success stories
INTERVIEWS BY KATHRYN GALLIEN
THERE ARE PROBABLY as many definitions of success as there are people who seek it. Scope sought words of wisdom from a sampling of Skidmore alumni in a broad range of careers: a writer, a trial lawyer, a farmer, an educator, a mental coach to professional card players, a theater producer, a lay minister, and a Navy captain.
NEELA VASWANI ’96 English major MFA in writing, Vermont College of Fine Arts; PhD in cultural studies, University of Maryland at College Park
Author, You Have Given Me a Country and other works; faculty member, Spalding University’s MFA program in writing New York City
MORE AT SCOPEDISH BLOG
How do you define success? It doesn’t have much to do with money or status, though both are helpful for more freedom, better choices, and making life easier. But being someone who can be counted on to help, to listen, to try her best at any given moment—that’s the kind of success I strive for.
How did you come to that definition?
As a young adult, I realized that I had to figure out what suc- cess meant to me rather than to the rest of the world or my family. It was complicated being the only artist—to not be the doctor everyone wanted. But throughout, I’ve always taken pride in all of my work, including waitressing, which I consid- er a noble profession.
Has your definition changed over time? Definitely, and I can tell you that it will keep on changing. One thing that affected me deeply was working with the adult literacy and English-as-a-second-language community at the New York Public Library. I’ve never met a more courageous group. Every new word learned, every moment of defeat or difficulty borne with good humor and moved past—those are true measures of success.
g SPRING 2012 SCOPE 21
JON REINFURT
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