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Jodi Rafkin

Jodi Rafkin

InsideTrack

Wareham, MA

"Identify your desires rather than what others want or expect for you."

Career Roadmap

Jodi's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People

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Day In The Life

Lead Student Success Specialist & Coach

I support colleges, universities and students in identifying their goals and creating plans to achieve them.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    Charlotte High School, Punta Gorda, FL

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Sociology and Government

    Simmons University

  • Graduate Degree

    Law

    Santa Clara University

  • Certification

    Advanced Certificate Peace Studies and Conflict Transformation

    European University Center for Peace Studies

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Lead Student Success Specialist & Coach:

Bachelor's Degree: Anything that builds communication, emotional intelligence, and curiosity

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    Started working as a waitress at 15 and did it all through school.

  • 2.

    I don't feel like my high school guidance counselor helped me at all, and my parents didn't know. I don't think I made the best choice of where to go to school.

  • 3.

    I found mentors and professors who inspired me.

  • 4.

    I thought about getting a joint degree in law and international relations but an extra year and learning more language felt overwhelming. I wonder what that road would have looked like.

  • 5.

    I got fired from a law clerking job and it took a while to stop feeling ashamed of that and learn from it.

  • 6.

    I got a work study job with an amazing mentor who had a great influence on me for years to come.

  • 7.

    I wasn't afraid when I realized I didn't love my job as much as I used to to walk away to find something that made me happier.

  • 8.

    I started working in a completely different field because the mission of the organization really resonated with me. 10 years in I still love what I do.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Peers:

    How can you walk away from a successful career with a great salary and benefits?

  • How I responded:

    I think it's important to feel good about what you're doing for your career. If you aren't getting what you need from your current work, don't be afraid to find something else that brings you joy and fulfillment. Figure out what is really important to you and what you need to do to feel satisfied and positive overall about your work. Try to identify your desires rather than what others want or expect for you.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I was lucky that even though my mother didn't go to college and my father dropped out, they wanted more for their kids and expected me to go to college. They loved to learn new things, so learning was valued. I didn't want to disappoint them.

  • My parents had almost no money to assist me. I used grants and loans. I worked all through undergrad. I used loans for law school and worked 2 and 3 jobs at a time to afford everything. I worked for the bar review company so I got the course free.

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