Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Jennifer Beckmann, Founder of Cancer Nerd and MBA student


Jennifer Beckmann

Education: A.B. with Honors, Brown University (2002) – double concentration in Archaeology and Art History; MBA, University of Cambridge (2009)

  1. What do you do for a living and how did you end up doing it?

Well, I am in between livings right now. I spent five years in New York City after graduating from college both working and volunteering at various non-profit organizations, including the American Museum of Natural History. I am also a big advocate for colon cancer research and patient support, having lost my stepdad to the disease in 2004. In January 2008, I moved to London and have taken time off before starting my MBA in September. This has been a richly introspective time for me, in which I have done a lot of reading and a lot of writing. My blog Cancer Nerd focuses on my personal quest to learn as much as I can about cancer so that, post-MBA, I can lead an organization working to eradicate it.

  1. What are three of the most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you, career-wise or other?

Career-wise, I have to say the most interesting job I held was as an educator for the Moveable Museum Program at AMNH. The position included driving a 37-foot Winnebago around NYC, visiting kids at schools who otherwise would not likely visit the Museum. That job increased my confidence and made me realize I like working directly with people, having that direct impact.

Otherwise, one of the best experiences of my life was leading the NYC chapter of the Colon Cancer Alliance, an advocacy group made up of survivors, caregivers, and others touched by this very preventable disease. Getting to know these amazing volunteers – including a few women who had been diagnosed in their 20s! – was beyond inspiring.

Oh, and I was an archaeologist for awhile! That was fun!

  1. What do you like about your current career?

Honestly, I could be very happy blogging all day! I have found it very empowering to share my thoughts on cancer and what I learn from my reading with others. I started Cancer Nerd to keep myself on task, so that I would feel responsible for my self-assigned reading and be productive during this time off – or, as I refer to it, my “independent study time.” Blogging has helped me face the idea of cancer with less fear and more moxie – which will be increasingly invaluable to me in the years to come. I am excited to get my MBA and re-enter the professional world as well. I would love to help a cancer organization with its marketing or programming – any way I can have a direct impact on people and help them cope with this horrible disease.

  1. What career successes are you most proud of having achieved?

My proudest moments have been as a volunteer for colon cancer awareness and prevention. Leading the NYC chapter of the Colon Cancer Alliance – indeed, turning it into the organization’s model chapter – was incredibly rewarding. I have also participated in the Colon Cancer Challenge for the last five years, and have been in the top three fundraisers each year. I am very proud of the fact that following my passions led me to the University of Cambridge and also to Cancer Nerd!

  1. What training and education have you completed and what did you take away from these experiences?

My undergraduate degree was actually in Archaeology and Art History, and I spent a year out of college as an archaeologist. Although I am no longer digging in the dirt for a living, being able to fulfill my childhood Indiana Jones fantasies was very empowering for me, and set the tone for my atypical but passion-fueled career path.

  1. How do you spend your time outside of work?

Back in New York, I spent a lot of time as a volunteer – I probably volunteered for as many hours a week as I worked! Here in London I do my “independent study” reading and writing all day and split my free time between my boyfriend, my trainer, and exploring this delightful (if often overcast) city. I have also started tapping into my long-abandoned artistic side, creating mosaics. I loved studying mosaics as an Archaeology student and it has been fun having a little time to make them myself!

  1. In what ways are you making a difference in other people’s lives?

Ask them! No, seriously, I hope that my blog’s readership continues to increase. Cancer is not going to go away any time soon. If we can’t obliterate the disease, we should obliterate the fear surrounding it. The more informed we are about the choices we can make in our lives to lessen our chances of getting cancer and also the choices we can make if we get it anyway, the less of a hold this disease will have over us. We all have moments where we are overcome with fear. But knowledge is power. I hope that through Cancer Nerd, my readers will feel a little more empowered against the foe that is cancer.

  1. If you were to start over again from college and still end up at the same job you’re currently at, what steps would you take differently?

I certainly have had countless moments over the years when I wished I had taken a more traditional professional path and, ahem, made a little more money. But I know if I had taken some high-paying gig, I would not have been true to myself. Not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t have had time to explore my true passions. So while it won’t be easy to enter into an expensive graduate program with no savings, no sponsor, and a big ol’ loan on my shoulders, I also feel that I will get more out of the program because I know what I want out of my professional life.

  1. What accomplishments – both professionally and personally – do you hope to have achieved 20 years from now?

This sounds like one of my MBA application essay questions! As I said on my application (and kudos to Cambridge for accepting me anyway), my top priority in life is to raise a happy, healthy family with my happy, healthy future husband in our happy, healthy marriage. Everything else is secondary: career, money, worldwide fame, all of it! That being said, I hope to be known as a driving force in the cancer advocacy world. If a few more people can stand up to this disease with a little more confidence, courage, and hope because of me, I will have done something good indeed.

1 comment:

sigsoog said...

Congratulations guys for such a great achievement and your business career. Wising for more success. Thanks!

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