Today’s guest was East Greenwich High School senior, Ali Decesare, and her father, Founder and President of Third Effect Marketing and Design, a leading Rhode Island graphic design and marketing company, Nick Decesare.   Today’s Hope Life Skills host was Melanie Gomez Cabrera.

Melanie Gomez Cabrera (right) welcomes guests East Greenwich High School senior, Ali Decesare, (center) and Nick Decesare, Founder and President of Third Effect Marketing and Design, to Hope High School and today’s Hope Life Skills class.

Melanie introduces Ali and Nick to the Life Skills class. Phenomenal introduction by Melanie!

Hope Life Skills students welcoming Nick and Ali following Melanie’s introduction

Ali began

today’s class sharing the story of her college search.

Ali shares the story of her college search

“I believe I know what I want to major in and I’ve narrowed my search down to three schools:  Northeastern #1, University of Michigan #2 and University of Maryland #3.”  Ali then spoke about specific qualities of the college student body she believes are important for bringing out the best of her potential.

“Diversity is important. 

I’m looking for a college where there are lots of students with different majors and, as a result, different perspectives on careers and life.  Diversity like this will open my mind to issues and perspectives I may not be aware of and, in the process, expand my career opportunities and my understanding of people I may find myself collaborating with in a job.  College is about preparing me for the future.  A college with diversity will increase my value for a career or company that hires me.  A another aspect of finding the diversity I’m looking for in a college is where I go to school.  I think it may be good 

for me to study in a different  part of the United States. The diversity in a school’s geography can also add value to my education. 

Not every place in America is the same.  Different foods.  Different ideas.  Different ways of doing things. Different culture.  Different people. I’m excited. “

Nick then shared the story of his college education.

Nick shares his reason for changing his college major from pre-med to graphic design.

“Sometimes our parents want us to have a certain career or want us to go to a certain school close to home.

My father wanted me to be either a lawyer or a doctor. 

When I told him I was changing my major from medicine to graphic design, he wasn’t happy.  He thought an art degree like graphic design meant I’d be poor, working on an urban street corner painting portraits for tourists. 

It took time for my Dad to realize I could make a good living and be happy as a designer. 

He eventually realized this.  This taught me a lesson for my children.  People need to be happy to do their best.  If you’re happy, you’re probably doing well in your job.  You’re probably in a good relationship too.  We should all try to do what is necessary to be  happy.   It may start by having a job we like to do. And, it just might take time,  like me, to find out what you like to do.  

When we’re happy, we seem to do better in our jobs and we seemingly have better relationships.” 

Steve Cronin shared the story of his daughter, Tara’s, career search, starting in a college in North Carolina, then to Australia, onto Boston and now, in San Jose, California.  Tara stated working as a physical therapy assistant, then a residential and commercial designer and now, in her own company,  a photography studio she named Kent Avenue Photography.  “Dad“, she told me last week, “I may not be making a lot of money right now but I can’t wait to go to work every day.  I really like what I’m doing”.

Nick, Ali and Tara’s perspectives seemingly indicate

we’re all looking for places to attend college and later to live and work which will bring out our best.

We shouldn’t settle for less.

The class ended with the Hope Life Skills class networking session.

Yael Torres networks with Ali at the end of class.

Oluwakemi Bankole networks with Nick at the end of class.