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Michelle Decker

Michelle Decker

Families In Schools

Career Roadmap

Michelle's work combines: Education, Non-Profit Organizations, and Communicating / Sharing Stories

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Day In The Life

Community Engagement Manager

I manage large scale literacy campaigns in schools.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

    North Monterey County HIgh School.

  • Bachelor's Degree

    International/Globalization Studies

    San Jose State University

  • Graduate Degree

    Public Administration

    Vanguard University of Southern California

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Social and Community Service Managers:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: International/Globalization Studies

Graduate Degree: Public Administration

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life took a while to figure out

  • 1.

    First I worked for a congressional office as an immigration caseworker.

  • 2.

    Then I took one year as an Americorp VISTA working as a Partnerships Coordinator for a law firm.

  • 3.

    Then I went to grad school and got my Masters in Public Administration.

  • 4.

    I was hired to work as an administrator at Metropolitan Water District during graduate school.

  • 5.

    I was finally hired at Families In Schools as a Community Engagement Manager.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Family:

    Why would you want to get a job supporting people from an ethnic group that we don't like or approve of?

  • How I responded:

    Only you know what makes you happy. The goal is to show them how happy you are so that they either stop bothering you, or give up trying to change your mind. Eventually they will come around.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I had to work three jobs throughout my college career and pay for it myself because my parents couldn't help.

  • My family understood the need for me to go to college, but didn't understand why I chose my major. They thought I was being brainwashed.