Connor Mallon
The Mission Continues/Smithsonian Institution
Career Roadmap
Connor's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Armed Services, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Political Science and Government, General
George Mason University
Associate's Degree
Northern Virginia Community College
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Social and Community Service Managers:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: Political Science and Government, General
Associate's Degree
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
After completing high school, I worked as a tae kwon do instructor & took community college classes.
2.
After two semesters of school, I decided my heart wasn't in it, and so I joined the Army.
3.
While I was overseas in Korea, my dad passed; that inspired me to do something greater with my life.
4.
Eventually I started questioning why we were at war; I felt disillusioned by my military experience.
5.
When I got out, I took what I'd learned in the military and studied political science with passion.
6.
After graduation, I pursued my interest in photography, and found my fellowship at the Smithsonian.
7.
For a long time, I'd wanted to do volunteer work; eventually I acted and joined Mission Continues.
8.
Getting involved completely changed me; I work with such an amazing, inspirational group of people.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
You have to take this job because it's respectable; it's what you *should* do.
How I responded:
There's an existential philosophy called "bad faith," in which people give up their freedom of choice and instead bow to societal pressures, doing what they think is "the norm." The truth is that there is no certain way to do things; we're all just making it up as we go along. The world wouldn't have an Elon Musk or a Bill Gates if everyone just continued doing what they thought they should do. Instead, realize that you have something more to offer the world, then step up and exact your vision.