Making it to and through college is no small accomplishment—but how do you transition from the classroom to the workforce? Mikalah, Chase, and Stephanie are all ODU students looking to the future, and finding it full of uncertainty. So they set out on the road to speak with alumni who’ve faced unique hurdles, and can help them embrace the winding road ahead. After meeting with people in diverse fields like civil engineering, marketing, public works, and more, the roadtrippers realize that it’s impossible to map out the future perfectly—but there’s no such thing as a wrong turn if you listen to yourself. 

Old Dominion University Roadtrip

INSIGHTS FROM THE FILM

FUELED BY:

Unsure how to navigate life after college, three students seek out professionals who give them the direction—and confidence—to move forward

Everywhere you turn, people try to tell you who to be and what to do. But what about deciding for yourself? Roadtrip Nation is a movement that empowers people to build lives around doing what they love. This year, Roadtrip Nation teamed up with Old Dominion University to send three of their students around a road trip around the greater Northeast. They hit the road to talk to ODU alumni about how to get the most out of college and build them an authentic life. This is what they found. This is Roadtrip Nation. [MUSIC] 

Three ODU students prepare to travel along the East Coast in search of inspiring alumni stories.

Old Dominion University Roadtrip Trailer

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build lives up with Old Dominion University to send three roadtrip around the greater Northeast. alumni about how to get the most out of college I am 22 years old and University. and I am a proud 53 year old ODU student. is where I would normally sleep. >> My name is Chase Hewitt, I go to Old Dominion University. >> through the Mid-Atlantic on this huge RV. ODU alumni. we should go next in life. December. Psychology. a lot of opportunities between Richmond. YWCA now. educator at my school. I've interned at the Women's Center. some sort advocacy after this. about. ankylosing spondilitis when I was 11 years old. he hasn't been able to work. and they went bankrupt. for advocacy, my parents were telling money, and don't do this. struggles. right now where I'm putting my heart into all that one of them will stick as a solid job that make enough money to survive. 22 years old, and I go to Old Dominion University. middle class family. right beside Fort Lee Military Base. military, I was raised that you have good morals, believe in. accountable for what you do. expected me to get a little bit better grades. going into the engineering field. the field so that I can make them proud. people that drop out of the engineering program. times. the stress that I have. put me even that much farther behind. failure. classes and do well in school, but I am two years behind. classes, anybody else could ever be. I'm going right now. Engineering? course and be the flagship to something new? trip, people that went on separate paths. and not just be forced down one path. >> My God, we had so mother, low-income housing. News. Good News or are you from Bad News? >> My mother was always a great provider. sometimes, but that was never our story. and very close, which we were. because I've always done assistance-type jobs. closing on all my life. I'm gonna do me. anybody else assistant, can do those things for myself. what that is [LAUGH]. do is go back to school. me is a good chance for everyone that we're gonna be interviewing went through. trying to figure out what to do to make me >> I hope to gain assurance about my becoming the person that I want to become. this trip I can just meet people from all different much to learn from these people. friendships and professional advice. idea about how I can solidify all of my 

The roadtrippers introduce themselves, sharing stories, hopes, and why they’re here.

Episode 1: Meet the Roadtrippers

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build lives around teamed up with Old Dominion University to send three around the greater northeast. ODU alumni about how to get the most out of college Rochelle. Newport News, Virginia. because I turned 50 and I was like, I'm gonna do me. what that is [LAUGH]. to do is go back to school. to figure out a lot of things on my own, never had to use technology in that way. and energy into studying. gain assurance that I can achieve it. Delaware Port Authority to interview Greg Polaski. for the Delaware River Port Authority and the Delaware Memorial Bridge. built in 1952, and direction. forth. watch it, you'll see it going back and forth. that side's stationary. years now. which is why it took me 10 years to graduate. say it took you 10 years to finish and classes. I'm not going to do it? as a part-time student and away at it, that's how long it takes to finish. persistent. or something is slowing me down. that's slowing you down. to not have any fears about moving forward, as an older student? change. complacent in our jobs at times, to look forward to. isn't in the industry you're going into, hearing what other people's advice is. gone through some of these steps, to some career, you're just wearing a different hat. >> It's still the same would give us on our paths, where we are? I'll just let it happen. I'm doing exactly what I wanted. to going to work every day. years to graduate gives me a little bit more hope years or ten years, away at it like Greg said. Philadelphia. we're gonna interview Karen Owen. brand storytelling at HRHS. be able to give me some insight. of marketing and public relations and program director for our own life story coaching. employees, but also our community. >> Yeah. in other healthcare organizations I know me moving forward, for her. of bad about saying no. when it comes to family? they've always supported whatever it is that I've done. is a very unnecessary and feel. try to feel something different than that. >> Yeah. feel guilty about it. >> It's your turn. ready to just completely turn my life what advice would you give us? give yourself a chance just to breathe. unnecessary tension or anguish for questioning, am I doing the right thing? record. spinning thing right now and you are right now is where you're supposed to be. this is your time and going after your thing. supposed to be, breath. was okay. because I felt like she got it. trip, I'm gonna be different. becoming more open and I'm growing. that I'm on the right track, and you can actually accomplish them. still young enough to do whatever it is you want 

Greg Pawlowski chronicles his ten year journey through college to a fulfilling career.

Episode 2: Across the Bridge

to tell you who to be and what to do, but yourself? that empowers people to they love. teamed up with Old Dominion University on a road trip around the Greater Northeast. alumni about how to get the most out of college pressure from my parents that they don't even pressure on myself because supposed to be the smart kid. passes everything, gets off to college and tell me they're proud of me, down one path and then realize that I hate it, and could've spent better with myself in another way. Jersey Ted Maloney, he's the Middletown Township engineer. >> Hey, nice to meet you. was, so I'm really excited about this interview gonna learn a lot from it. reaffirm what I'm doing and in my decision-making. ODU and to do engineering? engineer, working with him to make money in the summer time. anything. working in the survey crew just helping out, engineering. St. Peter's College in Jersey City, and my brother went there. and marketing my first year, and wanted to do engineering and engineering at that school. the year before, so I went to visit him. I started looking into the engineering program. gonna go here and check this school out. it was a good school. wanted to do, still not sure, really. de-stress from all the classes? college. with the college radio station, and the college radio station. we always listened to music. we'd travel around. and that was pretty much our vice. failing in your career at all? like, is this what I really wanna do? holed into the civil engineering job and holed into the civil engineering job and plans. >> Yeah, but, if you come out of school or you guys with your degrees, job for your whole life. what am I gonna do next? what you're gonna get your degrees in and with like self criticism and yourself out of it? you just kind of have to realize that, too hard on yourself. when you first come out of school, everything. be okay, now, I'm the top engineer of this company, person or I'm the top administrator. by working somewhere first, and school's only part of it. think is this job gonna be a good fit? there for a year and the place I wanna be. that you're gonna wanna work with. piece of advice for all of us? crossroads, and we're in different places. think you wanna do now. whether it's gonna fit exactly and the rest of your life. you don't wanna do, its a good chance you're gonna this isn't what I wanna do. 91. >> The way he looks at self criticism, at the beginning and you're gonna fail. learn the stuff and keep working your way up. resonated with me because I'm right now. exactly where you are supposed to be and just let things fall into place as they are supposed to. that I was hoping for. 

Ted Maloney shares how ODU paved the way for his career in public works.

Episode 3: Building Their Futures

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build lives around teamed up with Old Dominion University, on a road trip around the greater northeast. alumni about how to get the most out of college everything. cruise. we got to see some really cool things. it. when I was there, about this right now but financial insecurity has with my head since childhood. into some sort of corporate job. many dreams of things that I wanted to do. into some sort of advocacy. have debt? adult job? Singh, Sustainability at Mastercard. University, and I'm a proud alum. Science and a minor in Women Studies. is to make sure that. the formal economy, get connected. who don't have access to regular electricity. started doing here is to put little boxes in your house. you to do is buy electricity. and the more economic independence you have. would like to work in non-profit management. from that because of the financial aspect of it. been based in purpose driven work. the non-profit sector. this work, but it's also important to make sure that those non profits do their job well. help bring attention to through assets or something else, then you've helped. or you can help 100 non-profits. the impact you want to have just for you to think about. you're looking for? way to make that happen. situation that led you into the world of advocacy? town in southern Virginia, you sort of have to ability to move through situations, and sort of integrate. parents, I think that sort of rebellious spirit that I immigrants anyways, you just sort of pick it up. what led me to advocacy and then women's studies. taught me how to think critically. how to think, that you have a critical eye. that I think could be transplanted in lots of different just really help me throughout my career. to move forward in any career? you have to walk right through it, it, and that you need to bounce back. right thing. what is the right thing? whatever you do next it's the next right thing. doing is the wrong thing. that can kinda related to come from a different background. great. constantly moving forward and just going onward. become stagnant, that's when resources sets in applying myself and I get it the next time and I continue I'm gonna still be considered successful. about, are you on the right path? that's gonna yield impact? questions. the words women's studies are like, degree? reach people all over the world for her. impact in a financial place. after that interview. New York. longer. mentality >> After New York, better. 

Shamina Singh discusses how she blends philanthropy with her career at Mastercard.

Episode 4: Pressing Forward

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build life teamed up with Old Dominion University on a road trip around the Greater Northeast. alumni college and build a more authentic life. Virginia. road trip. interview Scott Avery. the Navy Warfare Development Command. >> Chase, nice to meet you. the E2C and E2D Hawkeyes, which is what I flew. and went into those planes, it's so little and so opening to see what they really worked with. school, I really didn't have a lot of direction. college and that lasted all of about two minutes. I made the decision to enlist in the Navy. a number of years, I was picked up for time active duty person full time. by the Navy to be a student. to graduate from college. and when I joined the Navy I started seeing I really grew because you work and Harm's Way with people from every walk of life. routines for times are getting tough, or positivity? would be waking up in the morning, and positive about that day. to ruminate on negativity, when I've been really successful and been because I've had a very positive spirit. felt like I wanna give up and I'm focusing on the negative. try to base your life off of? you can't live on yesterday. do for tomorrow. these people that believes that about the next challenge. things that we've accomplished. have to be moving forward, always moving forward. final piece of advice that you would have for crossroads in our lives, wanna do? piece of advice that you can give us? follow your heart, always. because in the end you enemy, it is better to be your biggest fan. bought a combination cover, officer's cover. and everyday I woke up and say, I'm gonna wear that hat one day. thing on and that visualization of that goal. look at what engineers are doing and or be part of the next design team, just everyday that's the end game. objective that he had that he wanted to get to. got to where he is now. realizing you are the difference and follow your heart. enlisted, he set his bar high. up, he would see that and one day. everything. to me was really special. okay? experience ever. sent on an RV up along people that went to the same school as we did again. experience. each other. went to ODU be trying to figure it out. to ODU is really cool. come from such different backgrounds. story than just where they went to school. forward to. go anywhere from here. 

Capt. Scott Avery shares how his time in the military taught him the power of diversity.

Episode 5: Flying Without Fear

to tell you who to be and what to do. yourself? that empowers people to build lives around teamed up with Old Dominion University on a road  trip around the Greater North East. Alumni about how to get the most out of life. very end of our trip. >> Weather wise, it has been very cold. a monsoon/hurricane out right now. rain, rain, rain, rain. fun. amusement park. mirror, [SOUND]. stopped working. it's okay. >> The road trip for what I was expecting. I was expecting to get. take different obstacles and how they became successful. trip that you don't have to work people. like taking one step at a time. picture. gonna do, just taking it one step at a time. help me figure what I'm gonna do with my life from keep coming no matter what. have to go somewhere. about yourself and your own worth. yourself out of it? that you're doing the best you can do, so you're gonna be good at. how everything went wrong, did right in the situation. is not inherently bad. spotlight. a light on ourselves and improve? then you're just not moving forward. that's when failure starts to set in. I have to retake it, myself. in my life, then I'm gonna still be successful. but  without it you don't stand a chance. by. though it was I didn't have a choice. come hell or high water. in particular, in this formative stages, myself as valuable as possible? like you don't get shots for free. and you pick those shots and thinking that that's not will see your pasion, they will see your work the ladder quicker because of that experience as a leraning experience, keep moving forward graduate. to the fact is that you finished it. the interviewees gave me so many ideas, directions. pressured, not to second guess yourself. am I in the right place? place. it's the next right thing. you're doing is the wrong thing. something new or switch career paths. something and in, you can do that. a little bit easier than it was. thing that we did on this trip. tunnel, and he was zooming me around, like it really has. it, then don't not do it. life, you had never tried it? it. happy all the time, but ask yourself. because  we have to, but because we want to. success? and reaching those goals potential and never giving up. And staying on course going the right way to just follow our intuition, shot. situation is going to work out. what can I do better, what can we do better? about, are you in the right path? gonna be of the most impact down the road? but just do something, forward momentum is the key. gonna do great things in advocacy, or gonna do great in life. I think it's absolutely magical, starting a different path. unencumbered, and I'm really gonna miss that about you. the smartest and strongest people I know. driving a car in a road. the rearview mirror, you're destined to crash. is just look forward. up from everyone that you talk to and experience that you get. students is to be open to the experience decided to take the journey. and you're deserving. 

The roadtrippers make it back home with a fresh perspective and new hope for their futures.

Episode 6: The Next Chapter

Getting a degree is a huge undertaking—figuring out what to do with it is another one altogether. That’s why, together with ODU, we’re sending a group of students on a road trip across the Mid-Atlantic to interview ODU alumni and see how they were able to translate their education into fulfilling work. Follow the journey to hear stories of tackling hurdles, finding yourself, and turning a degree into a thriving career.


There’s a lot of talk about how to get into college—but what does it take to get through and figure out what you want to do? We’re sending ODU students on a journey to find out.

The Old Dominion University Roadtrip

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

STOPS & INTERVIEWS

FUELED BY: