September 27, 2024/Midnight

Gannon, Erie Campus- Gannon University is home to over 2,000 students at any given time of year. Within this student body, a variety of different people exist. We are united though our pursuit of education at Gannon University. However, our differences may lie in our ages, career choices, races, faiths, or a plethora of other things. In every aspect that we are different, there is one where we are similar. In roundtable, we explore the similarities and differences in the thoughts and opinions of Gannon students.

Ask any child what their dream job is, and you might get one, or several answers. For many children, their fascination with space leads them to dreams of becoming an astronaut. Or, the intelligence of a doctor makes them want to pursue medicine.

But how often does a child’s career goal align with the goals they have set for themselves in their adult life?

This week, four students were asked, “Career-wise, what did you want to be as a child, and what are you studying now?”

Bella Gambini, a senior, said she has always had a passion for science. “When I was younger, I wanted to be an astrophysicist. But now, I’m studying environmental science.”

Senior Madison Abbott describes how her dream job has always been in the medical field. She answers that, “When I was little, I wanted to be a dentist. But now, I’m studying occupational therapy.”

Some people’s passions stay the same from the time they are a child to the time they are ready to enter the workforce. Or, they stay in the same field. However, others have drastic changes in their dreams and ambitions.

Bailey Clements, a junior majoring in digital media, describes her journey. “When I was a kid, I think I wanted to be a teacher. But now, I want to do something with social media and branding, and working with a bunch of different companies and meeting new people. I think that would be cool.”

Hoan Bao Nghi Nguyen, a freshman studying journalism says, “When I was a kid, I used to dream to be something big, like a doctor. My parents wanted me to be a doctor.”

But she says that her ambitions have changed over the years. She adds that, “Now, I’m getting older, and I find that I’m interested in communications. I want to be a reporter for a newspaper in the near future, when I graduate. Further, I want to work in a media agency in my hometown.”

Sometimes, a childhood dream job is an indication of a lifelong passion. Other times, career ambitions change and develop as people mature.