How did Park prepare you for college and a career? While senior thesis is absolutely brutal (fun fun!), I felt over prepared for my first long form paper assignments once I went to college. The challenging course load and collegelike classes prepare high schoolers for their future experience. Once I got to college, I felt it was a familiar environment, even down to the social nature of a new expansive space. Park’s campus feel and structured but free environment teaches students self responsibility and reliability. What advice would you give to current Park Upper School students? While the course load may seem challenging, it really makes your freshman year more of a breeze. Stick to it. If you need support, seek help. Never be afraid to ask questions or advocate for yourself and your needs. Once you get to college, you will need to form your own relationships to ensure you are getting the most of your own education. You are more than capable. Try to apply it! Push the envelope. Experiment. Don’t fit into a box. Ten years from now a lot of your worries will resolve in their own time as you experience and learn more. You do not have to have all the answers now. What are some hard and soft skills you think are important for students to have today in order to be successful in college and a career? Hard Skills: Writing. Computer/Technology. There’s no way around it. You have to articulate yourself and defend a thesis. The world is also seeing another technological evolution. Even if you are not going into the humanities or social sciences, college prepares you to be a well-rounded individual where you have to articulate yourself on paper and utilize technology to conduct research and take care of your personal affairs. Be sure to stay ahead of the curve. Soft Skills: Self-discipline. Empathy. Creative Thinking. You won’t get the hang of this right away. For those who feel they already have it, trust me your 20’s will test your resolve. But that is life and you will learn and adjust where you must. As you grow in your education and career the same tips and tricks may not apply the same. Be open minded to change. Maintain the ability to keep an open-mind. Stay empathetic to experiences that are different from your own. Hobbies or interests outside of work and family? Fun Fact: I run a media platform solely dedicated to the art of DJing. I cover both historical and current iterations of the art form and connect it to social issues, norms and ills. If someone you knew was considering sending their child to Park, what would you say to them? Let your child be truly themselves and take advantage of all the opportunities Park affords. Encourage them to make new friends and learn about communities different than their own. Pictured left: In 2012, Dejia and fellow Pioneer Seychelle Mikofsky '16 advocated against car idling during drop-off and pick-up in Park's Circle. Pictured top: Dejia and many classmates gave remarks during their Countdown to Commencement Dinner in 2013. Pictured bottom: The Park School Class of 2013. "Park was the place where I could begin to unapologetically form who I am." 26
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