Greg Walton
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Canton, MA USA
"Some of our greatest fears can lead to our greatest successes."
Career Roadmap
Greg's work combines: Technology, Engineering, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Vocational
Information Technology
Year Up
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I discovered my love for tech in high school, making custom CDs for friends and teachers.
2.
After high school, I struggled in college and decided it wasn’t the right time for me.
3.
I faced incarceration at a young age, which forced me to reevaluate my life and goals.
4.
Four months after release, I landed my first job bagging groceries at Stop and Shop.
5.
A guidance counselor connected me to Year Up United, launching my IT career.
6.
I joined MIT as an IT support engineer and have now been there for nearly 18 years.
7.
I became the first Year Up alum to join its national board of directors, now serving as vice chair.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
While I was growing up, my mother battled addiction and I didn’t know my father, so my extended family stepped in to raise me, teaching me resilience and service.
I went to college straight out of high school but I wasn't quite ready for that level of responsibility at that age. I decided to leave college and then reinvest in my education later in life when I was ready.
I made some wrong choices and ended up incarcerated for about a year. It really made me reevaluate my life and focus in on a plan for my future.