Fairs, fairs, everywhere, fairs!

Part of our duties while being in Los Angeles is to assist with some of the recruiting events as needed. Travis and I have been quite successful in talking to interested students about the School of Public Affairs at the various campuses and we've been able to see a lot of Southern California schools!

First was La Jolla in the beginning of October to attend the Graduate School fair at UCSD. We set up our booth with all of our handouts and SWAG and anxiously awaited the students arrival. We talked to a handful of interested students and were able to spend time talking to the rep from W.P. Carey.

Travis and our booth! 

At La Jolla Cove after the event

The next events took place at the end of the month. First was UCLA. It wasn't as successful as UCSD, most students that came to the fair didn't seem to be interested in Public Affairs...we were in a row of various Public Affair and Social Work programs and our aisle was mostly a ghost town. Next we ventured to UC Riverside. What a crazy day! We talked to so many interested students about the School and what the career options are with an MPA or an MPP. We even talked to a professor who was interested in the PhD program. One student came up before the fair even began because she had already been looking into our program and had some more questions about it. 

A week later, I met with Nicole Boryczka at USC for another fair. We talked to a handful of students who were interested in the new hybrid program. ASU SPA offers the MPA degree in a 16-month hybrid format if students attend full time and stick to a structured schedule. All but two classes can be completed online and two classes, one in the first semester and one in the final semester, are weekend intensives. This option really appeals to people who are interested in the program but aren't wanting to relocate to the valley because of family or a job. 

All in all, it's been a great experience not only seeing these other schools but also being a part of ASU in this capacity. It's an entirely different side of things and a great opportunity to lean new skill sets. Tabling at an event and recruiting experience is something else to add to the resume!

A little bit of Los Angles. Or a lot, whichever.

Santa Monica just off of Ocean Avenue (And there is Travis!)

Today marks one month since I moved to Los Angeles. It's been an exciting adventure with ups and downs, but certainly more ups! I'd love to share some of my adventures.

This is a straight walk down from the ASU office in Santa Monica. 7 blocks, across the PCH, down a couple hundred steps, and across a quarter mile walk of sand you get the Pacific Ocean! 

Since I've been here I went to a Dodgers game (another is coming up this week against the DBacks, I'll be there in my red in the sea of Dodgers blue), the beach, Hollywood, Downtown, all over! But this week has been nothing short of fabulous!

Thursday nights Santa Monica pier has had a summer twilight concert series. My friend and I decided to check it out and it was a gorgeous night with a beautiful sunset off the coast.

Friday night a friend took me downtown to experience some of the absolute best gems of Los Angeles. Dinner at the Water Grill, exploring the Biltmore Hotel (where they were filming, because apparently they are always filming some movie at the Biltmore, of course), and sitting and taking in the most amazing lakes and fountains in the middle of the mountains of skyscrapers. Growing up on the edge of town in Mesa, AZ it has definitely been a little strange to look up and not see the stars. But in the heart of Los Angeles, in the midst of all of these amazing towering buidlings, you could look up and see a few sparkles. (Just a few, not nearly as many as I would like, but I'm a realist too.)

Now Saturday was spent in true Los Angeles fashion. I relaxed until 11 when my best friend and I took  my dog to Griffith Park for a hike (in a heat warning, 94 degrees, oh my!).

Followed by the USC tailgate.

Even at USC I still represent ASU! 

I'm excited for all of the upcoming opportunities that this is going to undeniably bring for my future career and all of the memories I will get to make along the way!