On February 21st 2018, our founder Kevin O’ Connell delivered a keynote for Rhode Island College as part of their inaugural Majors Week programming on how students can take control of their story and not be defined solely by their major.

In this 35-minute keynote, Kevin opens up with a personal story he has never shared in public.

In May 2006, Kevin graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University, where he majored in marketing. After college, he enrolled graduate school but quickly dropped out. Later on, Kevin worked at Centenary College where he worked full-time in their student affairs division, and a year later finally decided to start a masters degree in Leadership.

Kevin’s main message in this keynote is that you are not defined by your major. You will find your niche and the career you love.

In this podcast, Kevin mentions people like Eppa Rixey and Megan Gebhart who have pursued careers that differed from their college majors and are thriving. If you realize that your major is not something you want to pursue a career, then take risks, and do things that will redefine what exactly you want to do. To redefine what you want to do, know your strengths, know who you are, and know what motivates you.

Listen to the full unedited keynote here: