Sharon Clarke

1986 Bachelor of Arts in Microbiology; Chemistry Minor

Currently:
Chief Commercial Officer, Zensights, LLC

"Your education is what you put into it – and ETSU can prepare you for a great career! ."

Question: How did your education prepare you for the real world?

My education in the College of Public Health prepared me for the real world due to the professors I was so lucky to study under, and to the Work Study Program I completed while I was at ETSU. The professors taught us the practical applications of what we were learning and the work ethic to be successful in real world roles.

I am proud of the effort I put into my classes and labs, to graduate feeling prepared for a role in the pharmaceutical industry. I was fortunate to have a work/study job for 15 hours a week within the department. The work was a great addition to my studies to help me learn to greater balance time of study and work, to get to know the department and its goals, and to see that hard work pays off in the long run. I believe the strong foundation pays off even today.

Question: What is something you wish you had known when you were a student?

I wish I had known that homework never goes away! I was so excited to graduate so that I would not have to study and take exams anymore. That wasn’t true at all; the value of lifelong learning is critical and when you graduate, if you want to succeed, work is not 9-5pm. I would’ve been more prepared for the long hours you put in to start a career. It is all worth it; I would not change a thing, but knowing that your studies should never be over is important and that learning is never something to minimize.

Any other thoughts?

ETSU is a place that offers everything you need for college. Your education is what you put into it – and ETSU can prepare you for a great career! The memories I have are of fun with social life, a great education with many strong professors, a wonderful work/study program and friends, football and intramural sports in an atmosphere that was the perfect size: big enough for a great education and small enough to build strong relationships with the department you are a part of for your major.