Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904
Issue link: https://metromag.epubxp.com/i/131307
point of departure Te best laid plans w hen I was a kid growing up, I wanted to be an artist. I was always drawing pictures with my fancy pencil set from Aaron Brothers and my favorite box of Crayolas for as long as I can remember. I went back and forth between wanting to be a painter to maybe an architect or even a clothing designer. Somehow, I don't think making clothes for my Barbie dolls counts as experience. During my college years, I studied art and lots and lots of art history. Once I graduated from college with an art degree, I saw myself working in computer graphics at a creative company. You're doing what? Well, like everyone knows, things don't always work out like you planned. And, it seems that people never end up using their degree for what they envisioned. Today, I am, as you can see, an editor for a trade magazine covering the public transportation industry. If someone asked me 10 years ago where I saw myself, it definitely wasn't here doing this. Although it's not what I pictured for my career, I can see that my job feeds my creativity by developing story ideas, crafting them and, of course, looking for artwork to go with them. And, I get to learn about an industry that a lot of people probably don't delve too deeply into, even though it is a major part of their lives. Now, when I see buses and trains, I am proud to say that I know what happens behind the scenes of transporting people. If you weren't in transit… Like me, I think many people in this industry didn't start out in life thinking they were going to get into the public transportation world. Recently, we asked public transit leaders what they would be doing if they weren't in transit. Here are some of their responses: Keith Parker, GM, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority: "I would most certainly be in education. I have the passion and, I believe, the skill set to be an effective superintendent of a big city school system or a college president." Michael Melaniphy, president/CEO, APTA: "I would probably be in the aviation field lobbying Congress and the Administration on good aviation policy." Joyce Eleanor, CEO, Community Transit: "I may have gone into marketing." Bill Volk, managing director, Champaign-Urbana MTD: "Law and legislation – assuming I could have been accepted into law school, I think that would have been an interesting alternative." Art Leahy, GM, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority: "History or political science teacher for either high school or college." Janna Starcic, Executive Editor janna.starcic@ metro-magazine.com "...no matter what your background is, you bring a diferent perspective to your present position, thereby enriching it and the work that you do." Tina Quigley, GM, RTC Southern Nevada: "Without a doubt, I would be involved in progressing issues for education in Southern Nevada." Bring something to the table When I first started out in this business, I felt like I wasn't able to take advantage of my artistic background, but I'm sure, like the people who told us their stories, no matter what your background is, you bring a different perspective to your present position, thereby enriching it and the work that you do. I'd love to hear about your prior career aspirations. Drop me a line at janna.starcic@metro-magazine.com. 20 < mETRO mAGAZINE JUNE 2013 metro-magazine.com