By Kamden Shaw
What did you want to be when you grew up? For many that childhood dream has been left behind, but for some it’s a career they want to be living every day.
These seniors are looking at what defines a dream job and how people are finding passion in careers they truly love.
For example, Mackemzie Lipps wants to be a pediatric psychiatrist.
“This became my dream job when I was in middle school. As a pretty social and empathetic person, I’ve always known I wanted to help/work with people, I just wasn’t sure how,” Mackemzie said. “After personal mental health struggles, I decided that I wanted to do something in the psychology field. After doing lots of research, I realized psychiatry was what I wanted to do.”
Mackemzie plans to take the MCAT, which is the admissions test to get into medical school.
“Once I get into medical school, I will study all different forms of medicine, but focus mainly on psychiatry,” Mackemzie said. “After completing four years of medical school, I plan on completing my 2-4 years residency where I will focus on children’s psychiatry to get my specialization license.”
Senior Chistopher Rench wants to be a respiratory therapist to honor his grandpa.
“My grandpa passed away due to complications with emphysema, which is a lung disease,” Christopher said. “If he would’ve had specialist help, he’d still be here today, so I want to be able to be that person for other people.”
Christopher plans to go to Ball State University to pursue the respiratory program.
“Two years of normal classes and then two years of clinical classes,” he said. “After four years, I’ll be certified in the field.”
Usually when people think of dream jobs they think of one interest, but Hailie Woodring had two and put them together.
Hailie wants to be a forensic scientist because of her obsession with crime shows growing up and her fascination with science.
“I was crazy obsessed with them growing up. My favorite one was X Files and my role models were Dana Scully and Fox Mulder,” Hailie said. “They were FBI agents. I have also always been fascinated with science. I am good at it and love it. These passions have molded together to create my desire to pursue forensic science.”\
Hailie’s plan is to continue her undergraduate in biology with a minor in forensics at Purdue University.
“I then plan on pursuing my graduate education at (the University of) Tennessee Knoxville in forensics. From there I will work on getting experience to qualify for the FBI,” Hailie said.
For some, dream jobs aren’t just about passion, they are about purpose. Mara Porter hopes to live out her dream by caring for animals.
“I want to be a vet tech because I have always had a passion for animals,” Mara said. “Learning the skills a vet tech uses would help me in my everyday life with my own animals, the animals I come in contact with, and any animals I treat in a clinic. God gave us animals to take care of and love.”
She’s already taking the steps toward that future.
“In November, I will be starting school at the Vet Tech Institute in Indianapolis,” she said. “It’s an 18-month hands-on program that will get me the training and education I need to go straight into my dream career.”
Everyone’s dream job is different, but they all come from something meaningful: a passion, a personal experience, or a goal to help others. These students are working hard to turn their dreams into real careers.
They show that with determination it’s possible to do what you love every day.
