preparation can make those career fair and interview conversations much easier.
Key Takeaways
You don't need a perfect elevator pitch. A simple introduction and a few details about your experiences can be enough to start a real conversation with an employer.
Focus on the facts and the impact. Instead of just saying you're a great communicator, leader, or team player, talk about what you actually did, what happened, and what you learned.
Your experience doesn't have to be impressive on paper to be meaningful. A class, volunteer experience, clinical, part-time job, or campus activity can give you something valuable to talk about.
Let your passion show. Recruiters want to know what actually interests you and what experiences have made an impact on you—not just what classes you've taken or skills you've listed on your resume.
It's okay to bring notes. Having your resume, a notebook, or a few questions with you can help you remember what you want to talk about and show that you've prepared.
Practice makes the conversation easier. You don't have to memorize a script. Having a few stories and experiences ready to talk about can give you something to fall back on when you're put on the spot.
This Week's Main Character Challenge
Take 10 minutes this week and write down three experiences you've had during college.
They could be a class project, campus job, leadership role, volunteer experience, athletic experience, clinical, or anything else you've been involved in.
For each one, ask yourself:
What did I actually do?What skills did I build?Why would an employer care?
Then say your answers out loud. Don't worry about sounding perfect. You're not giving a speech—you're practicing how to talk about the story you're already living.
Keep the Story Going
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Main Character Energy so you don't miss the next conversation, and share it with a friend who could use a little help figuring out how to talk about what they've done.
 
Main Character EnergyOwn your story. Build your future.
 
Mount St. Joseph University Career Center

Episode 2: Your Story, Your Skills: What You’re Actually Qualified ForGuest: Wendy Riordan: Talent Acquisition & Development Specialist, Q-Labratories
Ever looked at an internship or job posting and immediately thought, “There’s no way I’m qualified for that”? You’re not alone. In this episode, Wendy Riordan, Talent Acquisition and Development Specialist at Q Laboratories, joins Christin for a conversation about what employers actually notice—and why students often overlook the skills they already have. Together, they talk about transferable skills, confidence, the value of part-time jobs and campus involvement, and why being qualified is about more than checking every box.
Key Takeaways
You don't have to check every box to be worth considering. Employers may be looking for potential, foundational skills, curiosity, and a willingness to learn—not perfection.
Your experiences count, even when they don't look “professional.” Athletics, volunteering, campus involvement, part-time work, and classroom experiences can all demonstrate valuable skills.
Be specific about what you actually did. Instead of simply saying you planned an event or worked on a team, explain your role, your contribution, and the outcome.
Sometimes the biggest barrier is the story you tell yourself. Before deciding you're not qualified, ask what evidence you already have that you can learn, contribute, and grow.
This Week's Main Character Challenge
Find an internship, co-op, campus job, leadership opportunity, or job posting that interests you.
But don't ask yourself, “Am I qualified?”
Instead, ask:
“What evidence do I already have that I could learn how to do this?”
Look at your classes, jobs, teams, organizations, volunteering, and other experiences. You might have more to bring to the table than you realize.
Keep the Story Going
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Main Character Energy so you don't miss the next conversation, and share it with a friend who might need the reminder that they have more skills than they think.
Main Character EnergyOwn your story. Build your future.

Episode 1: You're the Main Character; Let's Talk About Telling Your Story
Guest: Jessica Schueller, Associate Director, Mount St. Joseph University Career Center
What does it actually mean to own your story when you’re still figuring out what comes next? In our first episode, we talk about why the Career Center created Main Character Energy, what career readiness really looks like beyond a resume or first job, and how students are already building valuable skills through classes, jobs, activities, and everyday experiences. We also unpack the pressure social media can create around career timelines and success—and why your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. 
 
 

Your story matters—and it's going to be a good one. Main Character Energy, from the Career Center at Mount St. Joseph University, tackles the real questions, awkward moments, big decisions, and unexpected challenges of college, work, and figuring out what's next. New episodes every Wednesday. Find us wherever you get your podcasts.